Chapter 24

HOW IT ALL CAME OUT

There had been a good deal of anxiety the night before when Jack had failed to return and all sorts of reasons were assigned for his absence.

Then late at night Dick's car was returned by a constable who said he had found it in the road just outside the town of Riverton and, recognizing it and knowing that there had been inquiries made about it, had brought it back.

This did not explain Jack's absence, however, and many telephone messages were sent to various parts of the town, enquiring for him.

Mr. Brooke reported his having been to the office and others remembered having seen him but where he had gone and why the car had been abandoned were puzzles that no one could solve.

When Jack himself appeared at the last moment and announced that he was ready to begin his examinations there was a general rejoicing but the mystery was as deep as ever for the boy would not answer any questions at the time, merely repeating that he had been detained but was glad that he was no later.

Then he set to work upon the first of his papers and no one disturbed him for two hours when he went outside and said to Percival who had finished his paper:

"Somebody did not want me to take this examination but I am taking it and that is all there is to say about it."

"But where have you been, Jack?"

"Up in the hills, miles away from here. I stayed with a hermit who might have been Rip Van Winkle himself during a part of the night and set out for Hilltop some time after sunrise, just making it in time."

"Yes, but Jack, what did you do it for?" and Dick showed that he was greatly puzzled as well as distressed. "Didn't you know that the boys would be worried?"

"I am not so fond of going off miles away by myself and then walking back as to do a thing of that sort willingly, Dick," laughed Jack. "I was run away with, abducted, kept a prisoner, released by a man who has been a prisoner himself, walked for miles through the mountain passes, stayed with a hermit and his dog and finally got back here just in time. Did you get your car?"

"Yes, and that's what worried us for we did not know what had become of you. Tell me all about it?"

"There is not time," with a laugh, "but I will tell you some things. You remember the man with the white mustache?"

"Yes, of course."

"He was up in the mountains where my captors took me and it was he who got me free and afterward left me, going I know not where. I told you I would tell you who he is one day."

"Yes, so you did but if you don't like to----"

"I don't mind telling you, Dick. The man is my stepfather and you can easily see why I was agitated when I heard that he was about and then when I met him. He has been in prison for a number of years and then my mother was happy, safe and comfortable. His being free again made me worry for I hoped that he never would trouble us again."

"So you would."

"Now he has gone I don't know where and we need not say any more or think any more about him."

"But who ran off with you, Jack, and why?"

"Men I had never seen before. They were hired by some one who does not want me to take the examinations and so lose my standing in school. It does not really matter who they are, Dick."

"It does matter to me, Jack," said Percival, excitedly, "for if I find out who they are they will be glad enough to leave the school themselves. Have you no idea, Jack?"

"Oh, I have an idea, of course, but suspicion is not proof as I told you once before so suppose we let it pass."

"Well, just as you like but that is not what I should do," returned Dick, evidently disappointed.

"But as I am the person most interested and as that is the way I feel about it, why not let it go at that?" and Jack smiled.

"Oh, very well, just as you like," and no more was said.

Dick told the other boys what Jack had told him of his adventures and many of them were for making an investigation but as Dick told them that their friend did not care for this they concluded to let the matter drop and there it rested.

Herring and Merritt and others were suspected but nothing was said to them and they kept away from Jack and his particular friends and it was not long before this affair was forgotten.

The examinations continued and at the end of them when the reports were made, Jack was found to have passed the highest of any one in his class in all but two of his studies and within one or two of first place in the others.

This would give him a good lead for the rest of the term and help him in the final examinations at the end of the school year, his standing having greatly improved since he had come to the Academy.

"You have done well, old chap," said Billy. Manners, "and I want to see you do better yet the next time."

"I am going to try to at any rate, Billy," said Jack.

"Old Bull is getting very cranky these days," Billy added. "He is getting to be more of a martinet than ever and would keep us drilling from morning till night if he had his way. I fancy he thinks this is another West Point."

"Perhaps he remembers how you fooled him with the mad dog alarm," laughed Jack.

"He did not know it at the time or I would have been put on guard duty all night. Anyhow, there will be trouble if he keeps up this everlasting drilling. I don't believe the doctor cares for it but the doctor is a good old fellow and never says anything about what any of his instructors does. He is as mild mannered as an old woman."

"How did you come out yourself in your examinations?" Jack asked.

"Pretty good, but I like fun too much to do any overtime in study. Maybe I would have done better but for that."

"Perhaps you would but I would rather have you full of fun than going about grumbling and complaining against everybody as some of the boys here are in the habit of doing."

"Yes, I know who you mean and they did not pass very high either. If they are not more studious for the rest of this term they will be told to go somewhere else at the end of it."

The work began again in a short time and Jack devoted himself as sedulously to his work as before, while, at the same time, he indulged in all the sports that boys like best and excelled in them, making more friends every day and making those he had already made more and more fond of him.

Percival stood high in his classes as usual for, as he said, he was looking for Jack to catch up with him and, therefore, wanted to keep as far ahead as possible and to make himself stronger to meet his friend when the latter should have reached his rank.

As Billy Manners had said, there seemed to be trouble brewing in the Academy, not only on account of Colonel Bull but for other reasons and those who were in the way of observing the signs closely in such institutions were of the opinion that the clouds would not be long in breaking.

Those who have been interested in the careers of Jack Sheldon and his friends at the Academy thus far may find something more of this in the next volume which is called "The Hilltop Boys in Camp," wherein are told many things now only hinted at.

"It is my opinion that if troubles do arise we will find Jack taking as strong a part for the right as he always has," said Dick to Harry and Arthur one day when they were talking of these matters.

"Then if we happen to be in the wrong he will go against us, do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I should not be surprised."

"Yes, but how do you know we will be in the wrong?"

"I don't; we must wait and see."

THE END