The Rover Roys on the Ocean | Page 8

bedroom," answered Tom promptly. "Where did you come from, Mr. Crabtree?"
"Why - er -- don't be impertinent, Rover. I might say that I came from my bedroom too."
"I thought you came from the river," remarked Dick carelessly.
"From the river?
"Yes."
"You are -- ahem, mistaken, my lad. I have not been near the river -- at least, not since I came up from New York on the boat."
"Stopping here for the summer?" put in Sam.
"I do not know as that is any of your business, Samuel. I am no longer a master at Putnam Hall and when I left that place I washed my hands of all those connected with that place."
"A good thing for the Hall, sir," came from Tom.
"Don't be insulting, Rover. You go your way and I'll go mine."
"As you please, sir. You spoke to us first."
"I'll take good care and not do it again. But this looks as if you were following me up."
"That's what Mumps said," cried Sam, before he had stopped to think twice.
"Ha! So you have met Mum -- I mean John Fenwick?"
"We met him on the river."
"And he said you had been following him?"
"Never mind, Mr. Crabtree, we won't talk any more," put in Dick, with a warning glance at Sam. He turned to the waiter. "Some fish, please, trout; and see that the biscuits are warm."
"Nes, sah," grinned the negro.
Tom at once took the cue. "It's going to be a warm day," he said to Dick.
"I wonder how sailing was last night," put in Sam slyly.
At this Josiah Crabtree looked as black as a thundercloud.
"You boys have been playing the sneak on me!" he cried. "Take my advice and beware of what you do in the future."
"I wasn't talking to you," retorted Sam.
"Kindly keep your remarks to yourself."
By this time others were coming to the table, consequently the cross-fire of words had to come to an end. Josiah Crabtree finished his repast as speedily as possible and strode out of the dining room in high but suppressed anger.
"He's a corker," remarked Tom. "I believe he'd half kill us if he dared."
"I guess he hasn't forgotten how I stopped him from maltreating Dora Stanhope," said Dick. "I wish I knew if he had been around their place since he came back from the West."
"Of course he has been back," said Tom. "And he'll marry Mrs. Stanhope yet -- see if he don't."
"Not if I can help Dora prevent it," said his elder brother firmly.
Breakfast finished they walked out to learn what had become of Crabtree. They were just in time to see him leaving the hotel, valise in hand.
"He's off," said Tom. "I wonder where he is bound?"
"Let us follow him and find out," returned Dick,
This did not prove to be an easy matter, for at the foot of the hotel grounds Josiah Crabtree jumped into a stage which was in waiting, bound for the depot.
"He's off on the train, I guess," said Sam, and the others were inclined to agree with him.
Down at the river shore nothing could be seen of the Falcon, and they concluded that Mumps had also taken himself off.
The morning was spent around, the hotel, in reading the newspapers and taking it easy out on the beautiful lawn.
"Hullo, here's a novelty!" cried Tom presently, and pointed to an Italian who was coming up to the hotel. The fellow had a small hand organ and a trained bear and two monkeys. The monkeys were dressed in red, white, and blue, and sat on the bear's back as he trotted along.
"He's going to give us a performance," said Sam, as the Italian came to a halt in the center of the grounds.
"There they go I"
The music started, and at once the bear reared himself on his hind legs and began to dance. In the meantime the monkeys climbed to the bear's head and began a little dance of their own.
"Now for a little sport," whispered Tom, and started for the hotel.
"Be careful of yourself!" warned Dick; "That bear looks as if he wasn't to be trifled with."
But Tom did not heed him, his whole mind being bent on having a laugh at the expense of the Italian and his animals. Going around to the kitchen of the hotel, he procured a couple of sugar cakes, pierced them with pinholes, and filled them up with pepper.
When he returned he found that a crowd had gathered and the Italian was passing around the hat. While Sam and Dick contributed several cents, Tom gave the bear one bun and divided the other between the two monkeys.
"Cheep! cheep!" went the monkeys, as if highly pleased.
"You're right, they are cheap," grinned Tom. "Hope you like the flavor."
The monkeys began to eat ravenously, for they were nearly starved. But they had not swallowed many mouthfuls before they