“Those chaps have something up their sleeve,” said Jack, with a grave shake of his head. “Everybody keep on the watch, is my advice.”
“We’ll watch ’em,” answered Pepper. But the watch was not close enough, as later events proved.
CHAPTER VIII
THE BOATHOUSE FIRE
On the following evening Pepper was getting ready to go to bed when, on passing through the hallway, a folded sheet of paper dropped upon his head:
“Hullo, what’s this?” he murmured and looked up to the floor above, but could see nobody. He unfolded the sheet and read the following:
“To Pepper Ditmore and Jack Ruddy: Go down to the old, disused boathouse at once if you want to hear something to your advantage.
“A Friend.”
“This is certainly queer,” said the Imp to himself. “I wonder who wrote it?”
He sought out the young major and showed him the communication. Jack read it with care. It was written in a loose and evidently a disguised hand.
“Maybe it is some sort of a trick—to get us to the old boathouse, Pep,” said Jack, after a moment’s thought.