"Never mind--they are afraid of us--and we'll let everybody know it," declared Roger. And then the challenge from the Old Guard to the regular eleven was posted up in the gymnasium, where all might see it. It was torn down over night, but a new copy was put up by the following noon.
As was to be expected, the challenge created much talk, and Phil and Frapley almost came to blows about it. Phil and his chums were accused of trying to break up the good feeling of the school in general, and, in return, the shipowner's son very bluntly told the new captain of the school eleven that he would lead Oak Hall to defeat.
"It's time enough to talk like that after we are beaten," declared Guy Frapley, grimly. Then it was announced that the regular Oak Hall football eleven would play the opening game of the season against an eleven from Lemington on a Saturday afternoon, the contest to take place on the Lemington Athletic Grounds.
"They ought to be waxed good and proper!" said Chip Macklin.
"Who?" asked Dave.
"Our eleven, Dave. Oh, I know what you will say--that that isn't the true school spirit and all that--but just the same, Poole and Frapley and that bunch don't deserve to win."
"I've got half a notion not to go to the game," declared Sam.
"I am going," answered Dave. "I don't like that crowd, and I don't think we were treated fairly. Just the same, for the honor of Oak Hall, I am going to the game and root for our side."
"The same old Dave!" murmured Roger, in admiration. "Well, if you're going I am going too."
Lemington was situated several miles up the river, and while some of the boys decided to go to that town by the carryall and on their bicycles and motor-cycles, others decided to go up in boats.
As my old readers know, Nat Poole was the owner of a good-sized motor-boat, a craft he had had stored in the boathouse since the last summer. In this boat the dudish student frequently went for a cruise up and down the river, taking his cronies along. The fact that he owned the craft and could give them a ride, made Nat quite popular with some of the students.
"I'll take the eleven up to Lemington in my motor-boat," said Nat to the manager. "It will be a fine sail, if the weather is good." And so it was arranged.
As the weather remained warm, Dave and his chums often went out on the river for a row, and one afternoon they rowed as far as Bush Island, about two miles away. On the island were some chestnut trees, and the boys walked over to see if the nuts were fit to gather.
"I see some other fellows here!" cried Roger, and pointed to some boys in military uniforms some distance away.
"They must be fellows from Rockville Academy," answered Dave. "I didn't think they'd come as far as this after school hours."
"Well, I suppose they have as much right here as we have," was Phil's comment.
They passed on, and presently lost sight of the other crowd. Then, quarter of an hour later, they came out on the island shore, to see the other lads in a rowboat, just getting ready to leave the place.
"Why, there are Link Merwell and Nick Jasniff!" exclaimed Roger.
"Right you are," answered Dave. Then he gave another look. "Where is our boat?" he questioned, quickly.
All looked around and saw that their rowboat was missing.
"They must have taken it," cried Phil. He raised his voice: "I say, Merwell! Jasniff! Stop, I want to talk to you!"
"Not much!" called back Nick Jasniff.
"We don't want to talk to you," answered Link Merwell.
"What have you done with out boat?" questioned Roger.
"That's for you to find out!" returned Nick Jasniff. "Ta ta! Hope you have a nice time getting back to Oak Hall!"
And then he and Link Merwell and their companions took up their oars and rowed swiftly away from Bush Island.
CHAPTER X
LOOKING FOR A MISSING ROWBOAT
"We are certainly in a pickle," remarked Roger, as the Rockville cadets rounded a point of the island and disappeared from view.
"I wonder what they did with our boat," said Phil. "I don't see it anywhere on the water."
"Perhaps they took it to the other side of the island," suggested Dave.
"Would they have time to do that?"
"I don't know. This is a total surprise to me, Phil."
"They did the trick on the impulse of the moment," went on Roger. "For they didn't know we were coming here."
"And we didn't know they were here," added Dave. "Let us take a look around and see if we can spot the boat."
"All right, I'll go down the shore and you can go up," cried Phil, and set off at as rapid a gait as the nature of the ground permitted.
A hasty search did not bring the rowboat to light. The boys met on the other side of the island, and stared wonderingly at each other.
"See anything?"
"Not a thing."
"The boat must be somewhere."
"Maybe they sunk her!" cried the senator's son. "Merwell and Jasniff are just unprincipled enough to do it."
"If they did that, they must have done it close to where we tied her up. They wouldn't have time to take her away," returned Dave. "Let us go back and see if we can find any trail in the mud and sand."
They crossed the island, passing the chestnut trees as they did so. Under one of the trees Dave picked up a letter. It was addressed to Nicholas Jasniff, General Delivery, Rockville.
"Jasniff must have dropped this when he was nutting," said Dave, as he and the others looked at the address.
"What is in it?" asked Phil. "It's open; read it."
"Would that be fair, Phil?"
"I think so. Jasniff is an enemy, not a friend. It may contain some clew to his doings, and if there is anything underhanded going on we can let the authorities know."
Dave took out the single sheet that the envelope contained. On it was written, in a sprawling, heavy hand, the following:
"MY DEAR JASNIFF:
"I got your leter and I wil do all I can to help you pervided you wil help me on that bussines I meantioned to you. I know we both can make money and hardly anny risks. Beter not come to the office but meet me at Dunns on the River.
"Yours afectenately, "DR. H. MONTGOMERY."
"Why, this letter was written by that Doctor Hooker Montgomery, the man whose silk hat we knocked off!" cried Dave.
"His education seems to be extremely limited," observed Phil. "He'd never stand at the top of the spelling class, would he?"
"I was asking about him, and he's a regular fakir," said Roger. "He isn't a doctor at all, although he calls himself one. He puts up a number of medicines and calls them 'Montgomery's Wonderful Cures.' I was told that he used to do quite a business among the ignorant country folks, but lately hardly anybody patronizes him."
"And that is why he is willing to aid Jasniff in some scheme, I suppose," said Phil. "I'll wager it is something underhanded. When are they to meet?"
"It