“Perhaps he got afraid and went back to the Hall,” suggested another.
“Fred Century wasn’t the sort to get afraid,” answered the young major. “But I must confess I don’t understand this.”
“Do you think Reff Ritter and his crowd would play this trick?” demanded Pepper.
“He might, Pep, but what of Fred?”
“Maybe Century joined the Ritter gang,” vouchsafed Brightwood.
“No, Fred didn’t like Ritter at all,” answered Andy.
“We’ll have to make a search for the horse and wagon,” said the young major. “And the sooner the better. We can’t afford to lose all those stores.”
“Oh, I say, can’t we get breakfast first?” asked Stuffer, reproachfully.
“No, we’ll hunt first and eat afterwards,” said Jack, decidedly.
The cadets scattered in all directions, and less than three minutes later Dale set up a call that brought the others running to him. He had found poor Fred, gagged, and bound to a tree. The captive was glad to be released and to have his power of speech restored. His story was a short one.