The Rover Boys out West | Page 7

trying the side window. I went to the door and
asked to know who was there. At once I heard somebody or some
animal leave the porch and climb over the side fence of the garden. I
am almost certain it was some person trying to get into the house."

"Did you tell your mother?"
"No, she had one of her nervous headaches, and I thought it would do
no good. But I couldn't sleep all night, and I laid with a big stick in one
hand and papa's old revolver in the other. The revolver wasn't loaded,
but I thought I might scare somebody with it."
"The revolver ought to be loaded, Dora. Do you know what caliber it
is?"
"No; you know I know little or nothing about firearms."
"Then I'll find out for you, and get some cartridges. If Josiah Crabtree
is around you ought to shoot him on the spot."
"Oh, I couldn't do that -- even though I do know how dreadfully he
treated you while you were in the heart of Africa."
"You must be very careful of your movements, especially after dark.
Crabtree may be around, with some new scheme against you or your
mother. I wish he could have been left behind in Africa."
"Oh, so do I! but he and Dan Baxter both came back to America, didn't
they?"
"So we heard in Boma. But don't get worked up too much, Dora, for it
might have been only a cat, -- or a common tramp looking for
something to eat. We have had lots of tramps around the Hall lately."
"I have asked Grace Laning to pay us a visit, and she is coming over
to-morrow."
"Then you will have somebody in the house besides your mother and
yourself. I wish I could stay with you folks."
"How long are you going to remain at the Hall, Dick? When you came
back you said something about going out West with your father to look
up that mining claim in Colorado."

"We shan't start for the West until next spring. Father was going right
away at first, but after he found out that Arnold Baxter was safe in jail
and couldn't bother him any more, he concluded to remain with Uncle
Randolph and Aunt Martha until next spring so as to give himself the
chance to get back his old-time strength. His sufferings in Africa pulled
him down a good bit."
"I suppose. Well, I am glad you will be around during the winter. Next
summer mamma has promised to go with me on a trip to Buffalo and
then around the Great Lakes. I trust the lake air will do her much good,
and that we won't hear or see anything of Mr. Crabtree while we are on
the water."
"I'd like to go with you on that trip," answered Dick. "I have no doubt
you will have a grand time."
Little did he dream of all the perils that trip was to lead to, and of how
he and his brothers would be mixed up in them.
In the meantime the others had journeyed up the hill to where the road
branched off in three directions. At this point Joel Darwell pointed out
two newly-made holes in the earth, about fifteen feet apart.
"See them?" he cried. "Well, that is where I placed the danger sign, and
I am willing to swear to it."
"And so am I," added the workman who was along.
"Well, there is no danger signal here now," returned Tom, glancing
around. Some bushes torn up beside the road attracted his attention, and
he hurried toward them. "Here you are!"
He pointed to a cleared spot behind the bushes and there, on the ground,
lay the torn-up posts and boards. Evidently somebody had dragged
them thither in great haste.
"It's the work of some thorough rascal!" cried Sam. "Somebody who
meant mischief to our stage."

"Maype dis vos der vork of dem Pornell Academy fellers," suggested
Hans.
"No, they are gentlemen, not scoundrels," replied Tom. "They may feel
cut up, but they wouldn't play such a dastardly trick as this."
The spot was one commanding a good view of the back road, so that
anybody standing there could have seen the stage coming while it was
still a quarter of a mile off.
All hands began a search for some clew leading to the identity of the
evil-doers--that is, all but Joel Darwell and his helper. These two
dragged the posts and boards into position again, and this time set them
down so firmly that a removal would be out of the question without
tools.
"Hullo, here's something!" cried one of the cadets presently. "Did you
just drop this, Tom?"
As he spoke he held up a round, flat