and Jack introduced them.

"Oh! is that so?" answered Walt Baxter, and shook hands rather doubtfully. "I--I--am glad to know you," he stammered.

"And we are real glad to know you, Baxter," answered Randy, readily.

"We heard you were at this school. We hope that we'll all be good friends."

"If we are not, it won't be my fault," and now there was a ring of relief in Walter Baxter's voice. He lowered his tone a trifle. "I know your fathers did a lot for my father, and I am very thankful for it. If I can do anything for you fellows here, I'll certainly do it."

"And we'll do what we can for you, Baxter," answered Jack, quickly.

After that the talk became general, and Walt Baxter told much about himself and the doings of the cadets at Colby Hall. When Nappy Martell's name was mentioned, he drew down the corners of his mouth.

"I never had any use for that chap," he declared. "Once or twice my hot temper got the better of me and we came pretty near having a fight. But after that Martell gave me a wide berth."

"I think I've got Martell to thank for something that is missing," said Fred, and thereupon related the particulars regarding the lost suitcase.

"Say! I think I know something about that!" cried Walter Baxter, quickly. "Yes, I'm sure I do!"

"Did you see Martell take the suitcase?" demanded the youngest Rover, quickly.

"I can't say as to that, exactly. But I did see Martell sneaking off through the backyard, past the stable, with something under his arm--a big package wrapped up in a couple of newspapers."

"When was this?" questioned Jack, quickly.

"About four o'clock this afternoon."

"Just after we arrived at the Hall!" burst out Randy.

"What did he do with what package?" asked Jack.

"I don't know exactly, excepting that he went down past the stable on to the roadway that leads to the farm fields."

"Maybe he took the suitcase and threw it down in one of the fields,"

ventured Andy.

"You didn't see him come back?" asked Fred.

"Yes, come to think of it, I did--about a quarter of an hour after that," answered Walt Baxter.

"And did he have the package then?"

"No."

"Then I'll wager it was the suitcase and he left it somewhere down on the farm!" cried Randy. "Let us go and take a look. We are permitted to go out in the farm fields, aren't we?" he asked of Walt.

"Oh, yes. You can go anywhere you please during off hours so long as you don't go out of bounds," was the reply. "If you want to go out of bounds, you have to report at the office and get permission."

The matter was talked over for a few minutes more, and Walt Baxter said he would gladly go along with the Rovers to show them just where he had seen Nappy Martell with the bundle. The five boys were soon in the neighborhood of the Hall stable, and then they pa.s.sed beyond this to a roadway which ran between the fields attached to the school farm.

"It's a pity it's so dark," declared Jack. "I doubt if we'll be able to locate that suitcase even if we get quite close to it."

"I'll tell you what I'll do," declared Randy. "I'll run back to my room and get my pocket flashlight. That will be just the thing."

It took him but a few minutes to obtain the article he had mentioned, and with the flashlight to guide them, the five boys started along the roadway behind the school. The light was flashed first on one side and then on the other.

"Looks like a wild goose chase," declared Andy, after they had pa.s.sed two farm fields. "I don't think he would come this far with that heavy suitcase."

"Here is a cornfield full of stacks," said Walt Baxter. "The stacks would afford a dandy hiding place for almost anything."

They approached the first of the stacks, and Fred kicked some of the corn stalks aside, but without result. Then they pa.s.sed on to the next stack.

"h.e.l.lo! here is something!" exclaimed Jack, as the rays of the flashlight fell upon the object. "Fred, I guess we've found it all right enough."

"So we have!" cried the youngest Rover; and in a moment more he thrust his hand in between the cornstalks and pulled out the missing suitcase.

CHAPTER XI

DOWN IN THE CORNFIELD

The other boys gathered around in curiosity as Fred brought forth from the stack of cornstalks his missing suitcase. Beside the bag were several newspapers crumpled up into a wad.

"Those must be the newspapers he had the suitcase wrapped in," remarked Walt Baxter.

"More than likely," answered Jack. He picked up the wad of papers and glanced at them. "New York newspapers, too," he cried. "Nappy must have brought them with him from home."

"Was the suitcase locked, Fred?" questioned Randy.

"No. I didn't bother to lock it, because, you see, I had it with me. I only lock a suitcase when I check it."

"Then you'd better take a look inside and see if your duds are all right," advised Andy.

The youngest Rover quickly unstrapped the suitcase and threw back the catch. Then, as Randy sent the rays of the flashlight into the bag, he, as well as the others, uttered various exclamations.

"The mean fellow!"

"Fred, you ought to get after him for this!"

For a quick look inside the suitcase had revealed the fact that Nappy Martell had opened the bag and thrown handfuls of dirt amid the pieces of clothing and the various other articles Fred had packed therein.

"You'll have to have all that laundered stuff done over again before you can wear it," declared Jack. "And you'll have to have those neckties cleaned, too, I am afraid. Say! this is a shame!"

"Just wait! I think I'll be able to get square with Nappy Martell,"

muttered the youngest Rover.

"He ought to be reported for this," broke in Walt Baxter. "This isn't a joke. It's a low-down, dirty trick."