CHAPTER X
LOOKING FOR A MISSING ROWBOAT
"We are certainly in a pickle," remarked Roger, as the Rockville cadets rounded a point of the island and disappeared from view.
"I wonder what they did with our boat," said Phil. "I don't see it anywhere on the water."
"Perhaps they took it to the other side of the island," suggested Dave.
"Would they have time to do that? "
"I don't know. This is a total surprise to me, Phil."
"They did the trick on the impulse of the moment," went on Roger. "For they didn't know we were coming here."
"And we didn't know they were here," added Dave. "Let us take a look around and see if we can spot the boat."
"All right, I'll go down the shore and you can go up," cried Phil, and set off at as rapid a gait as the nature of the ground permitted.
A hasty search did not bring the rowboat to light. The boys met on the other side of the island, and stared wonderingly at each other.
"See anything?"
"Not a thing."
"The boat must be somewhere."
"Maybe they sunk her!" cried the senator's son. "Merwell and Jasniff are just unprincipled enough to do it."
"If they did that, they must have done it close to where we tied her up. They wouldn't have time to take her away," returned Dave. "Let us go back and see if we can find any trail in the mud and sand."
They crossed the island, passing the chestnut trees as they did so. Under one of the trees Dave picked up a letter. It was addressed to Nicholas Jasniff, General Delivery, Rockville.
"Jasniff must have dropped this when he was nutting," said Dave, as he and the others looked at the address.
"What is in it?" asked Phil. "It's open; read it."
"Would that be fair, Phil?"
"I think so. Jasniff is an enemy, not a friend. It may contain some clew to his doings, and if there is anything underhanded going on we can let the authorities know."
Dave took out the single sheet that the envelope contained. On it was written, in a sprawling, heavy hand, the following:
"My dear Jasniff:
"I got your leter and I wil do all I can to help you pervided you wil help me on that bussines I meantioned to you. I know we both can make money and hardly anny risks. Beter not come to the office but meet me at Dunns on the River.
"Yours afectenately,"Dr. H. Montgomery."
"Why, this letter was written by that Doctor Hooker Montgomery, the man whose silk hat we knocked off!" cried Dave.
"His education seems to be extremely limited," observed Phil. "He'd never stand at the top of the spelling class, would he?"
"I was asking about him, and he's a regular fakir," said Roger. "He isn't a doctor at all, although he calls himself one. He puts up a number of medicines and calls them 'Montgomery's Wonderful Cures.' I was told that he used to do quite a business among the ignorant country folks, but lately hardly anybody patronizes him."
"And that is why he is willing to aid Jasniff in some scheme, I suppose," said Phil. "I'll wager it is something underhanded. When are they to meet?"
"It doesn't say," answered Dave. "But the postmark is a week old, so I presume the meeting is a thing of the past. I guess I'll not keep the letter," he concluded, and cast it on the ground where he had found it.
Arriving at where the rowboat had been tied up, the three chums looked around carefully, and soon saw footprints leading to a little cove, shaded by tall elderberry bushes. Pushing some of the bushes aside, Dave looked into the water and gave a cry:
"Here she is, fellows!"
"Have you really found the boat, Dave?" questioned Phil.
"Yes. She's at the bottom of the cove. They piled her full of stones and sunk her. They must have had quite a job doing it."
"And here are the oars!" exclaimed Roger, dragging them from the bushes. "Say, it's going to be cold work getting that boat into shape for use," he added, for the sun was going down and the air was keen.
"I'll do it, if you don't care to," answered Dave. "A cold plunge will do me good."
"I'll help, if you say so?" volunteered Phil.
"Never mind, Phil; I think I can do it alone. No use in more than one undressing."
The rowboat had been sunk in water three feet deep. Taking off most of his clothing, and also his shoes and socks, Dave waded into the cove and set to work taking the stones out of the craft. It was certainly cold, and only the heavy labor served to keep his blood in circulation.
"They didn't pound a hole in her, did they?" asked the senator's son, anxiously.
"I don't see any hole," answered Dave. "I'll soon know. There aren't many more stones left."
He had great difficulty in budging the bottom stone, the largest of the lot. But, once this was removed, the boat was quite buoyant and came close to the surface. Then Dave shoved the craft close to shore, and turned it over to empty it.
"As good as ever!" cried Roger, and his tones showed his relief. "Now, Dave, get into your clothes again, and Phil and I will row you back to the Hall. We'll be late and you know what that means, if Job Haskers catches us."
"We've got a good excuse," said Phil. "But maybe Haskers won't accept it," he added, remembering only too well how harsh and unreasonable the second assistant teacher could be at times.
"I think I'll do some of the rowing myself, just to get warm," said Dave, when they got into the craft, and he took an oar; and soon Bush Island was left behind.
"This is another mark against Merwell and Jasniff," said the shipowner's son, as they pulled in the direction of the school. "I suppose they thought we'd have to stay on the island all night."
"Yes, and maybe longer," said Dave. "I fancy they wouldn't care if we had to remain there until we were almost starved."
"We'll have to get back at them somehow," came from Roger.
It was quite dark when they reached the boathouse at Oak Hall. No students were in sight, all having gone in to supper. Dave looked at his watch.
"Supper is almost over!" he cried. "We had better hurry if we want anything to eat!"
"Eat? Rather! I am as hungry as a bear!" cried Phil.
"So am I," added the senator's son.
Putting the rowboat away, the three boys started in the direction of the big school building. As they did this they saw somebody approaching them from an angle of the east wing.
"It's Haskers!" whispered Phil. "He is coming this way!"
"Let's run for it!" cried Roger. "We can get in on the other side! Quick!"
"Boys! boys! Stop!" called out Job Haskers, as they started to run. "I know you, Porter! Morr! Lawrence! Stop, I say!" And he came running after them.
"It's no use, he recognizes us!" groaned Phil, and came to a halt, and so did the others.
"What is the meaning of this? I demand to know where you have been?" cried Job Haskers, sourly, as he came up, puffing from his unusual exertions.
"We are sorry, Mr. Haskers, but we were out rowing, and we were detained at Bush Island," explained Dave.
"Did you have permission to stay away during the supper hour?"
"No, sir. We didn't intend to do so. We were"
"Humph! that is no excuse, young man, no excuse whatever! You know the rule. Go to your rooms at once—and stay there until to-morrow morning." And Job Haskers glared coldly at the three students. He seemed always to take special delight in catching a student at some infringement of the rules, and in meting out punishment.
"We haven't had any supper yet," said Roger.
"That is not my fault, Morr. The dining-room is now about to close, and you cannot go in. It will be a lesson to you to be on hand promptly in the future."
"We have got to have something to eat!" declared Phil, stubbornly.
"Ha! don't you dare to talk back to me, Lawrence! If you do it again, I'll give you some extra lessons to learn."
"Mr. Haskers, won't you listen to us?" asked Dave, in a steady voice. "We have a good excuse to offer for being late."
"I don't want any excuses. It was your duty to return to the Hall in time for supper."
"We simply couldn't get here. We were on Bush Island, and our boat was taken away from us."
"I saw you come back here in a boat."
"We found our boat after a while,—after we had lost a good hour looking for it. Then we rowed back as fast as we could."
"Pooh! The usual story! I want no such lame excuses! Some teachers might accept them, but not I! Go to your rooms, and at once,—and don't dare to come downstairs until to-morrow morning—or I'll cut off all your holidays until Christmas! " And Job Haskers folded his arms and stood like a judge before the boys.
An angry remark arose to Dave's lips. But he checked it and turned toward the school building, and Roger and Phil followed. Job Haskers marched after them.
"Go upstairs at once!" he ordered. "No lingering in the lower hall!" For he was afraid the lads might slip him and try to get something to eat on the sly.
"Mr. Haskers, I wish to talk to Doctor Clay," said Dave.
"Doctor Clay has nothing to do with this affair! I am in charge here for the present."
"Do you mean to say that I can't see the doctor?"
"Doctor Clay is away on business. You may see him in the morning if you wish."
"I don't think he'd send us to bed supperless."
"It is your own fault. You boys have got to learn to obey the rules of this institution. Perhaps it will be a lesson well learned."
"I think it's an outrage!" muttered Phil.
"What is that, Lawrence?" cried the teacher, harshly. But Phil did not repeat his statement.
There seemed to be no help for it, and slowly the three students passed up the stairs and entered their dormitory. Job Haskers watched them out of sight, and then stalked away, his face as grim and hard as ever.
"Well, doesn't this beat the nation!" groaned Roger, as he plumped down on one of the beds.
"Evidently old Haskers hasn't forgotten what happened last term," was Phil's comment. "He is going to make it just as hard as he can for us."
"I'm as hungry as can be. I didn't have much dinner. Dave, are you going to stand for this?"
"What do you mean, Roger—staying in the room until to-morrow?"
"That and going without supper."
"I don't care so much about staying in the room," was the reply. "But I can assure you of one thing,—I am not going without my supper."
"How are you going to get it?"
"I don't know yet. But I am going to get it somehow," replied Dave, and his tone of voice showed that he meant what he said.