"We'll be getting off cheaper than I thought," said Tom, on d.i.c.k's return. "Ought to come out of Mumps' pocket."

"That's so," added Sam. "By the way, I wonder what he meant by saying we were d.o.g.g.i.ng him?"

"I can't say," replied d.i.c.k. "But I've been thinking that he can't be up to any good, or he wouldn't be so suspicious."

"Just exactly my idea!" burst out Tom. "Do you know what I half imagine?"

"Well?"

"That Mumps is cruising around waiting for Dan Baxter to join him."

"But Baxter went to Chicago."

"He won't stay there--not as long as his father is in the East.

He will be back before long, if he isn't back already."

"But he took that money belonging to his father."

"What of that? His father can't do anything against him, for he himself is worse than his son, as we all know. Besides, his father is most likely still in the hospital."

"If you young gentlemen want to sail around until tomorrow noon, I can take you out in one of my boats," remarked Martin Harris.

"I've got a first-cla.s.s yacht, the _Searchlight_, that I can let you have reasonably."

"Thanks, but I would just as lief stay on sh.o.r.e until our boat is mended," answered d.i.c.k. "But I want to pay you for what you did for us," he added.

"Oh, that's all right."

But the boys thought otherwise, and in the end gave Martin Harris two dollars, with which the boatman was highly pleased.

"Remember, I saw that accident," he said, on parting. "I can prove it was the _Falcon's_ fault."

"We'll remember that," answered d.i.c.k.

From time to time they had watched the _Falcon's_ course until the yacht had disappeared down the river.

After a short debate the brothers decided to put up at a hotel which stood not far away, on a high cliff overlooking the n.o.ble Hudson.

"We've been on the water for nearly two weeks now," said d.i.c.k, "and to sleep in a real bed will be something of a novelty."

As it was in the height of the summer season the hotel was crowded; but some guests were just departing, and they managed to get a fairly good room on the second floor. This had a double bed, and a cot was added, to accommodate Sam; d.i.c.k and Tom sleeping together, as usual.

It was supper time when the boys arrived, and as soon as they had registered and washed up and combed their hair, they descended to the s.p.a.cious dining room, where fully a score of tables were set.

"This way, please," said the head waiter, and showed them to a table at one side, overlooking one of the wide verandas of the hotel.

"I'm as hungry as a bear!" exclaimed Tom. "You can't serve us any too quick," he added, to the waiter who came up to take their orders.

"Yes, sah, do the best I can, sah," grinned the colored man.

"What kind of soup, please?"

"I'll have ox-tail--" began Tom, when he happened to glance out of the window. As his gaze fell upon a man sitting in an easy chair on the veranda he uttered a low whistle. "By jinks, boys, look! Josiah Crabtree, as sure as you're born!" he whispered.

CHAPTER III

JOSIAH CRABTREE FREES HIS MIND

The individual to whom Tom referred had been a former master at Putnam Hall, but his disagreeable ways had led to his dismissal by Captain Putnam.

Josiah Crabtree was a tall, slim individual, with a sharp face and a very long nose. During the past term at Putnam Hall he had been very dictatorial to the Rover boys, and it must be confessed that they had made life anything but a bed of roses for him.

Crabtree had been very desirous of marrying a certain widow by the name of Stanhope, but the marriage was opposed by Dora, the widow's daughter, and as d.i.c.k was rather sweet on Dora, he had done all he could to aid the girl in breaking off the match, even going so far as to send Crabtree a bogus letter which had taken the teacher out to Chicago on a hunt for a position in a private college that had never existed. d.i.c.k knew that Crabtree was comparatively poor and wished to marry the widow so that he could get his hands on the fortune which the lady held in trust for her only child.

"It is Crabtree," said d.i.c.k, as he gave a look.

"I wonder how he liked his trip to Chicago?" laughed Sam.

"Perhaps the Mid-West National College didn't suit his lofty ideas."

"Hush! don't let him hear you talk of that," returned d.i.c.k. "He might get us into trouble."

"What kind of soup, sah?" interrupted the waiter, and then they broke off to give their order, and the waiter hurried off to fill it.

"I'd like to know if he has been around the Stanhope cottage again," mused d.i.c.k, as he sipped his soup.

"d.i.c.k can't bear to think of anybody around Dora," laughed Tom.

"I don't want _him_ around," retorted the elder Rover, growing red in the face. "He wants the Stanhopes' money and that's all he does want. I don't believe he really loves Mrs. Stanhope."

"But why does she encourage him?" came from Sam. "Why don't she send him about his business?"

"Oh, she is sickly, as you know, and he seems to have a peculiar hypnotic influence over her, at least that's what Dora thinks."

"What are you laughing at, Tom?"

"I--I was thinking of the time we put the crabs in old Crabtree's bed," answered the younger brother.

"No, you, weren't--"

"Well?" demanded Tom, as d.i.c.k paused.

"You were laughing because I mentioned Dora, and--"

"'Pon my honor I wasn't," smiled Tom, but his look belied his words.

"You were. If I mention her cousins, Grace and Nellie Laning, I guess the laugh will be on you and Sam--"