“I am sorry we didn’t catch them,” said Andy. “We’ll have to report this, and without delay,” and he looked at Jack, suggestively.
“That’s right,” returned the young major. “And maybe we’ll come back soon.”
“I wish I had somebody to stay with me until my folks get back,” said the cripple, wistfully. “I hate to stay alone, for fear those fellows will come back.”
“Can’t you get some neighbor?” asked Andy.
“We haven’t any very-near neighbors. But maybe I can get Jake Dengert. He works for my father,” added Nat Chetwood.
It was not long after this that Andy and Jack left the cottage. They mounted their wheels and rode slowly in the direction of Putnam Hall. They had covered only a short distance when they heard a well-known whistle behind them and looking back beheld Pepper.
“Hullo!” cried the Imp. “I thought you had won the race!” And his face showed his disappointment. “My handle bars got loose, that’s what’s bringing me in so late,” he explained.
“We’ve had a bit of an adventure,” answered Jack, and he and Andy related what had occurred. Of course Pepper was intensely interested.
“It surely is no joke,” said he, when the others had finished. “We can be thankful we got off so easily that time we had the breakdown and those fellows tackled us.”
“Just what I think of it,” answered Andy. “One thing is sure, though, those men have got to be rounded up and captured. Nobody will be safe so long as they are at large.”
“Who won the race, I wonder,” said Pepper, as they drew close to the school grounds.
“There is one of the boys—I’ll ask him,” replied the young major, and wheeled toward the cadet.
“The race was won by Joe Nelson,” said the youth. “He came in about quarter of a minute ahead of Reff Ritter.”
“Hurrah for Joe!” cried Andy. “I really didn’t think he could do it.”
“I am glad to know he beat Reff Ritter,” said Jack. “Had Reff won we should never have heard the end of it.”
The chums were soon in the midst of the riders and their friends. Many wanted to know how it was that Jack and Andy had dropped behind so unexpectedly, but the latter gave evasive answers, for they did not want the truth to become known just yet. First of all they wanted to talk matters over with George Strong and learn what he might have to say.