Stepping to the window, Dick tapped upon it, and at the same time struck a light, for the room within was pitch-dark. The next instant he muttered a cry of disgust. "Sold!"
"What's that?" came from Sam and Fred.
"The room is empty."
"Then there must be some mistake," said Fred. "Can you see all over inside?"
"Yes."
"Sure Tom isn't asleep in a corner or on a couch--if there is one?" put in Sam. "He would go to sleep if he could."
"He isn't here--no doubt of it," answered Dick, after striking a second match and making another inspection. "Oh!"
Dick blew out the match in a hurry and started back for the fence.
He had seen the door of the guardroom open and Josiah Crabtree come in.
The head assistant of Putnam Hall saw the light of the match and by it obtained a good view of Dick's face.
"Ha! that youth has come here to assist his brother to escape!"
was the conclusion he reached. He darted for the window and threw it up.
"Come back here, Master Rover!" he cried, as he saw Dick trying to mount the fence.
"Don't you go!" whispered Sam, and tried to assist Dick from the other side, while Fred did the same.
Josiah Crabtree would have leaped from the window, but the bars held him back.
"I'll get you yet!" he ejaculated wrathfully, and, turning, ran from the guardroom, with the intention of capturing Dick on the parade ground.
CHAPTER IX
A STRANGE MEETING IN THE WOODS.
To go back to Tom, at the time he was left alone by the head assistant of Putnam Hall, after refusing to give up the keys to his satchel and trunk.
"I've put my foot into it now," thought the boy dismally. "I wonder what Captain Putnam will say to all this when he hears of it? Of course old Crabtree will make out the worst possible case against me."
It was too dark to see much, and he dropped on the couch. He was worried a good deal, yet he was not one to take anything too deeply to heart.
Before long a waiter appeared with a tray containing a big bowl of bread and milk. Had Josiah Crabtree had his own way, he would have sent only bread and water for the lad's supper, but such a proceeding would have been contrary to Captain Putnam's rule. The kind captain realized that his pupils were but boys and should not be treated as real prisoners, even when they did break the academy rules.
"Heah is yo' suppah, sah!" announced Alexander, the waiter, as he set the tray on the table. "Sorry I can't leave the light, sah."
He referred to a lamp, also, on the tray, which he now removed.
"What have you got?" asked Tom, sitting up.
"Bowl of bread and milk, sah."
"Is that what they give visitors for supper?"
"Gracious, sah, is yo' a visitah, sah?"
"I consider myself as such until I am placed on the muster roll."
At this Alexander scratched his woolly head. "Well, sah, I don't know nuffin about dat, sah. I has to obey Mr. Crabtree's oahdahs, sah."
"Has Captain Putnam come back yet?"
"No, sah, an' he sent word dat he didn't think he could git back, sah, before morning, sah."
"Humph! Then I'll have to stay here until that time."
"I reckon so, sah."
"It's a jolly shame."
"Dat's right, sah," and Alexander grinned.
"Well, leave the bread and milk. It's better than nothing. But hold on. Who are you?"
"Alexander Pop, sah, at yo' service, sah," and again the colored man grinned. He was a short, fat fellow, the very embodiment of good nature.
"Well, Alexander, if you are at my service, supposing you get me something else to eat beside this bread and milk."
"Oh, sah, I couldn't do dat."
"Yes, you could. Here is a quarter. Don't you want to earn that?" And Tom held out the silver piece.
"Mr. Crabtree would hab me discharged if he cotched me, Master Rober."
"Then don't let him catch you, Aleck, my boy."
At this the negro laughed and showed his immense ivories.
"Yo' is jest de boy I dun like to see, sah," he said. "Jess wait an' I'll do wot I can fo! You but mum's de word, sah-eh?"
"I never peach, Aleck; it's only a coward that does that,"
concluded Tom.
The negro disappeared from the room, but reappeared in less than ten minutes with something done up in a napkin.
"Dare you am, sah," he said, "two tongue sandwiches and a big piece of layer cake, sah, all I could git, fo' Mrs. Green am werry sharp. And here is a bit of candle, sah, for a light. But please don't let 'em know I brought yo' de things, sah."
"Never a word, Aleck, thank you," answered Tom, and handed over the quarter.