The Mystery at Putnam Hall: The School Chums' Strange Discovery

the bit in his teeth. The boys in the rear of the turnout looked back, to see Peleg Snuggers

them, Andy?" a

from the youth on the front seat

ried Fred Century. "Otherwise

ved to scare the team more, and away they shot along the co

denly. "The regular road is sh

he highway. This side of the barrier some bars had been taken from a fence, so that those

ike those planks!" c

ll try to jump the

all sure!" answered Pepper. "Perhaps

highway and turned into the orchard. Then came a scraping, as the t

swerved to one side. Then came a crash, as one of the wheels caught in a stump. Over went the carryall, with the boys in it. Andy, qui

per's question, as he c

ight," ans

that's all," came from

" cried severa

on lying flat on his back in the front of the carryall.

murmured Pep

ndy, in sudden terror. He ha

y badly hurted," said the f

is arms and brought him out

et some water and we'll bathe his fac

Dale, and ran towards a well loc

of others, let me state that Jack Ruddy and Pepper Ditmore were close chums, living, when at home, in the western part of New York State. Jack was

in Victor Putnam, a retired army officer, who had modeled his institution somewhat after the famous military academy at West Point. It was a large school, ideally located on the shore of the lake, and

o was usually called "Stuffer" because of his constant desire to eat; Joseph Hogan, commonly addressed as "Emerald" because of his Irish blood, and Joe Nelson, who was one

ack being chosen major of the Hall battalion. A bully named Dan Baxter had wanted to be major, and he bribed Gus Coulter and some others to vote for hi

, not the least of which was one in the woods, where they rescued Georg

ried in the vicinity of the lake. How the boys went in search of the treasure, and how they had numer

hums entered several contests, both on land and on the lake, and won out. At that time Fred Century was a pupil at Pornell Academy, but Fred became so disgusted

ce he drugged Jack with some French headache powders, and when he was exposed Captain Putnam would have expelled him had not Jack very generously asked that he be given another

sence of Captain Putnam and George Strong, the school was left in charge of two other teachers-Josiah Crabtree and Pluxton

ed away, to camp in the woods. There the rebels split up, one party under Major Jack and the other under Ritter. At last Captain Putnam put in an appearance, and Major Jack explained matters. As a consequ

he series, called "The Putnam Hall Encampment," I told how the cadets left the Hall and marched to a distant lake. Their camping outfit was sent ahead by wagons, but the wagons got lost, and were finally found in the possession of Roy Bock and some other students of Pornell, they having ma

n they promised to help him. He was trying to locate a certain old man who was defrauding him out of some property. The old man was discovered during a visit to a mysterious

him with us," said Jack

for a cruise around the Great Lakes, and Andy and Dale going to Asbury Park and Atlantic City. Reff Ritter had started for a s