“Are you going to desert me?” cried Dan Baxter, in fresh alarm.
“I want them to go, and at once,” said the gentleman. “I can take care of your case without their aid.”
A little more talk followed, and then Paxton and Mumps shoved off, in the manner of two whipped curs, leaving the bully of Putnam Hall to his fate.
“Perhaps we ought to try to rescue Baxter,” whispered Jack to his chums. He was too generous-hearted to see any fellow cadet in trouble without trying to aid him.
“Don’t you attempt it,” put in Dale.
“But if Baxter is put in jail it will bring discredit to the whole school, Dale.”
“I’ll tell you what we can do,” came from Pepper. “To get to Cedarville, the owner of this place will have to take the Rumley Road. Let us get back to the Hall and tell the captain what is going on. Perhaps he can stop the party on the way to Cedarville and make a deal with the man who wants to have Baxter arrested.”
“That’s an idea! Come on!” cried Andy.
With their bags of nuts on their shoulders, Jack and his friends hurried away, down the hill and along the highway leading to Putnam Hall. Before they reached the school they had to take to a side road, and along this they fairly ran, so that they might not be too late with their news. As luck would have it, they came upon the master of the Hall just as the latter was returning from a visit to the gymnasium.
“Oh, Captain Putnam, we have news!” cried Andy. “Dan Baxter is in trouble, and a man is going to take him down to Cedarville to have him jailed.”