“It is not likely,” answered Bart Conners. “They’d be more apt to weight it down with stones and sink it.”
“Did you look in the water along shore?” asked Andy.
“We did in some spots, but not in all. We can go out again,” said Fred.
To keep the flag afloat that day Captain Putnam had a rope run from the school building to a nearby tree. He said he would wait a week and see if the flagstaff could not be found and then would order a new one.
“And if I can find out who took the old one I’ll make them pay for it,” he added.
Several days slipped by, and then Staffer came to Jack and Pepper while the others were in the gymnasium exercising.
“I’ve discovered something,” said Stuffer, and then related how he had been down to Cedarville on business and had overheard Roy Bock and several other students talking at the steamboat dock. He had not overheard all that was said, but had heard enough to make sure that Bock and about twelve other students from Pornell Academy had come over to Putnam Hall at midnight and removed the cannon and the flagstaff.
“They think it is a mighty good joke,” said Paul. “I wish we could pay them back for it.”
“We’ll do it, Stuffer!” cried Pepper. “I was just waiting to make sure Bock and his gang were guilty.”
“Did you learn anything about the flagstaff?” asked Andy.