The Putnam Hall Encampment; or, The Secret of the Old Mill Read online

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  "The fire seemed to be everywhere." _The Putnam Hall Encampment._ Frontispiece. (_Page 178._)]

  THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT _Or, The Secret of the Old Mill_

  BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD AUTHOR OF "THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS," "THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS," "THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION," "ROVER BOYS SERIES," ETC.

  _ILLUSTRATED_

  NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS

  Copyright, 1910, by EDWARD STRATEMEYER.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER PAGE I. In the Belfry 1 II. Jack in Peril 11 III. Reff Ritter's Confession 21 IV. Punishing a Bully 32 V. Josiah Crabtree Makes a Find 42 VI. An Announcement of Importance 52 VII. What the Girls Had to Tell 62 VIII. A Remarkable Adventure 72 IX. A Send-off for Josiah Crabtree 82 X. Off for the Encampment 93 XI. On the Trail of the Wagons 103 XII. The Cave in the Woods 114 XIII. The Encampment at Lake Caboy 125 XIV. What Happened During a Swim 136 XV. Hazing a Bully 147 XVI. A Game of Baseball 157 XVII. In Danger of Fire 167 XVIII. The Investigation 177 XIX. Ritter Gives a Feast 187 XX. On Butterfly Island 198 XXI. An Adventure with Snakes 209 XXII. The Missing Launch 217 XXIII. A Wild Goose Chase 225 XXIV. What Happened Underground 233 XXV. Bert Field's Revelation 241 XXVI. A Story of Interest 249 XXVII. Caught in the Act 257 XXVIII. Captain Putnam Has His Say 265 XXIX. At the Haunted Mill 273 XXX. A Find of Importance--Conclusion 281

  INTRODUCTION

  My Dear Boys:

  This story is complete in itself but forms the fifth volume in a lineissued under the general title of "Putnam Hall Series."

  As I have mentioned several times, this series was started at thesolicitation of those who had read some of my "Rover Boys" books and whowanted to know something about what took place at Putnam Hall militaryacademy before the Rovers went there.

  In my first volume, called, "The Putnam Hall Cadets," I told how CaptainPutnam happened to organize that famous school, and how Jack Ruddy andPepper Ditmore came to be among his first pupils. The boys made a hostof friends and also some enemies, and proved their worth on more thanone occasion.

  In the second volume, "The Putnam Hall Rivals," I related the outcome ofseveral contests on the field of sports, and also gave the particularsof a thrilling balloon ride and of a strange discovery in the woods.Then came "The Putnam Hall Champions," with more contests, in one ofwhich Jack Ruddy's enemies played him a foul trick.

  Ever since the opening of the school there had been trouble with anoverbearing teacher named Crabtree. When Crabtree and another teacherwere left in sole charge of the school during the master's absence, thistrouble reached its climax, as related in "The Putnam Hall Rebellion."The boys ran away and would not go back to school until Captain Putnamappeared to smooth matters out.

  In the present volume are related the things that occurred during a longencampment, when the cadets marched from the academy to a beautiful spoton the shore of a lake. Not far away was an old mill, and at this placesome of the lads fell in with a most unusual mystery. What that mysterywas, and what it led to, I leave the pages which follow to explain.

  Again I thank my former readers, young and old, for the nice things theyhave said about my stories. I trust the present volume affords you equalpleasure in the reading.

  Affectionately and sincerely yours, Arthur M. Winfield.

  THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT