"Ah! Well, you can tell him that I have taken the matter in hand and that you have been excused. I have but one fault to find, and that is——" The doctor paused and smiled.
"That we didn't catch the robbers," finished Dave.
"Exactly. The authorities must get after the rascals. Until they are caught nobody in this district will be safe."
After a few words more Dave left the office and went to his classroom. As he did this Job Haskers entered the doctor's office. He must have asked the master of Oak Hall about Dave, for after he came away he said nothing more to the youth concerning his absence.
The next few days went quietly by. From Lemond the boys learned that Mrs. Fairchild had appealed to the authorities and two detectives were at work searching for the robbers, but so far nothing had been learned about the rascals.
"They'll keep quiet for a while," said Ben, and such proved to be the case.
One afternoon a letter reached Oak Hall addressed to Roger Morr, Captain Oak Hall Football Club. It proved to be the expected challenge from Rockville Military Academy. The eleven of that institution challenged the Oak Hall team to play a game of football two weeks from that date, on some grounds to be mutually decided upon. Pinned to the challenge was a note stating a certain rich gentleman named Richard Mongrace had offered a fine gold cup to the winning team, providing the match was played on the new grounds laid out in his private park, located at Hilltop, six miles from the river.
"Here is the challenge at last," said Roger, and he read it aloud. "I suppose there is nothing to do but accept."