Tom
questioned the farmer concerning the place.

"It belongs to a lumber company, but it's been closed up fer years,"
said Peter Marley. "Once in a while tramps hang out there, but thet's
all."

Presently they found themselves close to the mill, which was almost
ready to fall down from disuse and neglect. As they rode up Tom chanced
to glance towards a side window and was surprised to catch sight of a
man looking curiously at them. As soon as he saw that he was discovered
the man stepped out of sight.

"Well, I never!" gasped Tom. "Did you see him?"

"See who?" asked his brothers.

"That man at the window of the mill! Unless I am greatly mistaken it was
Josiah Crabtree!"

CHAPTER VI

TWO OLD ENEMIES

"Josiah Crabtree!" came simultaneously from Dick and Sam Rover.

"Yes," returned Tom.

"How can he be here, in this out-of-the-way place?" demanded Sam.

"You must be mistaken, Tom," came from the eldest Rover boy. "Old
Crabtree must be around Cedarville or in Ithaca. He would have no call
to come to a place like this."

"Did you say Josiah Crabtree?" questioned Peter Marley, curiously. All
had come to a halt on their horses.

"Yes," returned Tom quickly. "Do you know him?"

"I used to know him--fact is, he once stopped at my place to git a
ride--when he was a-visitin' thet old mill."

"Then he visits the mill!" exclaimed Dick. "Tom, you must have been
right."

"But why does he come here?" questioned Sam.

"Why as near as I know, some relative o' his'n used to have an interest
in the lumber company as run the mill," replied the farmer. "It was a
man named Foxwell. He's dead now. Maybe he left his share o' the place
to this man Crabtree. He was a teacher, wasn't he?"

"He was, years ago. Since then he has been a jailbird," answered Tom.

"A jailbird!"

"Yes, he was in jail for a number of years--and since he has been out he
has been trying his best to make trouble for us and for some of our
friends," went on Tom. "Come on, let's go after him, instead of
talking," he added, as he dismounted.

"That's the talk!" cried Sam. "The biplane can wait."

Dick was as willing as his brothers to go after the former teacher of
Putnam Hall, and leaving the farmer to take care of the horses, all
three ran up to the door of the old mill. It was unlocked, and one of
the hinges was broken, and it was an easy matter for them to push their
way into the building.

"Do you think Tad Sobber is with old Crabt