"Look out! The dogs will chew us up!" yelled Nat Poole, in terror, and started to retreat.
"Down!" called out Dave, who was still in advance. "Down, I say! Charge!" But instead of obeying, the big dogs continued to approach until they were within a dozen feet of the students. Then they lined up, growled fiercely, and showed their teeth.
"Let us get into the barn," suggested Roger, and flung open a door that was handy. Into the building they went pell-mell, Dave being the last to enter. One dog made a dart at the youth's leg, but Dave gave him a kick that sent him back. Then the door was slammed shut and latched, and the students found themselves in utter darkness.
"Wonder if they can get in any other way?" asked Phil, after a second of silence, during which they heard the dogs barking outside.
"I doubt if any of the doors are open in this storm," answered Shadow.
"Let us get up in--in the loft!" suggested Nat Poole. He was as white as the snow outside and his teeth were chattering from something else besides the cold.
"That's a good idea," said Dave. "But we must have a light to learn where the loft is. Anybody got a match?"
Nobody had such an article, and a groan went up. Nat Poole was appealed to, for the others knew he had been smoking on the train.
"My matchbox is empty," said he. "I am going to hunt for the loft ladder in the dark."
"Be careful, or you may run into some troublesome horse," cautioned Dave.
The boys moved slowly around in the dark. They could hear the sounds of several horses feeding and the barking of the dogs. Then, quite unexpectedly, came the cracking of a board, a yell of alarm from Nat Poole, and a loud splash.
"Help! I am drowning! Save me!"
CHAPTER IV
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE BARN
"Nat has fallen into the water!"
"Where is he? I can't see a thing."
"He must have gone down in some cistern."
These and other cries rang out, and all of the boys of Oak Hall were filled with consternation. Dave had located the splash fairly well, and as quickly as he could he felt his way in that direction.
"Nat, where are you?" he called out.
"Here, down in a cistern! Help me out, or I'll be frozen to death."
Dave now reached the edge of the cistern. Two of the boards which had covered it had broken, letting Nat down quite unexpectedly. Fortunately there was only three feet of water in the cistern, so there was no fear of drowning. But the water was icy and far from agreeable.
As Dave leaned down to give Poole his hand, the door of the barn was flung open and a farmer strode in, a lantern in one hand and a stout stick in the other. The man held the light over his head and looked around suspiciously.
"Wot yeou fellers doin' here?" he demanded.
"Come here with the light--one of our party has fallen into the cistern!" cried Dave.
"Into the cistern, eh? Mebbe it serves him right. Ain't got no business in my barn," answered the farmer, as he came closer.
"We ran in because your dogs came after us," explained Roger.
"An' where did yeou come from? Ye don't belong around here, I know."
"We came from the train--it's off the track," said Dave. "But help us get this boy out first and then we'll explain."
"Train off the track? Well, I snum!" cried the farmer. Then he set down the lantern and aided in bringing Nat Poole to the flooring of the barn. "Putty cold, I'll bet a quart o' shellbarks," he added, grinning at the lad's wet and shivering figure.
"Can't we get him into the house by the fire?" asked Ben. "We'll pay you for your trouble."
Now if there was one thing Shadrach Mellick loved, it was money, and at the mention of pay he was all attention. He asked a few questions, and then led the way out of the barn and towards his house. The dogs wanted to follow, but he drove them back.
"Their bark is worse nor their bite," he explained. "They wouldn't hurt yeou very much." Then he asked about the train, and the students gave him the particulars of the mishap. In the meantime Mrs. Mellick bustled around and got Nat Poole some dry clothing and allowed him to change his garments in a side room that chanced to be warm.
The boys soon learned that Shadrach Mellick owned a sleigh large enough to accommodate the entire party, and also four good, strong horses. For ten dollars he agreed to take them to Oak Hall, stopping at Oakdale on the way, to see if the school sleigh was waiting for them.
"The sooner we start the better," said Dave. And then he added in a whisper to Roger and Phil: "If we don't, some other passengers from the train may come up here and offer him more money for his turnout."
"Let us pay him part and bind the bargain," suggested the senator's son.
"I'll do it," answered Dave, and gave Shadrach Mellick two dollars.
"Good enough--thet binds the bargain," said the close-fisted farmer.
Nat Poole was a sight to behold in a well-worn suit several sizes too big for him, and the boys could not help but laugh when he made his appearance.
"That's a real swagger suit, Nat!" cried Sam Day. "Won't you give me the address of your tailor?"
"Nat can't do that," added Ben. "He wants the artist all to himself."
"Which puts me in mind of a story," broke in Shadow Hamilton. "A countryman went into a clothing store to buy a suit and----"
"Wow!" came from several of the students in a chorus.
"That story is a hundred and fifty years old."
"It's full of moth-holes, Shadow."
"It isn't--I've only told it about----"
"Two hundred and eleven times," finished Dave. "Shadow, you really must get a new joke-book to read."
"Never mind my clothing," grumbled Nat Poole. "I couldn't help it that I fell in the cistern. The farmer had no right to cover it with rotten boards."
"Yeou had no right to be in the barn," answered Shadrach Mellick, with a grin. "Howsomever, we'll let it pass. I'm satisfied ef yeou air."
The sleigh was soon ready, and the students bundled in, making themselves as comfortable as possible. Nat Poole's wet clothing was placed in a sack and tied on behind. Then the farmer mounted to the front seat.
"All ready?" he queried.
"All ready--let her go!" sang out several of the lads.
At that moment the dogs began to set up another bark, and then came a call from the darkness.
"Hi, there, wait a minute!"
"Who is that?" questioned Dave. "Hullo, if it isn't the stout man!"
It was Isaac Pludding, true enough. He had been walking rapidly and was nearly out of wind.
"Whe--where are you going?" he panted, to the farmer.
"Goin' to take these chaps to Oakdale."
"That is where I want to go." Isaac Pludding glared at the students. "I don't like to ride with those boys, but I suppose I can stand it. Got room for another passenger? I suppose