The Pothunters

When school sports cups are stolen from the pavilion at St. Austin's, suspicion falls on a student, Jim Thomson, who was secretly retrieving his own notes that night. As friends rally to clear his name, a series of misadventures and amateur sleuthing reveal the true culprit, restoring honor and friendship.

The story begins with the theft of the school's sports cups, setting off a chain of suspicion and investigation. Tony Graham returns from winning a boxing competition to find his friend Jim Thomson in trouble: Jim had sneaked into the pavilion to retrieve incriminating betting notes and was seen near the scene. Despite his innocence, circumstantial evidence—his debts from betting on his brother's boxing match and his secret nighttime escapade—leads the Headmaster to accuse him. Meanwhile, Barrett, while egg-hunting in forbidden woods, discovers the stolen cups hidden in a hollow tree but keeps it secret to avoid punishment. Detective Roberts from Scotland Yard investigates and eventually identifies the real thief: Stokes, a local farmhand. Jim, distraught over the accusation, runs away but is found and brought back by his friends. The Headmaster clears Jim's name, and the cups are recovered. The novel resolves with the boys' friendships strengthened, Jim's honor restored, and the school's sports day celebrated, highlighting themes of loyalty, athleticism, and the consequences of rash actions.