CHAPTER IX.

A race on the ice, and what followed.

After the events just narrated several days passed quietly enough at Putnam Hall.  In the meantime the weather continued clear, and the boys took it upon themselves to clear off a part of the lake for skating.  Then, one night came a strong wind, and the next morning they found a space of cleared ice nearly half a mile long.

“Now for some fine skating!” exclaimed Tom, as he rushed back to the Hall after an inspection of the lake’s smooth surface.  “We can have all the racing we wish.”

“It’s a pity Sam can’t go out yet,” returned Dick.  Sam was back to the school, but his cold had not entirely left him.

“Never mind; here are several new magazines he can read,” returned Tom, who had been to town with Snuggers on an errand and had purchased them at the stationery store.

“I would just as soon read now,” said Sam.  “The magazines look mighty interesting.”

Just then Fred Garrison came in, accompanied by George Granbury.  They had been down to Cedarville to purchase some skates and a new pair of shoes for George.

“Hullo, what do you think we saw in Cedarville!” cried Fred, as soon as he caught sight of the Rovers.

“Lots of snow,” suggested Tom dryly.

“Yes—­and more.”

“A mighty dull town,” suggested Sam.

“We saw Dan Baxter.”

“What was he doing?”

“He was walking down the street.  And who do you suppose was with him?  Mr. Grinder!”

“Grinder!” came simultaneously from Tom and Dick.

“Yes, Grinder.  And they seemed to be on good terms with each other,” put in George.

“I could hardly believe my eyes at first,” went on Fred.  “But there they were, as plain as day.”

“It’s very odd,” mused Dick.  “What should bring them together?”

Nobody could answer that question.

“I don’t believe they are up to any good,” said Tom.

“I hope Grinder doesn’t join hands with Baxter in plotting against us,” came from Dick.

The matter was talked over for some time, but no satisfactory conclusion could be reached, and presently the boys separated, some to go skating and others to attend to their studies for the morrow.

Down at the lake the scene was an animated one.  Boys were flying in every direction, and mingled with them were a dozen or more girls and a few grown persons.  George Strong, the head teacher, was there, enjoying himself fully as much as the pupils who loved him.

“I’ll race you, Mr. Strong!” sang out one of the older boys, Tom Mardell.

“Done, Master Mardell,” was the teacher’s answer.  “To yonder rock and return.”  And in a moment more the pair were off.

“Hurrah!  A race between Mr. Strong and Tom Mardell!” came in a shout from a number of the students, and soon there was a general “lining up” to see how it would terminate.