The Rover Boys Under Canvas Or The Mystery of the Wrecked Submarine Part 7

"One would think they wouldn't want any of their old cla.s.smates to see them," remarked Fred.

"They are not that kind," replied Jack. "Both of them are too thick-skinned to be sensitive. More than likely they have been telling their friends that we did our best to get them into trouble and that they were not to blame."

"Oh, Jack! if you go back to Colby Hall by way of the town, I hope you don't get into any trouble with those horrid fellows," said his sister.

"Don't worry about that, Martha," answered her brother quickly. "I'm not afraid of Slugger or Nappy either. They have got to behave themselves; otherwise we may bring up one of the old charges against them."

Of course the girls wanted to know more concerning what had happened to the Rover boys while they were out on the lake, and they related many of the particulars.

"And do you really think those two Germans that that Jed Kessler spoke about set fire to the munition plant?" questioned Ruth.

"I don't know what to think, Ruth," answered Jack. "One thing is certain: If the first explosions weren't accidental, then they must have been due to some underhand work."

During the time the boys spent with the girls at the boathouse there were no more explosions, and now the fire on the opposite sh.o.r.e of the lake was dying out, while only a small part of the pall of curious-colored smoke remained.

"I guess it's about over," was Randy's comment.

Feeling that those at Clearwater Hall would be safe, at least for the time being, the Rovers decided to return to Colby Hall, knowing that Colonel Colby and his a.s.sistants would be anxious concerning the welfare of all the cadets.

Spouter and those with him had taken one automobile, but the other remained, and, bidding the girls good-bye, the Rover boys jumped into this and were soon off. Jack was at the wheel, and in spite of the numerous machines on the road, for the blowing-up of the sh.e.l.l-loading plant had caused great excitement for many miles around, he drove the car with considerable speed in the direction of Haven Point.

"Let us stop at the town for a few minutes and find out, if we can, just how bad this affair has been," said Fred.

"That's it!" returned Randy. "I'd like to know if anyone has been killed or seriously hurt."

They stopped on the main street close to where were located a number of the stores and also the moving-picture theater where the cadets had first met Ruth Stevenson and her chums.

"It's a pretty bad affair," said one of the storekeepers, with whom in the past the boys had done some trading. "I was just down to police headquarters, and they say there that two workmen were killed and about fifteen injured. It certainly is a rascally piece of business, and the fellows who did it ought to be strung up."

"Then they are pretty certain that it is the work of some German sympathizers?" questioned Jack quickly.

"They can't figure it out any other way. The boss of the plant, and likewise two of his head foremen, have been closely questioned, and they declare that every possible precaution against accidents was taken. More than that, they say that there were two separate explosions occurring almost at the same time--one down on the railroad tracks and another in a storehouse quite a distance away."

"Yes, we heard that, too, from one of the dockmen of the plant,"

answered Fred. "He said he thought two men who looked like Germans and who had been hanging around the plant might be guilty."

"Yes, I've heard that story, too. I think it was started by old Jed Kessler, wasn't it?"

"That's the man," said Randy.

"I think I saw those two fellows here in Haven Point," continued the storekeeper. "They were heavy-set, round-faced men, and each had heavy black hair and a heavy black beard, just as Kessler described them.

They were here several times. I think they had business at one of the machine shops, although I'm not certain about that."

The Rover boys spoke to several other people of the town and gathered a little additional information regarding the destruction of the sh.e.l.l-loading plant, and then reentered their automobile and started once more for the military academy. With them went Bart White and Frank Newberry, who had come down to the town directly after the ball game.

"It's too bad this affair had to happen just as it did," declared Bart White. "It kind of takes the shine off of our victory over Hixley High."

"So it does," said Jack. "But that can't be helped."

"If you put it up to the sh.e.l.l-loading people they would probably have been willing to postpone the blowing up indefinitely," remarked Andy dryly.

"I suppose the newspapers here will be full of nothing but this affair," said Fred wistfully; "and they won't give our game with Hixley High more than a brief mention."

"Oh, well, what of it?" cried Randy gaily. "We walloped 'em, and that's the main thing."

"Right you are!" came in a chorus from several of the others.

At one of the street corners, owing to the excitement, there was a congestion of traffic, and Jack had to bring the car to a stop. As he did this there was a sudden yell from behind, and then came a slight b.u.mp followed by a jingling of gla.s.s.

"Hi, you! what do you mean by stopping so suddenly?" yelled an irate voice from the rear.

"They've busted one of our headlights!" added another voice in surly tones.

Those in the tonneau of the Rovers' automobile looked around quickly.

"Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Fred in surprise.

"They must have been following us!" added Randy quickly.

"Say, I didn't know those fellows were anywhere around here!" burst out Frank Newberry.

"I thought from what you fellows told us those fellows would steer clear of this vicinity," added Bart White.

By this time Jack and Andy, who were on the front seat, were also looking back to see what had happened. They beheld a runabout standing close up to their own car. The collision had not been sufficient to do any more damage than to break the gla.s.s in both of the headlights of the runabout. They had struck the framework holding an extra shoe on the rear of the Rovers' car, and for this reason the other automobile had not suffered any damage whatsoever.

"You fellows will pay for this damage!" grumbled Slugger Brown, who was at the wheel of the runabout.

"You did it yourself," answered Bart White quickly.

"You fellows had no business to stop so suddenly!"

"They did it on purpose!" burst out Nappy Martell.

As was usual with the youth, he was loudly dressed, wearing a light checkered suit with a cap to match and a flaming red tie. He looked somewhat dissipated.

"I'll attend to this," said Jack to his cousins and the others. And without delay he leaped from the front machine and walked back to the other.

"Just see what you've done, Jack Rover!" began Slugger Brown. But then the stern look in Jack's face caused him to come to a stop.

"I'm glad I met you, Brown--and you too, Martell," said Jack in a low, steady voice. "I was hoping I'd see you before you had a chance to leave Haven Point."

"Wanted to see us, eh?" said Slugger; and now a somewhat uneasy look took possession of his face.

"Don't let him talk himself out of paying for the damage done," put in Nappy loftily. He was puffing on a cigarette and blew the smoke high into the air as he spoke.

"We're not going to pay for any damage done," said Jack. "This little accident is your own fault, for you had no business to be driving so close behind our car."

"We'll see about that," grumbled Slugger.