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

the temptation to play a joke. He saw Joe Nelson using his handkerchief and, o

f the pepper, and in the midst of

ter?" asked Mr. Strong, who w

" stammered Joe. "I beli

Pepper. "Very simpl

s I had better-ker-

ds to," was Jack's comment, an

and jumping up he left the table and the room. He ran out on the ca

long in the semi-darkness, in the direction of the woods. He was just able to make out

mused Joe, as he walked slowly to t

to eat. Then, of a sudden,

t it! Th

elson?" asked

et. But when the teacher was not l

e?" whispered t

w Ritter and Coulter s

closed one eye.

learned about

'em," murmured Jack, and immediately

cut themselves short on cake and pears. Pepper was the

them-if they are after t

'em before we get there," s

barrels," cried Pepper. "I am not going to p

roofer that much

es

pus and dove into the woods beyond. T

e 'em if we can

lk," answered

icinity where the tar-barrels had been left.

ing 'em on fir

er!" yelled Pepper. "Don't

all. "What's an old tar-barrel, anyway

barrels," an

shot up and all three of the tar-barrels, standing in a close triangle, and filled with dried leave

fully from Andy. "We'll not be able to

ly. "Oh, what luck!" he groaned, as he saw the flames from the tar-barrels climb

is dangerous!"

mean?" came f

d leaves are catching already! If it reaches yonder

pper. His merry face grew sober f

" said Andy. "It is Ritt

major. "Besides, the wind is rising and it is blowing towards the gym

ut the blaze o

n't of much account against tar, anyway. Gracious, see those f

g already!" gasped Pepper. "

oung major. "Captain Putnam will know what to do. Pepper, you and I had better try

he was gone the others did their best to subdue the rapidly-increasing conflagr

when the wind sent a sudden ed

lar fire department t

l send out the bucket bri

had one ember settle on his hand and Pepper was burnt on the ear. They got a good deal of smoke in their ey

much tar on 'em," panted Pepper. "It's

worth of your money," answe

ime a shout was heard, and

f water," he said. "And some other cadets

" answered Pepper. "See, two of

ack. Then an extra puff of wind sent all of the

n't dream of such a fire when the

are responsible," a

ew, each carrying a bucket of water. Leading them was G

w better than to light a fi

do it," ans

r tried to knock them flat with his rake. But that caused a heav

el," said Jack. "Dirt will put out

and then he sent some cadets back for more shovels

Captain Putnam. Among the number were Coulter

ire would spread to the wo

comes to the worst, say it was an accident, that we were trying t

rig

ones, with which to cover the burning objects. This worked very well on the barrels. But to reach the

tree down," order

used one while Peleg Snuggers wielded the

top of the tar-barrels. Up went a thick cloud of smoke and sparks. But the cadets

wet swabs, and had put out much of the fire elsewhere. One more tree had to be leveled, and this work was done by Joe and Bart.

," cried Pepper. "We'll need

et, and took up a cedar bough, and

enough of fire. We'll go back in the dark. Snuggers, you st

wered the gener

t does break out, fire

s,

ou'll have to stay all night," went on the owner of the school. Alexande

much relish remaining in the woods all nig

all. The conflagration in the woods had rather broken up th

ls in the woods," said Captain Putnam, when he

hn Fenwick, a small youth usually called Mumps. He was known

ou know,

h the barrels

he put the b

forward. "I bought them to celebrate with to-

you set them a

them to the lake-shore and pil

et them on fire

per, Jack and Andy, as well as Joe,

Captain Putnam, sternly.

m one cadet to anoth