A curtain was drawn over the window of the cottage, so that Dick could not see into the room.  The cottage was small, with but a single doors and on this the youth rapped loudly.

The rapping was followed by a commotion inside of the cottage and Dick heard two persons leap to their feet.

“Who’s there?” demanded a rough voice.

“A stranger,” Dick answered.  “I have lost my way in the darkness,” and without waiting he tried the door, and finding it unlocked, opened it.

“Dick Rover!”

The cry came from one of the occupants of the room, a tall, awkward-looking young man, much tanned by exposure, and with a pair of dark and wicked-looking eyes.

“Great Scott!” gasped Dick, falling back a step.  “Am I dreaming or is this really Dan Baxter?”

“Oh.  I’m Dan Baxter right enough,” answered the former bully of Putnam Hall.

“But—­but I thought you were still on that island in the Pacific.”

“You wanted to see me end my days there, didn’t you?” sneered Dan Baxter.

Dick did not reply, for he was gazing at the other occupant of the room, a man with a short crop of hair and a short beard.

“And your father, too!” he murmured.

“Come in here,” cried Arnold Baxter savagely and caught him by the arm.  “Are you alone?”

“Yes,” answered Dick, before he had stopped to think twice.

“Good enough.  Come in,” and Arnold Baxter continued to hold him.

“He may be fooling us, dad,” put in Dan Baxter.  “The officers of the law may be with him.”

“Take a look around and see, Dan.  I’ll keep him here.”

“Let me go!” cried Dick, trying to break away.

“Not much, Rover.  You’ll stay right where you are for the present,” answered the older Baxter grimly.

Dan had slipped out and he made a thorough search before returning to the cottage.  In the meantime Dick was forced to sit down on a bench in a corner, while Arnold Baxter stood over him with a stout club.

“This is getting interesting, to say the least,” thought Dick.  “I wish I hadn’t come anywhere near the cottage.”

“Nobody around,” announced Dan Baxter, as he came in and closed and locked the door.

“Good,” answered his father.  He turned again to Dick.  “Now, how comes it that you are wandering around here, Rover?” he went on.

“I was trying to find my way back to camp and lost my way in the woods.”

“But your camp is on an island.”

“I know it.  I was carried off by some students who were hazing me.  They put a bag over my head and took me in a boat, and I got mixed up.

“I hope they hazed you good,” came from Dan Baxter with a malicious grin.

“Thank you, Dan, you always were a real friend,” returned Dick, as coolly as he could.

“Oh, don’t you come any of that game over me!” roared Dan Baxter.  “I haven’t forgotten the past, Dick Rover, and you’ll find it out so before I get through with you.  I was just hoping you or your precious brothers might drop into my arms.”