"Going to lodge a complaint against Ritter and Coulter?"
"What good would it do? We can't actually prove that they used stones?"
"Let it pass. If we make a complaint it will only stir up more bad blood," said the young major. "But in the future I am going to watch Ritter and Coulter pretty closely."
The boys were kept at the Hall for all of that week, getting no further than the gymnasium for recreation. The wind blew furiously at times, so that the snow was piled up into numerous drifts, one reaching almost to the top of the carriage-shed, and another completely hiding the posts of the gate entrance.
"This must be tough on some of the farmers," observed Dale. "Think of trying to get the milk to the station in such weather."
"Well, a farmer usually has enough to eat," answered Stuffer. "That counts for a good deal. Now if a fellow was snowbound and didn't have any grub——" He did not finish but shook his head dolefully. To Stuffer such a fate was beyond words.
As was to be expected, Ritter and Coulter kept out of the way of Jack and Pepper. Once the young major met the pair on the stairs, but they simply glared at him and passed on before he could say a word.
During all this time Captain Putnam had been doing his best to solve the mystery concerning the disappearance of Jack's gold watch and chain. But, though all the hired help and the cadets and teachers were watched and questioned, nothing of importance came to light. Peleg Snuggers said he had once seen a strange man near the stables, and Captain Putnam wondered if that individual could have sneaked into the school and committed the robbery.
"But if he did that, why didn't he take more?" he said, in speaking of the matter to George Strong.
"I am sure I don't know, sir," answered the teacher. "For the matter of that, why wouldn't any thief take more, if he had the chance?"