“Why, we met that boy once,” said Pepper. “But he wasn’t looking for the Robertson mill then. He was looking for——” And then Pepper stopped short, for he remembered what the strange lad had said—that he wished to find Jabez Trask without that individual being aware he was being sought out. “What was he looking for?” asked Laura. “Oh, it doesn’t matter.” “He did ask us about something else,” said Flossie. “Oh, yes, I remember now. He wanted to know where a man named Trask lived—Jabez Trask.” “Well, he asked us, too,” said Pepper. “Did you tell him? We never heard of such a person.” “Yes, we told him. Trask lives between here and Lake Caboy, on the Ritchfield road. We know because papa once had some business dealings with him. He is an old man, and papa says he is a regular miser.” “Was the boy a relative?” “I don’t know. But he was certainly a strange fellow. He asked us a great number of questions and seemed to be grateful for the information we gave him. But this morning papa took me across the lake in his boat and when I was in the town over there I met him again, face to face, and he didn’t even recognize me.” “That is queer,” said Jack thoughtfully. “Maybe he was afraid you’d say something in public he didn’t want you to. He told us he didn’t want this Jabez Trask to know he was asking for him.” “I told papa about it, and he told me something that makes the matter queerer than ever. He says that the Trask family once had something to do with the old Robertson mill.” “Humph!” mused Jack. “I’d like to meet that boy again and talk to him. Maybe he knows something about why the old mill is haunted.” “He is certainly a strange boy!” declared Laura. The girls wished to know something of the details of the proposed encampment and the cadets told as much as they knew. “We’ll come over if we can,” promised Laura. “And if you get the chance you must call on us at the new hotel.” And this the cadets readily promised to do. Then the girls turned homeward, and the boys continued their ride. “They are fine girls,” said Dale. “It was a great feather in your cap to save them from drowning.” “Oh, let us forget that!” cried Andy, who did not care at any time to pose as a hero. “There is one thing I regret about this encampment at Lake Caboy,” said Jack, as the four cadets turned in the direction of Putnam Hall. “There is no way of getting our sailboats up to that lake. Some of the rowboats will be taken over on the wagons, but I’ll have to leave the _Alice_ behind, and Fred Century will have to leave the _Ajax_, too.” “Well, we’ll have to take our fun on the water out in rowing and swimming and fishing,” said Dale. “What’s the matter with having a nice sail before we go away?” came from Pepper. “To be sure, we can do that,” said Jack; and so, later on, it was arranged.