“If this is the work of outsiders I think you can blame some of the fellows of Pornell Academy,” said Fred. “They are very bitter against the cadets here and would be willing to do something like what has been accomplished to make trouble.”
“Humph!” murmured Captain Putnam, and his face became a study. “Have you any proofs against them?”
“No, sir—only I know they wanted to play some kind of a trick.”
“This is a mighty poor trick.”
“I think so myself.”
The battalion was paraded and marched into the mess hall, and Captain Putnam jumped into his buggy and drove over to Pornell Academy. He received a very cold reception at Doctor Pornell’s hands.
“My pupils are young gentlemen, never guilty of such rascality,” said the doctor, haughtily. “I do not deem it necessary to question them concerning it.” And that was all the satisfaction the master of Putnam Hall got.
The cadets had to go to their studies after breakfast, but directly the school sessions were over for the day, many formed searching parties and went forth hunting for the missing cannon and the flagstaff. Jack headed a party composed of Pepper, Andy and Dale, to look for the cannon, while Fred Century took out Bart Conners and Emerald in the Ajax, to look for the flagstaff.
For a short distance along the road Jack and his chums could see the marks of the cannon wheels quite plainly. But further on the road was rocky and hard, and there the tracks could not be told from those made by wagons and automobiles.
“This is a good deal like looking for a pin in a haystack,” observed Pepper, as they came to a halt at a cross roads. “The question is, Did they keep straight on, or turn to the right or left?”