Part 5 (2/2)
And not without good reason. For everything left at the camping spot when they had continued the hunt-game, hamper, skates, an overcoat, a sweater, and some other things of lesser importance-all had disappeared!
CHAPTER V-A TRAMP THROUGH THE SNOW
”What do you make of this, Dave?”
”I don't know what to make of it, Roger-excepting that somebody has taken our things.”
”Do you think it's a joke, or just plain stealing?” demanded Ben.
”That remains to be found out,” replied Ben. ”One thing is certain, the things didn't walk off by themselves.”
”Footprints of two persons!” exclaimed Gus, who had been scanning the snow-covered ground in the vicinity of the trees and bushes.
”Where do they lead to?” asked Dave, eagerly.
”Here they are-you can follow them as easily as I can,” was the reply, and the heavy-set youth pointed out the tracks in the snow. They led all around the trees and bushes and then in the direction of the river. Here there were a jumble of tracks and further on the marks of skate runners.
”Stopped to put on their skates,” remarked the senator's son.
”And they have skated off with all our things!” grumbled Buster Beggs.
”What are we going to do?”
”Say, that puts me in mind of a story,” came quickly from Shadow. ”Once two boys were out skating and--”
”For the sake of the mummies of Egypt, let up on the story-telling, Shadow!” burst out Phil. ”Don't you realize what this loss means to us?
It's bad enough to lose the hamper and clothing, but what are we to do in this snowstorm, with night coming on, and so far from Oak Hall without skates?”
”Humph! I guess we'll have to walk,” grumbled the story-teller of the school. ”But that will take time, and if this storm keeps up--”
”We'll be snowed under!” finished Chip Macklin.
”Well, no use in staying here,” came from two of the students.
”That is just what I say,” said Dave. ”Those skate marks lead down the river and that is the way we want to go. By following them we'll be getting nearer to the Hall and at the same time closer to the fellows who took our things.”
”We'll never catch those fellows,” grumbled Ben. ”They can skate five times as fast as we can walk.”
”Never mind, we'll go after 'em anyway,” replied Gus. ”And if we catch 'em--” He did not finish in words but brought his right fist down hard into his left palm, which left no doubt as to how he intended to treat the thieves.
”Maybe it's a trick, of some of the Rockville cadets,” suggested Buster, when the crowd were on their way down the river.
”Say, don't you remember my saying I thought I saw somebody near the camp, just before we went away?” burst out Ben. ”You all thought I was mistaken.”
”Well, I reckon you were not mistaken,” answered Dave. ”It's a great pity we didn't investigate more before leaving.”
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