He pointed to a cleared spot behind the bushes and there, on the ground, lay the torn-up posts and boards. Evidently somebody had dragged them thither in great haste. "It's the work of some thorough rascal!" cried Sam. "Somebody who meant mischief to our stage." "Maype dis vos der vork of dem Pornell Academy fellers," suggested Hans. "No, they are gentlemen, not scoundrels," replied Tom. "They may feel cut up, but they wouldn't play such a dastardly trick as this." The spot was one commanding a good view of the back road, so that anybody standing there could have seen the stage coming while it was still a quarter of a mile off. All hands began a search for some clew leading to the identity of the evil-doers--that is, all but Joel Darwell and his helper. These two dragged the posts and boards into position again, and this time set them down so firmly that a removal would be out of the question without tools. "Hullo, here's something!" cried one of the cadets presently. "Did you just drop this, Tom?" As he spoke he held up a round, flat coin of coppery metal, engraved with several circles and a rude head. "No, I didn't drop it," replied Tom, his face growing serious. "Did you, Sam?" Sam gave a look, placed his hand in his pocket and brought out a similar piece. "No, there is mine," he said. "Where in the world did that come from?" Then Tom and Sam looked at each other. The same idea crossed the mind of each. The coin was similar to those they had handled while on their way through Africa. They had brought home several as pocket-pieces. "I'll wager Dan Baxter dropped that!" cried Tom. "He, or--" "Josiah Crabtree!" finished Sam. "Yes, I am sure of it, for Dick brought none to Putnam Hall; I heard him tell the Captain so, when they were talking about coins one day." "Then in that case, either Baxter or Crabtree is responsible for this smash-up!" came from one of the other cadets. "Right you are. The question is, which one?" "Perhaps both vos guilty," suggested the German student. "That may be true, Hans," came from Tom. "I wonder if one or the other of the rascals is in hiding around here?" "We'll begin a search," said Sam. "Hans, go and call the others," and at once the German cadet started off on his errand. CHAPTER IV A TRAIL IS FOUND AND LOST By this time several carriages had come up, also a number of folks on bicycles and on foot, and to all of these the situation had to be explained. Among the last to put in an appearance was Captain Putnam, and he was at once all attention, and desired to know how seriously Dick and Frank were injured. "It was an outrageous piece of work," he said. "Still, to be fair, we must admit that the broken brake is largely responsible for what happened, after the start down hill was made." "But I couldn't help the brake breaking," pleaded the general utility man. "I did my best, and was thrown out--"