“Oh, I was afraid there was a fight,” and Mr. Strong sauntered off.

He was on his way to the barn, and presently the cadets saw him come forth with the man-of-fall-work and the light spring wagon.

“They are going to take poor Aleck to the Cedarville lock-up,” announced Fred.  “Poor chap, I never thought this of him!”

“Nor I,” answered Dick.  “To me this affair isn’t very clear.”

“I don’t believe they will be able to convict him of the crime,” put in Sam.

An hour later Peleg Snuggers started away from Putnam Hall with his prisoner.  Aleck looked the picture of misery as he sat on a rear seat, his wrists bound together and one leg tied to the wagon seat with a rope.

“Dis am a mistake,” he groaned.  “I aint guilty nohow!”

Some of the boys wished to speak to him, but this was not permitted.  Soon the turnout was out of sight.

“You may think I am hard with him,” said Captain Putnam, later on, “but to tell the truth he does not come from a very good family and he has a step-brother already in prison.”

“Aleck can’t be held responsible for his stepbrother’s doings,” murmured Tom, but not loud enough for the master to hear him.

A diligent search had been made for the other stolen articles, but nothing more was brought to light.  If Pop had taken the things he had either hidden them well or else disposed of them.

It was nearly nightfall when Peleg Snuggers drove back to the Hall.  Dick and Tom met him just outside the gates and saw that the man-of-all-work looked much dejected.

“Well, Peleg, is he safe in jail?” called out Tom.

“No, he ain’t,” was the snappy reply.

“Why, what did you do with him?” questioned Dick quickly.

“Do?  I didn’t do nuthin —­ not me.  It was him as did it all —­ cut that blessed rope and shoved me over the dashboard on to the hosses!” growled Snuggers.

“Do you mean to say he got away from you?” asked Tom.

“Yes, he did —­ got away like a streak o’ fightnin’, thet’s wot he did, consarn him!” And without another word Peleg drove to the rear of the Hall, put his team in the barn, and went in to report to Captain Putnam.

Another row resulted, and this nearly cost the utility Man his position.  But it appeared that he was not so much to blame that Alexander Pop had taken him unawares and finally he was sent away to his work with the caution to be more careful in the future.  Before night and during the next day a hunt was made for the colored man, but he had left the vicinity entirely, gone to New York, and shipped on one of the outward-bound ocean vessels.  The Rover boys fancied that they would never see him again, but in this they were mistaken.

CHAPTER IX

THE ROVER BOYS ON WHEELS

“Say, fellows, but this is the greatest sport yet!”