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diff --git a/old/67285-0.txt b/old/67285-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1412c9c..0000000 --- a/old/67285-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8924 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Rover Boys at Big Bear Lake, by -Arthur M. Winfield - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Rover Boys at Big Bear Lake - or, The Camps of the Rival Cadets - -Author: Arthur M. Winfield - -Release Date: January 30, 2022 [eBook #67285] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG BEAR -LAKE *** - - - - - -[Illustration: BANG! CRACK! BANG! WENT THE GUNS THE BOYS CARRIED.] - - - - - THE ROVER BOYS AT - BIG BEAR LAKE - - OR - - _THE CAMPS OF THE - RIVAL CADETS_ - - - BY - - ARTHUR M. WINFIELD - (Edward Stratemeyer) - - AUTHOR OF “THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL,” “THE ROVER BOYS - ON LAND AND SEA,” “THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL,” - “THE PUTNAM HALL CADET SERIES,” ETC. - - - _ILLUSTRATED_ - - - NEW YORK - GROSSET & DUNLAP - PUBLISHERS - - Made in the United States of America - - - - -BOOKS BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD - -(Edward Stratemeyer) - - -THE FIRST ROVER BOYS SERIES - - THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE - THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS - THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP - THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS - THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM - THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLAND - THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE - THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR - THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK - THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA - THE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESS - THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR - - -THE SECOND ROVER BOYS SERIES - - THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL - THE ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLAND - THE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVAS - THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE LAND OF LUCK - THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG HORN RANCH - THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG BEAR LAKE - - -THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES - - THE CADETS OF PUTNAM HALL - THE RIVALS OF PUTNAM HALL - THE CHAMPIONS OF PUTNAM HALL - THE REBELLION AT PUTNAM HALL - CAMPING OUT DAYS AT PUTNAM HALL - THE MYSTERY AT PUTNAM HALL - - -_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated._ - -GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, New York - - - Copyright, 1923, by - EDWARD STRATEMEYER - - - _The Rover Boys at Big Bear Lake_ - - - - - INTRODUCTION - - -MY DEAR BOYS: This book is a complete story in itself, but forms the -seventh volume in a line issued under the general title, “The Second -Rover Boys Series for Young Americans.” - -As told in some volumes of the First Series, this line of books was -started years ago with the publication of “The Rover Boys at School,” -“On the Ocean,” and “In the Jungle,” in which I introduced my readers -to Dick, Tom and Sam Rover and their chums and relatives. The First -Series, consisting of twenty volumes, gave the particulars of what -happened to these three Rover boys while attending Putnam Hall Military -Academy, Brill College, and while on numerous outings in this country -and abroad. Having finished their education, the three young men -established themselves in business and became married. Later Dick Rover -was blessed with a son and a daughter, as was also his brother Sam, -while the fun-loving Tom became the father of a pair of lively twin -boys. - -From their homes in New York City the four Rover boys were sent to -a boarding school, as related in the first volume of the Second -Series, entitled “The Rover Boys at Colby Hall,” where they made many -friends, also a few enemies. From that school the scene was shifted to -“Snowshoe Island,” where the boys spent a winter outing, and then they -rejoined their fellow cadets in some strenuous happenings while “Under -Canvas.” Then in “The Rover Boys on a Hunt” they uncovered the mystery -surrounding a lonely house in the woods. - -The older Rovers had become interested in oil, and in the next volume, -entitled “The Rover Boys in the Land of Luck,” I related how the lads -went to Texas and Oklahoma. Then one of their chums asked them to take -a vacation in the West, and in the volume preceding this and called “At -Big Horn Ranch” they had the time of their lives. - -In the present story the scene is shifted back to Colby Hall and then -to some rival camps on the edge of a big lake. What happened to the -boys I will leave the pages which follow to relate. - -As many of my readers know, the sale of this line of books has now -passed the _three million_ mark. To me this is as wonderful as it is -pleasing. I earnestly hope that the reading of these volumes will do -all of the boys and girls good. - -Affectionately and sincerely yours, - - EDWARD STRATEMEYER. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. ON THE LAKE 1 - II. ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 12 - III. THE RESCUE FROM THE BIPLANE 23 - IV. A SUDDEN INTERRUPTION 35 - V. WHO WAS GUILTY? 46 - VI. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE STORM 58 - VII. WHO THE MAN WAS 69 - VIII. THE FOUR-OARED RACE 80 - IX. TOMMY FLANDERS TRIES A TRICK 91 - X. AFTER THE RACES 102 - XI. CELEBRATING THE VICTORY 113 - XII. SETTLING WITH CODFISH 123 - XIII. GIF’S WELCOME NEWS 134 - XIV. THE ROVERS AT HOME 145 - XV. ON THE WAY TO BIG BEAR LAKE 156 - XVI. ON BIG BEAR LAKE 167 - XVII. TO THE RESCUE 178 - XVIII. AT THE BUNGALOW 188 - XIX. A QUARREL OVER A ROWBOAT 198 - XX. AT THE RIVAL CAMP 208 - XXI. THE BIG BEAR 217 - XXII. THE DEPARTURE OF JEFF 226 - XXIII. DEEP IN THE WOODS 235 - XXIV. SIX BOYS AND A WILDCAT 244 - XXV. WHAT THE RIVALS DID 254 - XXVI. THE BASEBALL GAME 264 - XXVII. A SQUALL ON THE LAKE 274 - XXVIII. AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY 283 - XXIX. JEFF BRINGS NEWS 291 - XXX. AT THE CABIN――CONCLUSION 299 - - - - - THE ROVER BOYS AT - BIG BEAR LAKE - - - - - CHAPTER I - - ON THE LAKE - - -“It’s great, I’ll say!” declared Randy Rover. - -“I should say it was!” returned his twin brother, Andy. “Just think of -swooping through the air like a bird! Gee, I’d like to own a flying -machine myself!” - -“Well, our fathers owned one once,” declared Captain Fred Rover, -somewhat proudly. “They flew clear to Brill College in their machine.” - -“Yes, I’ve often heard them talk about that,” put in Major Jack Rover. -“They called the machine the _Dartaway_. It was a biplane and of rather -primitive construction, because in those days aeroplanes were a new -invention and the best of them were rather crude.” - -“I wonder what ever became of that machine?” questioned Andy. - -“Oh, it went into the scrap heap long ago,” declared his cousin Fred. - -“They didn’t have much use for it after they left college and went into -business in Wall Street,” explained Jack. “But they certainly had some -dandy times in it.” - -The four boys were out on Clearwater Lake in one of the rowboats -belonging to Colby Hall. They had been watching the maneuvers of a -large biplane which had circled over their heads several times. This -biplane had made its headquarters at a cove just below Haven Point, -and its owners had advertised far and wide to take people up for a fly -around the lake for fifteen dollars per person. As this was the first -aeroplane to come to the lake for business, it had taken up quite a few -people during the past ten days. - -“I wonder how long they stay up on a trip,” remarked Andy, as the four -boys resumed their rowing. - -“The circulars say fifteen minutes,” answered Fred. - -“It didn’t seem to me he stayed up more than ten minutes the time -before this,” said Jack. “I suppose they cut the time when they have -other people waiting to go up. They carry only two passengers at a -time, you know, and I suppose they want to make hay while the sun -shines.” - -“A dollar a minute is making money pretty fast,” observed Randy. “I’d -like to rake in an iron man every sixty seconds by the watch,” and he -grinned. - -“Yes, but it costs something to run a flying machine,” returned Jack. -“And then there is the risk, too.” - -“Well, if we went up it would cost the four of us sixty dollars,” -declared Randy. - -“And I don’t see ourselves spending sixty dollars that way just now,” -cried Jack. “My spending money for this quarter is getting low.” - -“Don’t say a word, Jack, about spending money!” came from his cousin -Fred, with a wry face. “I’m almost high and dry.” - -“It’s lucky they can’t charge us for looking at the aeroplane,” -chuckled Andy. - -The four Rover boys had left Colby Hall about an hour before for a -row down the Rick Rack River to the lake. In a boat behind them were -four of their chums, Dick Powell, often called Spouter because of his -fondness for making long speeches, Gif Garrison, who was at the head -of the school athletics, and Ned Lowe and Dan Soppinger. Each crowd of -cadets was in a well-built four-oared boat, and a little while before -had indulged in a race which had come to an end when all had stopped -rowing to look at the aeroplane which was soaring above their heads. - -Boating that year promised to become popular at Colby Hall. Colonel -Colby had had the institution fitted out with several new racing -shells, and in addition had purchased two motor-boats of which all -the cadets were very proud. A man had been hired who knew all about -motor-boats, and he was instructing the various cadets in the use of -the craft. - -“I must say I wish we were out in one of the new motor-boats,” declared -Fred, after they had gone on rowing for ten minutes more. “This is -rather hot and tiresome work.” - -“Never mind, Fred. You need the exercise,” declared Jack. “You’re -getting too stout. The first thing you know you’ll be as fat as Fatty -Hendry.” - -“Gosh! don’t say that, Jack,” returned the young captain quickly. “Why, -Fatty is so fat he can hardly get through the dormitory doors!” - -“That aviator won’t want to take up Fatty,” remarked Andy. “That is, -not unless he went up alone and paid double fare.” - -“Hi, you fellows, get a move on!” came a shout from the other rowboat, -and Gif Garrison waved a hand towards the Rovers. “I thought you were -going to do a little rowing practice. Remember, we have got to get busy -if we want to win any of those boat races later on.” - -“Fred and I are not in those races, Gif,” answered Jack. “You know -officers are not expected to enter any contests like that.” - -“Yes, but I expect Andy and Randy to go into at least one race,” -declared the cadet who was at the head of the athletic committee. “And -when they go in I want them to make a real showing for Colby.” - -“We’ll do that all right enough,” declared Randy. - -“I’m going in for practice every day after this,” answered his brother. - -“Just remember we’ve got to wipe Longley Academy from the face of the -lake,” declared Spouter Powell. “We’ll show them that as a military -academy they are not one, two, three with good old Colby Hall.” - -“That’s the talk!” cried Jack. “There’s going to be only one real -military academy around here, and that’s Colby.” - -“So say we all of us!” sang out his cousin Andy. - -“What did they want to turn Longley Academy into a military school for, -anyway?” grumbled Ned Lowe. “I thought when they started that school -they were going to give their attention mainly to athletics.” - -“So they did,” answered Gif Garrison. “But when they saw how popular -Colby Hall was becoming, and how they were losing one scholar after -another, I guess the owners got busy and concluded the only thing they -could do would be to turn the academy into a military school and give -their boys the showiest kind of a uniform.” - -“And they sure have got the uniforms!” declared Fred, who overheard -this remark from the other boat. “Gosh! you would think they were -cadets from one of those little jerkwater monarchies in Europe. Such -gold braid and buttons and such lace! It’s enough to make an ordinary -American boy sick!” - -“You’d better not tell them that,” said Jack quickly. “If you do -they’ll say you’re jealous of them because our uniforms are so -ordinary.” - -“Well, you give me the good old gray and khaki every time,” came from -Randy. “Both of those colors stand the wear a good deal better than -that showy stuff will ever do.” - -“Come on, fellows; jack her up!” called out Gif. “I’ll bet you a pint -of peanuts we can beat you to the landing at Berry Island.” - -“Make it a quart and we’ll go you!” shouted back Jack gayly. - -“And they’ve got to be freshly roasted, too,” broke in Andy. “No stale -old goobers from Rigoletto’s place where they’ve been lying in his -show window for a month or two! They’ve got to be freshly roasted, -right out of the whistling roaster!” - -“Get ready――pull!” cried Gif, a few seconds later, and at this word of -command from the head of the general athletic committee the four Rovers -started up the lake with the other boat close by their side. - -It was a beautiful day in early summer, and the surface of Clearwater -Lake sparkled in the sunshine. There was scarcely any wind and -consequently conditions were ideal for rowing. - -Ever since they had come to the military academy the four Rover boys -had spent more or less time on the river and the lake beyond, so they -were no novices when it came to handling an oar. Jack set the pace, and -his three cousins kept stroke with him in a fashion that could not help -but win approval. - -“Come on, fellows! We’ve got to beat ’em!” cried Gif Garrison to his -rowing mates. “Pull now, and make every stroke tell!” - -“We are not as well matched up as they are,” panted Ned Lowe, who was -by far the poorest rower of the bunch. “Those Rovers have been rowing -together ever since they came to the Hall.” - -“Don’t growl, Ned! Row!” returned the leader, and then the cadets in -the second boat did their best to outstrip their rivals. - -It was certainly a spirited race and well worth watching. But no other -craft was in sight, the two rowboats apparently having that portion of -the lake entirely to themselves. The aeroplane which had attracted the -rowers’ attention had glided away in the distance and they could no -longer hear the roar of the motor. - -Berry Island was little more than a quarter of a mile away. It was for -the most part very rocky, but at one end there was a somewhat sandy -beach where the boys occasionally went in bathing. - -“Say, it wouldn’t be a bad stunt to go in swimming after this race,” -puffed Randy, as he bent over his oar. - -“No use to go in when you’re all tired out and in a sweat,” declared -Fred, who on account of his stoutness found it rather difficult to keep -up with the others. - -The Rovers had forged ahead, and it looked very much as if they would -win the race when suddenly Randy began to drag. Then he lost his stroke -and that threw his brother out of stroke, too, and this caused the -rowboat to swerve from its course and the craft under Gif Garrison’s -directions shot ahead. - -“Hi! what’s the matter with you?” cried Jack, in some vexation. - -“My oar caught on a rope or some bit of seaweed,” declared Randy. “It’s -gone now,” and he and his brother proceeded to right themselves. Then -they caught the stroke and went forward as before. - -This little mishap occupied only a few seconds of time, but during -that period the other boat went ahead a good hundred feet. Gif and -his followers were rowing with all their might, bound to put all the -distance possible between themselves and their competitors. - -“Swing into it! Swing!” cried Jack. “We’ve got to catch up! Now -then――all together and make her jump out of the water!” - -Jack had always been the leader of the four cousins, and they obeyed -his instructions as best they could. They put in every ounce of their -strength on the oars, and slowly but surely their craft began to -overtake the other rowboat. - -“Pull, you duffers, pull!” cried Gif, as he saw the Rovers crawling up. -“We’re almost to the island! Pull, or they’ll overtake us!” - -He increased the stroke and Spouter and Dan followed. But this speed -was too great for poor Ned Lowe, and all of a sudden Ned’s oar came -up with a tremendous splash that showered everybody in the boat with -water. Then Ned lost his balance and he and Spouter came close to -falling overboard. The craft slued around directly in the path of the -second rowboat. - -“Stop rowing! Back water!” cried Jack, as the sudden shouts ahead -warned him that something was wrong. He gave a quick glance around, as -did his oar mates, and then he and Fred threw their craft out of the -course. An instant later the oars of the boats scraped each other. But -then the craft separated. - -“Some narrow escape, I’ll say,” declared Randy, when the momentary -danger was over. - -“What’s the matter with you fellows, anyway?” called out Fred. - -“Ned lost his stroke, that’s all,” answered Gif. - -“Lost his stroke and gave us a shower bath at the same time,” put in -Dan. - -“Well, I guess the race is off,” declared Jack, good-naturedly. -“Anyway, I think it’s about time that we got back to the Hall. I want -to see Captain Dale before we have the evening parade.” - -“Let’s rest at the island just a few minutes,” pleaded Randy. “I want -to get my wind back before―――― Gee, boys, look at that, will you?” - -He broke off suddenly and in his excitement stood up in the rowboat -pointing skyward as he did so. All looked in the direction pointed -out and saw that the aeroplane was again heading in their direction. -But now instead of sailing along on an even keel the flying craft was -zigzagging in a most unusual fashion. - -“Say! there’s something wrong with that flying machine, that’s sure,” -declared Fred in excitement. - -“Maybe the aviator is trying a few stunts,” suggested Andy. “They do -that once in a while, you know.” - -“But not when they have passengers who are green at flying!” burst out -Jack. “I believe something is wrong with that machine.” - -“Look! Look! Did you ever see anything like that?” came from the other -boat. “That aviator acts as if he were crazy! Or otherwise his machine -has got the jimjams.” - -By this time the aeroplane was almost over their heads. The roar of -the motor was deafening. The great machine darted from one side to the -other, and then took a dip and a whirl which made it look as if both -rowboats and their occupants might be doomed. - - - - - CHAPTER II - - ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS - - -“Look out!” - -“We’re going to be smashed!” - -“That fellow must be crazy!” - -Such were some of the cries coming from the Rover boys and their chums -as the big aeroplane swooped around from one side to another almost -over their heads. - -It was a truly perilous moment, and no one realized it more than did -the Rovers. And what to do not a one of them knew. To attempt to row -out of the way might prove the worst move of all, for it might bring -them directly to the spot where the aeroplane would come crashing down. - -“Let’s dive overboard,” suggested Fred. “Go down as deep as you can!” -he yelled. - -This seemed good advice and some of the lads were on the point of -following it when suddenly the aeroplane made another swoop and struck -the surface of the lake some distance away. It sent the water flying -in every direction, some of the drops even reaching the cadets. The -propeller gave a snap and one blade went whizzing up into the sky to -come down on the other side of Berry Island. Then the flying machine -began slowly to settle and the motor stopped abruptly. - -“Help! Help! Save us!” came in a girlish voice across the water. “Save -us!” - -“Look! Look!” exclaimed Jack, springing suddenly to his feet. “Unless -I’m mistaken, that is Ruth Stevenson!” - -“It is Ruth, just as sure as you’re born!” declared Fred. “And a man -and the aviator are with her!” - -“That man must be her father,” went on Jack. “She said he was going to -call at Clearwater Hall to see her. Come on, boys! We’ve got to get to -them before the aeroplane pulls them under. Hurry! Row for all you’re -worth!” - -As he uttered the last words Jack sank down on the seat and grasped -tight hold of the oar which had almost gotten away from him in his -excitement. The others also fell to rowing, and away they pulled for -the sinking aeroplane which was less than two hundred feet away. Soon -the other rowboat followed. - -And while the four Rover boys and their chums are going to the rescue -of those in peril, it may be as well for me to state as briefly as -possible who the boys were and how they came to be in their present -situation. Of course, those who have read the previous volumes of this -series will need no special introduction to the Rovers, and they can -skip these pages if they so desire. - -In the first volume of the line, entitled “The Rover Boys at School,” -I introduced three brothers, Dick, Tom and Sam Rover and told how they -were sent to Putnam Hall Military Academy where they had a number of -adventures and where they made great friends of three other students, -Larry Colby, Songbird Powell, and Fred Garrison. - -Passing from Putnam Hall, these three brothers next attended Brill -College, and then went into business in New York City by organizing The -Rover Company with offices on Wall Street. - -During their schoolboy days the three lads had made the acquaintanceship -of three nice girls, Dora Stanhope and her cousins Nellie and Grace -Laning. Shortly after the three couples were married and settled down in -connecting houses on Riverside Drive, New York City. As the result of -his marriage Dick Rover became the father of a son, Jack, and a daughter -named Martha. Sam Rover was blessed with a girl called Mary, and then a -son who was christened Fred. At about this same time Tom Rover’s wife, -Nellie, came forward with a lively pair of twin boys, who were named -Anderson and Randolph after their grandfather and their great-uncle. -Andy and Randy, as they were always called, were full of fun, coming -naturally by this, as their father had been as full of life as any lad -could well be. - -Being brought up side by side, the younger generation of Rover boys, as -well as the girls, lived together very much as one large family. But -soon the boys began to cut up to such an extent that it was decided to -send them to some strict boarding school. - -About that time Larry Colby, the chum of the older Rovers, had opened -Colby Hall, a military academy patterned somewhat after the national -institution at West Point. This was considered just the institution -for the younger generation, and in the first volume the Second Series, -entitled “The Rover Boys at Colby Hall,” I related how Jack, Fred -and Andy and Randy journeyed to that institution of learning and how -they made a number of warm friends and also defeated several of their -enemies. - -The military school was located about half a mile from Haven Point, -a small town on Clearwater Lake close to where the Rick Rack River -ran into that body of water. The school consisted of a large stone -building facing the river and close by was a smaller building occupied -by Colonel Colby and his family and some of the professors, and not far -away were a gymnasium, a boathouse, and several necessary buildings. - -On arriving at Colby Hall the four Rovers found several of their -friends already there, including Spouter Powell and Gif Garrison, the -sons of their fathers’ old classmates. - -Up the lake on the other side of Haven Point was located Clearwater -Hall, a boarding school for girls. During a panic in a moving picture -theater the four Rover boys became acquainted with several girls from -this school, including Ruth Stevenson and May Powell, a cousin of -Spouter. Later on Mary and Martha Rover became pupils at the girls’ -school, and all of the young folks got to be warm friends. - -After a term at Colby Hall the four Rover boys had the pleasure of -spending the winter holidays on “Snowshoe Island.” Then a little later -they went “Under Canvas” with their fellow cadets, and later still went -on a grand hunt, using a bungalow up in the woods which belonged to -Gif Garrison’s uncle. This was during the great World War and when the -older Rovers had all gone to France to fight for democracy. - -The return of the older Rovers brought a surprise. Dick Rover had -saved the life of a man from Texas and in return had received a deed to -some land which later on was supposed to contain oil. Dick decided to -go to Texas and Oklahoma, and the four boys begged to go with him. And -they had some stirring adventures in what has so often been called “The -Land of Luck.” - -After their adventures in the Southwest the four boys returned again to -Colby Hall. At this time Jack was captain of Company C and Fred was a -lieutenant in the same command. - -There was a spirited rivalry when a new election for officers was held. -But in spite of many efforts made to defeat them, Jack was chosen -major of the school battalion and Fred was made captain of Company -C. Andy and Randy might have held minor offices, but both preferred -to remain privates, especially as that would enable them to take -part in the various athletic exercises. At first Colonel Colby had -allowed the cadets to join the baseball nine, football eleven, and the -rowing teams, even though they were officers. But there had been some -grumbling that “some cadets were trying to do everything and would not -give the others a show,” and so it had been decided that while all -cadets were supposed to go in for athletics in general, they could not -be officers and take part in any official athletic contests. - -During this term at school Spouter asked the Rovers and Gif Garrison -to spend the summer vacation with him out in Montana on a ranch owned -by his father. How the Rovers went out there with their chums and -what stirring times they encountered have been related in the volume -preceding this, entitled “The Rover Boys at Big Horn Ranch.” In that -book they exposed the acts of one of their enemies, Brassy Bangs, and -also brought a number of horse thieves to justice. - -“We have certainly had some strenuous times here,” remarked Jack, one -day. - -“I suppose it will be dead quiet for us this winter when we return to -Colby Hall,” his cousin Randy had answered. - -“Well, that will give us a chance to catch up in our studies,” Fred had -suggested. “We don’t want to fall behind. If we do, our folks may take -us away from Colby Hall.” - -“Oh, we don’t want to leave that place――at least, not just yet!” Andy -had put in hastily. - -The winter had passed rather quietly, the boys going home only for the -Christmas holidays. During that time there had come only one surprise, -and that was the news concerning Longley Academy. This institution of -learning, which had been in existence only a short time, had been -devoted very largely to physical culture and athletics and had an -extra fine baseball grounds with a beautiful grandstand and bleachers. -But strange to say, the athletics had not been as prosperous as the -management of the institution wished, and a good many of the pupils had -been on the point of leaving, and several had applied for admission to -Colby Hall. - -As a consequence of this the owners of Longley had turned the academy -into a military school with a section devoted to horsemanship. The -cadets were given a most striking uniform, and everything possible -was done to induce the cadets of Colby Hall to shift to the other -institution. - -“And I call that about as mean a piece of business as could happen,” -was Jack’s comment, in talking this over with some of his chums. “Of -course they have a perfect right to make a military academy of Longley -if they want to; but they have no right to steal away our cadets.” - -Among the boys to leave Colby Hall and go to Longley were Paul Halliday -and Billy Sands, who had been great chums of Brassy Bangs while that -individual was a cadet. Of course, Colonel Colby was sorry to have -any of his pupils leave him, but the Rovers were rather glad to see -Halliday and Sands go. - -“It’s good riddance to those fellows!” Fred had remarked. “I never -considered either of them much better than Brassy Bangs himself.” - -“Oh, I don’t think Halliday and Sands are quite as bad as Bangs was,” -Randy had answered. “Still I’d rather have them somewhere else than -here.” - -During the winter the cadets of Colby and the boys at Longley had had -several contests on the ice and had also indulged in several snowball -fights. In one of these fights Fred had received a black eye from a -snowball hurled by Billy Sands. In return for this Sands had been -caught a little later and rolled down into a snowy hollow, much to his -disgust. In one of the skating races Paul Halliday had come in ahead -of two of the cadets from Colby, and because of this he and the other -cadets from Longley had done considerable crowing. - -“We’ll show Colby where they get off!” had come boastfully from Tommy -Flanders, a youth who on several occasions had pitched for the rival -school. - -“You’ll never show Colby anything!” Jack had retorted, and this had -made Tommy Flanders very angry, because he had been virtually “batted -out of the box” by the Colby baseball nine. - -As a result of the new order of things a more bitter rivalry than ever -had sprung up between Colby Hall and Longley Academy, and when the -winter was at an end and there were talks of some boat races everybody -was wondering how the matches would terminate. The Colbyites hoped that -they might win, while the Longley supporters went around everywhere -declaring that they “would wipe up the lake” with their rivals. - -This was the condition of affairs when the four Rovers had gone out -on the afternoon of this bright day in early summer for a row on -Clearwater Lake. They had been talking about the boys at Longley -Academy when their attention had been attracted to the aeroplane, as -mentioned at the beginning of this story. - -The flying machine was one belonging to an aero corporation which sent -aeroplanes to many summer resorts where they might be used by visitors -and others. Each was supposed to be in first-class condition and under -the care of an experienced aviator. - -At first it was supposed that the aviator would be able to get but -little patronage at Haven Point for the reason that the town was small -and the district sparsely settled. But it was soon found that, by -skillful advertising, the flying machine drew a great many visitors to -the lake; and sometimes the aviator was called on to make a dozen or -more trips a day. - -As he usually carried two passengers and as the fare was fifteen -dollars per person, it can readily be seen that the business was a -prosperous one. The local paper had devoted several columns to the -enterprise, giving the personal experience of a number of people -who had made a flight. So far nothing in the way of an accident had -occurred to mar the success of the undertaking. - -But now in the twinkling of an eye all this was changed. For some -reason as yet unknown the huge flying machine had struck the bosom of -the lake in slanting fashion and one of the blades of the propeller -had been broken of to fly into space. And now the aeroplane was on the -point of sinking, carrying the aviator and his two passengers with it. - - - - - CHAPTER III - - THE RESCUE FROM THE BIPLANE - - -“I wonder if they are strapped to the seats of that biplane?” - -“More than likely. They usually strap themselves and their passengers -fast to keep from falling out.” - -“If they can’t loosen the straps they’ll surely be drowned.” - -“Come on, fellows, row for all you’re worth! A second gained may mean a -life!” yelled Jack. - -“Say, wasn’t that Ruth Stevenson?” came from the second boat. - -“Yes,” answered Fred. “Hurry up! We’ve got to save them!” - -All this conversation came in jerks, for every cadet was working -frantically at his oar in a mad endeavor to reach the sinking -aeroplane. They were almost up to the spot when they heard a queer -gurgle and suddenly the big flying machine slid from view under the -surface of the lake. - -“It’s going down!” cried Randy, glancing hastily around. - -By this time the first rowboat had reached the scene of the accident -and all of the boys threw down their oars to get a better view of the -situation. The water was much disturbed, and in the foam created by the -disappearing flying machine could be seen two men struggling, one with -some sort of strap fastened around him. - -“Help! Help! I can’t swim!” cried one of the men, and Jack recognized -Mr. Stevenson’s voice. - -“Help! I’m being pulled down! Help!” gasped the aviator. - -“Go after him, fellows! I’m going after Mr. Stevenson!” called out -Randy, and immediately leaped overboard, followed by his brother. - -“Where is Ruth?” questioned Jack anxiously, for the girl from -Clearwater Hall was one of his dearest friends. - -He had scarcely spoken when he saw an arm appear a short distance away. -Then Ruth’s head bobbed up and the girl uttered another cry. - -“Help me! I can’t move my feet! Help me!” - -By this time the second boat was close at hand and a glance showed Jack -and Fred that the aviator was already clambering on board. Another -glance showed Randy and Andy supporting Mr. Stevenson. - -“I’m coming, Ruth! Keep up!” cried Jack, and leaping to the bow of the -rowboat he made a quick, slanting dive overboard which brought him -within a few feet of where the girl was floundering. He knew that Ruth -was a fair swimmer and realized that something must be radically wrong -if she could not keep herself afloat. - -“Oh, Jack! Jack! Is that you?” gasped the girl. “Help me! My feet are -all tangled up!” - -“I’m coming, Ruth,” he reassured her. And then he yelled back to his -cousin: “Fred, bring the boat up here, quick!” - -The stout young Rover hastened to comply, and while he was doing this -Jack continued to swim swiftly towards the hapless girl. He caught hold -of Ruth’s arm just as she was about to go down a second time. - -“Grab hold, Ruth. I’ll support you,” he said. “What is holding you?” - -“I don’t know. A strap, I guess. I had one around me and it loosened -and slipped to my knees.” - -“Just hang over my shoulders and you’ll be all right,” answered the -young major. “I was afraid you had been hurt.” - -“But, Jack! I can’t move my feet at all!” - -“Never mind. We’ll soon have you on board the boat.” - -“Where is daddy?” - -“Andy and Randy went for him. I’m sure they’ll save him. We’ve got two -boats here, and four cadets in each; so there is plenty of assistance -at hand.” - -At that instant Fred came alongside with the boat and it was the work -of but a few seconds to place the dripping girl aboard. Then Jack -followed. As Ruth had said, a strap had become tangled around her -knees, but this was now disposed of. - -In the meantime Andy and Randy had reached Mr. Stevenson, and with -something of an effort they managed to get that gentleman over to the -vicinity of the second boat. Ruth’s father was somewhat excited, and -this was but natural. He could not swim, and, moreover, he had received -a blow in the side which pained him considerably. - -“My daughter? Where is my daughter?” he questioned as soon as he had -hold of the side of the boat. - -“Jack and Fred went after her,” answered Spouter. “There they are, over -yonder. Jack is supporting her.” - -“Thank heaven then she isn’t drowned!” said Mr. Stevenson, shuddering. -“I’d have gone after her myself; but what can a man do if he can’t -swim? After this I’ll advocate that every boy and girl be forced to -learn to swim,” he added, with emphasis. - -“Either that or keep away from the water,” returned Andy grimly. - -“Oh, Jack, what a terrible experience!” came from Ruth, when she could -regain her breath. “I thought surely I was going down to the bottom of -the lake. And how good of you to come to my aid!” - -“You don’t suppose I was going to let you drown, Ruth?” he answered -quickly. - -“I have to thank you too, Fred,” went on the girl. - -“Oh, I didn’t do so much,” answered the stout Rover modestly. “It’s -mighty lucky we happened to be in this vicinity,” he went on. - -“And just to think I was going to surprise you, Jack!” continued Ruth. - -“Surprise me?” - -“Yes. By sending you a picture of daddy and me in the aeroplane. You -see, my father came to Haven Point last night and called on me this -morning, and he happened to know the men who are running the aero -corporation. So when I begged him to take me up he agreed and we had -our photographs taken just when we started.” She paused and gave a -sudden shiver. “Oh, if daddy had been drowned, what would I have done!” - -A little later the two boats came together and Mr. Stevenson joined his -daughter in the craft manned by the Rovers. - -“I scraped my side on the machine when we came down so suddenly,” -explained Ruth’s father. “It hurts me yet. I think I’ll see a doctor -about it when I go ashore. I must have scraped the skin pretty hard, if -nothing more,” and he winced. - -“We’ll row for Haven Point right away,” answered Jack. - -“I suppose that’s the last of my biplane,” said the aviator. “How deep -is the lake around here, do any of you know?” - -“I don’t believe it’s very deep right here,” answered Gif. “Do you see -that sandy beach over on the island yonder? Well, that sandbar extends -out in this direction.” - -“Then maybe the machine didn’t sink as far down as I thought it might,” -went on Tom Bossick, for such was his name. “I’d like to mark this spot -if I could.” - -“Maybe you could dive overboard again and find out what became of the -flying machine,” suggested Dan Soppinger. “That is, unless you feel -too weak.” - -“Oh, I’m all right. I went through a good deal worse than this when I -was flying for Uncle Sam in France,” said Bossick, with a grin. “If you -fellows are not in a hurry I’d like to find out what did become of the -old lady.” - -“If you fellows want to stay here with the aviator, we’ll take Mr. -Stevenson and Ruth over to Haven Point,” said Jack. - -“All right, go ahead,” answered Gif readily. “We’ll take the aviator -over later, after he has located his machine. I suppose, if it’s only -in shallow water, it might be raised again?” - -“So I was thinking,” answered Tom Bossick. - -A minute later the two boats separated and the four Rovers took up the -task of rowing to Haven Point. - -“It’s mighty lucky for us that there’s no wind and the sun is so warm,” -said Jack, as he glanced at the water still dripping from his own -garments and those worn by the others who had been in the lake. - -“We’ll create a sight when we reach the town,” was Randy’s comment. - -“I guess everybody will want to know what happened to the flying -machine and if the folks on board were rescued,” put in Fred. “You -three will be regular heroes,” and he gave something of an envious -glance at his cousins. - -“Oh, say, Fred! Can that hero stuff,” put in Andy quickly. “Anybody -would have done what we did if only they had had the chance.” - -“Nevertheless, I’m very thankful to all of you,” said Mr. Stevenson. - -“Are you sure you weren’t hurt quite a good deal, Mr. Stevenson?” -questioned Jack. He noted that the face of Ruth’s father was pale and -haggard. - -“Oh, I don’t think it’s very much, Jack. Of course, we came down so -hard it gave us all a terrible jolt.” - -“It was like one of those roller-coaster boats hitting the water at a -seaside resort,” remarked Randy. - -“A good deal worse than that!” cried Ruth. “You know, we came down nose -first, as they say. Why, for an instant I thought I was going to be -thrown out on my face. And, you must remember, we were several hundred -feet up in the air when we started to fall.” - -“Oh, I know you came down pretty hard,” answered Andy. “Why, the water -splashed in every direction!” - -After this there was a brief period of silence, the boys bending -vigorously to their oars, feeling that the Stevensons would like to -get ashore and to shelter as soon as possible. - -“I am staying at the Haven Point House,” said Mr. Stevenson. “I’ll -go right up there and get an extra room for Ruth, and then we can -telephone to Clearwater Hall and have some of the girls bring her some -dry clothing. And I’ll have a doctor look her over, as well as find out -what’s the matter with my side. I don’t think it’s much, but I want him -to make sure. I have trouble enough these days without becoming sick,” -he added, with a thoughtful look on his face. - -As anticipated, their coming to one of the docks of the town created -not a little excitement. A number of persons had seen the erratic -movements of the biplane and had witnessed its disappearance into the -lake, and the news had spread that the aviator and his passengers -were probably drowned. Several boats had put out to the scene of the -disaster, but these now returned. A crowd surrounded the Stevensons -and the cadets, asking numerous questions. But Jack soon obtained a -taxicab, and into this the Stevensons were hurried and the driver was -directed to take them at once to the hotel. - -“We’ll be up after a while,” said Jack. “I want to telephone to Colonel -Colby first, to let him know we’ll be late in getting back. I don’t -want to leave here until I find out what condition your father is -really in.” - -With the Stevensons gone, the Rover boys told the crowd some of the -particulars of what had happened. - -“I think I know what was the trouble,” said another aviator who was -present, a man who occasionally took Tom Bossick’s place. “Tom and I -were going over the motor a couple of days ago, and I noticed that it -wasn’t as fast to the framework as it might be. It’s my opinion it -worked loose, and that threw the machine off its keel.” - -“The aviator didn’t say what went wrong,” answered Fred. “Perhaps he -didn’t know himself. But one thing is sure――the biplane bobbed around -from one side to the other several times before it headed down into the -lake.” - -“Well, they can all be thankful they escaped with their lives,” said -one of the bystanders, and in this statement everybody concurred. - -The Rover boys telephoned to the military academy and gave the head of -that institution a few of the particulars of what had occurred. Colonel -Colby had heard nothing about the aeroplane accident, and was, of -course, much surprised. He readily gave the boys permission to remain -in town for an hour longer in order that they might ascertain more of -Mr. Stevenson’s real condition. - -A motor boat had been sent to the scene of the wreck, and this -presently returned with Tom Bossick on board. - -“The cadets in the other rowboat have returned to their school,” said -the aviator. “We found that the aeroplane was under less than twenty -feet of water, so I have hopes that we can raise her and maybe have -her repaired, or at least save the engine. I think she rests on that -sandbar one of you young fellows mentioned.” - -“And what went wrong?” questioned Fred eagerly. - -“I think the motor got loose somehow. We’ll have to investigate after -we raise the biplane――if we ever do.” - -A little later the four Rover boys went to the hotel. There they -encountered Jack’s sister Martha and Fred’s sister Mary, who had -just come over from Clearwater Hall with some dry clothing for Ruth. -Of course the two Rover girls were greatly excited, and they rushed -at their brothers and their cousins, demanding to know if they were -perfectly all right. - -“Sure we are!” declared Fred. “Why, I wasn’t even in the water!” - -“But the rest of you are dripping wet,” declared Martha. - -“We’re all right,” answered Jack. “But what we want to know is how Mr. -Stevenson and Ruth are.” - -“Ruth says the bath didn’t hurt her a bit,” answered Mary. “But she is -rather worried about her father.” - -A few minutes later Ruth came forth. Her hair was still wet and done up -fantastically in a towel, but she wore the dry clothes the other girls -had brought her. - -“I’m perfectly all right,” she said to Jack. - -“What about your dad?” - -“The doctor says he’ll have to keep very quiet for a few days,” went on -the girl soberly. “He received a blow in the side just under the right -arm. He is all black and blue.” - -“He seemed to be very haggard, Ruth,” remarked the young major. - -At this Ruth Stevenson gave Jack a look which he found hard to -interpret. She caught Jack’s hand and drew him a little to one side. - -“Dad has been having a whole lot of trouble lately,” she whispered. -“Some time I’ll tell you all about it――or at least as much as I know of -it.” - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - A SUDDEN INTERRUPTION - - -Quarter of an hour later found the four Rover boys once more on the -lake, this time bound for Colby Hall. They had said good-by to Ruth. -Mary and Martha were to return by taxicab to Clearwater Hall. - -“You boys have got to be careful after this,” said Jack’s sister. -“Suppose that flying machine had come down on top of you? You might all -have been killed!” - -“Yes. But suppose we hadn’t been in that vicinity when it did come -down?” returned her brother. “Ruth and all of them might have been -drowned!” - -“I understand Colby Hall and Longley Academy are going to have some -boat races soon,” said Mary to the twins. “Are you going to take part?” -She knew that, as officers, Jack and Fred could not participate. - -“Gif says he wants us in one of the races,” answered Randy. “I -certainly would like to put one over on some of those Longley fellows.” - -“I heard one of the Longley cadets bragging that the Colby Hall fellows -were deserting as fast as they could and coming over to Longley,” broke -in Martha. - -“That isn’t true, Martha!” returned Andy. “We’ve lost just five -cadets all told, and two of them were fellows we were glad to get rid -of――Billy Sands and Paul Halliday.” - -“Oh, you mean the cadets who used to travel with Brassy Bangs!” - -“Yes. And let me tell you something――Longley Academy has lost over -fifteen pupils during the past year; and of those, four are now -enrolled at Colby and three more are trying to get in. So I guess all -told we have the best of it.” - -Jack had had no opportunity to ask Ruth the particulars of her father’s -trouble. But he had promised to see the girl a few days later or call -her up on the telephone, and then, he knew, she would give him more of -the facts. - -“Mr. Stevenson certainly looked very haggard,” he mused to himself. -“He certainly must have something very serious on his mind. I hope -it isn’t something that will affect Ruth. It would be too bad if he -lost his money or something like that and Ruth had to give up going to -Clearwater Hall.” - -The strenuous happenings of the afternoon, along with the unexpected -bath of Jack and the twins, made the Rover boys rather weary, and so -they took their time at rowing up the lake to the river. - -“There is no use of our hurrying,” declared Fred. “We won’t be in time -for the evening parade anyway. And Colonel Colby said we could take our -own time.” - -“Just the same, I want to get there before the mess hall is closed,” -declared Andy. “I’m about famished.” - -“Don’t say a word about being hungry!” returned his twin. “I wish we -had bought some doughnuts, or something like that, before we left town.” - -“I’m sure Captain Dale will allow us something to eat even if the mess -hall is closed,” declared Jack. Captain Dale was one of their military -instructors and the official who took charge of the academy during -Colonel Colby’s absence. - -The summer day was drawing to a close and the sun was setting behind -the hills to the west of Haven Point when the tired cadets reached the -mouth of the Rick Rack River. Here there was a small island in the -middle of the stream dividing that waterway into two rather narrow -channels. - -“Here comes a motor-boat!” exclaimed Fred presently, pointing up the -river. “I wonder if it’s one of our boats coming to meet us.” - -“I hope it is,” returned Randy. “I’d much rather be towed back than do -more rowing.” - -“It isn’t one of our boats,” said Jack, a few seconds later. “Our boats -are all striped white and blue. This one is green and yellow.” - -“Green and yellow!” exclaimed Andy. “Why, that’s the color of some of -the Longley boats! To my mind they are the ugliest things on the lake.” - -It was indeed a motor-boat belonging to Longley Academy, and as it came -closer the Rovers noted that it contained four cadets, two in khaki -outing uniforms and the other two in the brilliant uniforms used by the -Longley cadets when on parade. - -“Gee! how those fellows do love to show off those uniforms,” remarked -Fred. - -“Maybe that’s the only suit of clothes they have to their backs,” -chuckled Andy. - -The motor-boat coming down the river occupied the middle of the stream. -As it reached the vicinity of the little island just mentioned it -should have turned to the other channel from that being used by the -Rover boys. Instead, however, it came rushing straight towards them. - -“Hi, you! Get out of the way there! Look where you’re running!” -exclaimed Jack, in alarm. - -“Ha-ha! Don’t get scared,” sang out a youth at the wheel of the -motor-boat. “We won’t run you down.” - -By this time the motor-boat was directly alongside of the rowboat. -It came so close that the oars on that side scraped the hull of the -heavier craft. There was a tremendous swell from the propeller, and the -next instant a small wave hit the gunwale and dashed over the Rover -boys’ feet. The rowboat bobbed up and down in the narrow channel like -a cork, the water foaming and churning all around it. In the meanwhile -the motor-boat darted ahead and was soon out on the broad bosom of -Clearwater Lake. - -“Well, of all the gall!” burst out Andy, as soon as he could recover -from his astonishment. - -“They did that on purpose!” burst out Jack. “Did you see who was at the -wheel?” - -“It was Tommy Flanders!” cried Randy. - -“He’s sore over the way he was batted out of the box in those baseball -games,” remarked Fred. “Just the same, he had no business to endanger -our lives in this narrow passage. I wish we could get hold of him,” and -he shook his head angrily. - -“We can’t follow a motor-boat in a rowboat,” answered Jack. “Just the -same, we ought to let him hear from us about this.” - -“If we only had one of our own new motor-boats,” groaned Fred, “I bet -we could catch that old tub!” - -“Did you notice who the fellows in the gaudy uniforms were?” questioned -Andy. “Our beloved friends, Halliday and Sands!” - -“Yes, I noticed that,” returned Jack. “They must be so stuck on those -new gaudy uniforms they can’t bear to go out without them. Who was the -fourth fellow?” - -No one could answer that question, and after gazing at the motor-boat -until it was almost lost in the distance the Rover boys resumed their -rowing and presently reached the military academy dock. A crowd was -there to meet them, for Gif and the other cadets had spread the news of -what had happened out on the lake. - -“Here come the real heroes!” cried Gif good-naturedly. “Here are the -ones who did the real rescue act!” - -“Cut it out, Gif!” returned Jack. “What we want is to get into some dry -clothing and get something to eat.” - -“Yes, and after that we’ve got something to tell you about Tommy -Flanders and Sands and Halliday,” added Randy. - -The four boys hastened to report to Captain Dale and then hurried up -to the rooms they occupied. They had four rooms in a row on the second -floor. Jack occupied a small one and Fred another, while a third was -used by the twins. The fourth room was a general sitting room and a -place for study. This had been a meeting place many times for the Rover -boys and their chums. - -It did not take Jack and the twins long to change their clothing nor -Fred to brush up a bit. This done, all hurried down to the mess room, -a corner of which had been kept open for them. They found both Colonel -Colby and Captain Dale on hand, anxious to learn a few particulars -concerning the accident on the lake. - -“It was a fortunate thing that you were on hand to aid those in the -flying machine,” remarked the master of the school, when he had heard -their story. “I trust Mr. Stevenson is not seriously hurt.” - -After the meal the Rovers retired to their rooms and were there joined -by Gif and Spouter. To their chums they related what had occurred at -the entrance to the river. - -“That’s just like Flanders,” remarked Gif, in disgust. “He always was -the most overbearing fellow I ever met.” - -“Well, I can’t say quite as much as that,” answered Jack. “You mustn’t -forget Gabe Werner and Slugger Brown,” he added, mentioning the names -of two school bullies who for various reasons had had to leave the -military academy. - -“Yes, and don’t forget Bill Glutts, Werner’s crony,” put in Fred. “How -I used to despise that butcher boy!” - -“Now he has made something of a fizzle of his pitching, I understand -Flanders is going in for rowing this summer,” came from Spouter. - -“Well, if he makes as much of a failure of his rowing as he did of his -pitching he won’t amount to a great deal,” was Andy’s comment. - -“Don’t be so sure of that, Andy,” returned Jack. “Flanders wasn’t a -half-bad pitcher. The only trouble with him was that when he got into -a real tight place he was apt to lose his head. If he could have kept -cool, he would have been one of the best pitchers in these parts.” - -“We ought to get square with him for almost running us down,” came from -Fred. “Gee! that big motor-boat might have cut us right in two!” - -“It’s too bad he didn’t run her on the rocks in that channel,” was -Randy’s comment. - -“We’ll get square with Flanders some day. Just wait and see!” declared -the young major. - -The boys continued the discussion for a quarter of an hour longer, and -then the Rovers intimated that they would have to get at some of their -studies for the next day. Taking this hint, Gif and Spouter took their -departure. - -“I wouldn’t interfere with your learning for the world,” said Spouter -softly, as he stood in the doorway. “Learning is the very foundation -of all knowledge. Were it not for learning, man would still be in -the primitive state of a savage. Were it not for learning, man would -still be groping in darkness wondering whither he was going and -what his existence really meant. Were it not for learning, such a -noble institution as Colby Hall would not exist. Were it not for -learning――wow!” - -Spouter’s flowery oration came to a sudden termination as Andy threw -a book which took the tall youth directly in the stomach. Picking the -book up from the floor, Spouter hurled it at the fun-loving Rover’s -head and then fled precipitately down the corridor with Gif laughingly -following him. - -“Why don’t you give Spouter a chance?” said Jack to his cousin. “For -all you know, he may not have had a chance to talk to any one all day.” - -“Give him a chance!” snorted Andy. “Not when he goes off in that style! -Why, when Spouter gets a spouting streak on him, he’s like a regular -cataract, a cyclone and a tornado rolled in one. You’ve got to cut him -off at the beginning or you can’t hold him in,” and at this rather -mixed-up explanation all the others laughed. - -A few minutes later the four Rover boys were deep in their studies. -Jack had an essay to write on “Great Discoverers” and Fred an essay on -“The Wonders of the Sky,” while the twins had to wrestle with several -problems in geometry. All were seated in their sitting room, as they -termed it, with heads bent somewhat closely together over a round -center table. - -“Say, Jack, how do you spell Jupiter?” questioned the stoutest Rover -boy. “Is it Ju-p-e- or Ju-p-i-?” - -“What kind of Jew is that you’re talking about?” put in Andy slyly, -looking up with a pencil at his grinning lips. - -“It’s J-u-p-i-t-e-r,” declared Jack. - -“What in Jupiter are you writing about now, Fred?” questioned Randy. - -“‘Wonders of the Sky,’” answered his cousin. “If I don’t have this -essay done by noon to-morrow I’ll be sure to get into hot water with -Professor Duke.” - -“I’ve got to hand in my essay by ten o’clock,” put in the young major. -“We’d all better be getting on the job――it’s getting late.” - -After that there was silence for several minutes. Almost unconsciously -the four boys heard a slight noise in the corridor. But to this they -paid no attention, for cadets were continually going or coming in -one direction or another. Then, of a sudden, came a most unexpected -interruption. The door which had been left unlocked was suddenly opened -and a masked figure appeared holding in one hand a well-filled paper -bag. The next instant the paper bag was hurled through the air, landing -directly on the center of the table. Then the door banged shut, hiding -the masked figure from view. - -But the Rover boys could not have seen the figure even if the door had -been left open. As the paper bag crashed down on the table it flew -apart and the next instant the four Rover boys found themselves covered -with black soot from head to foot. - - - - - CHAPTER V - - WHO WAS GUILTY? - - -“For the love of molasses!” - -“Who――threw――that――stuff――in?” came in a splutter from Andy, who had -received a large dose of the soot in his nose and mouth. - -“Ker choo! Ker choo!” was the only sound made by his brother, on whom -the soot acted like snuff. - -“Did you ever see anything like it?” burst out Jack, trying to wipe the -soot from his eyes with a handkerchief. - -“Who played that dirty trick?” questioned Fred, who had been the first -to speak. - -“Some joke, I’ll say!” muttered the young major of the Colby Hall -battalion. - -“Better say ‘choke,’” sputtered Andy. Then, as he looked at his brother -and his cousins, he burst into a fit of laughter, and in this his twin -joined. - -“We look like a lot of Negro minstrels, don’t we?” was Fred’s comment. -“Gee, what a mess!” he added, as he surveyed the table with its books -and papers. “I guess my essay is spoiled.” - -“Mine ditto,” responded Jack. “And I was writing it out so carefully, -too,” he added mournfully. - -Randy was the first to step to the door and open it. He looked up and -down the corridor, but saw no one. However, a few seconds later two -cadets put in appearance. They were Fatty Hendry and Phil Franklin, -the latter a lad who had become a warm friend of the Rovers through -a thrilling rescue on the Rick Rack River and later by sharing many -perils in Oklahoma and Texas. - -“Hello, there! what’s the idea?” exclaimed Phil Franklin, as he came to -a halt and gazed at Randy in amazement. - -“Are you getting ready for a masquerade?” questioned Fatty Hendry. “I -didn’t know there was anything of that sort going on to-night.” - -By this time the other Rovers had come to the doorway, and the two new -arrivals gazed at them in added amazement. Then their eyes drifted to -the center table and took in the wreckage there. - -“Hannibal’s ghost!” ejaculated the fat boy of the school. “What’s this? -It looks like lampblack.” - -“It’s soot! Plain chimney soot!” answered Jack, who by this time had -partly cleared his eyes. “Some fellow was mean enough just now to open -our door and throw that bag in on the table where we were all writing -and studying.” - -“You don’t say so!” - -“Some mean trick, I’ll say!” declared Phil Franklin, his eyes flashing. -He stepped into the room. “An awful mess, eh? Your books and papers -will be about ruined,” he added. “Ink with it, too!” - -“The bag struck my inkwell and knocked it over,” answered Fred. “It -certainly is a mess. I wish I knew who did it.” - -“Didn’t you see the fellow at all?” questioned Fatty. - -“I just caught a glimpse of him,” answered Randy. “He was in uniform -and had a pillowcase or something of the sort pulled over his head and -neck so that I couldn’t recognize him.” - -“Must have been one of your old enemies,” commented Phil. - -“I thought all of our enemies were gone,” answered Jack, who was still -dabbing away at his eyes with tears running down his cheeks. “Slugger -Brown, Nappy Martell, Gabe Werner and Bill Glutts all got out some time -ago; and now Brassy Bangs, Paul Halliday, and Billy Sands are gone too. -I’m sure I don’t know who can be left.” - -“You don’t suppose it could be any of the fellows who wanted to be -major of the battalion, do you?” asked Fatty. - -“Or who wanted to be captain in place of Fred,” added Phil. - -“No, I don’t believe any of those fellows would be mean enough to do -this. They’ve all acted pretty nice since the election,” answered Jack. -“It must have been someone else.” - -“Going to report it?” came from the stout cadet. - -“I don’t think so, Fatty,” said the young major slowly. “In the first -place, we don’t know who is guilty. And in the second place, I have no -desire to become a telltale.” - -“We’ll fight this out ourselves! You just leave it to us!” broke in -Andy. “The secret will come out sooner or later.” - -“I think the best thing we can do first of all is to clean up this mess -and then wash up,” said Fred. “Gee! I hardly know how to begin,” he -added, gazing at the disordered center table ruefully. - -“Here’s an old brush and an empty shoebox,” returned Jack. “We’ll brush -the soot into the box as carefully as we can. We don’t want any more of -it to be flying around. As it is, this room will have to be dusted and -cleaned up thoroughly.” - -“Well, if we can’t help you we might as well be on our way,” said -Fatty Hendry. “I have some boning to do before I hit the hay.” - -“And I’ve got some problems in algebra to solve,” came from Phil. - -“I don’t see how you can help us unless you can find out who that -masked cadet was,” answered Jack. - -“Listen!” put in Fred quickly. “If it’s just the same to you fellows, -keep this to yourselves, will you?” - -“Sure!” answered Phil. “I won’t say a word if you don’t want me to.” -And to this Fatty also agreed. - -The soot had certainly made a great mess, and it took the Rover boys -the best part of half an hour to put the room in order. Luckily, their -school books were not damaged quite as much as they had at first -supposed, and by dusting them off with care they made the volumes -fairly presentable. The essay papers, however, were spoiled, and both -Jack and Fred decided they would have to be written over again. - -“I’m going to get up real early to-morrow morning and do it,” said -Jack, and his cousin agreed to do the same. - -Then the boys brushed their uniforms as best they could, and after that -each took a bath, which made them feel better. - -“I’m going to snoop around a little and see if I can get on the track -of the rascal who played this trick,” announced Randy, after he had -donned clean clothing. - -“And I’ll go with you,” answered his brother. - -It still lacked half an hour of time to retire, and the others availed -themselves of this to start the new copies of their essays. Just as the -“lights out” bell was ringing the twins came in again. - -“Nothing doing,” announced Andy, with a disappointed look on his -otherwise cheerful face. “All of the cadets look as meek as lambs.” - -“Couldn’t spot a single soul who might have done it,” added his -brother. “But we’ll get on to it sooner or later, you just watch me!” -he continued determinedly. - -True to their resolve, Jack and Fred were up a little after five in the -morning and hard at work on their essays. - -“We’ve got to make a good showing, Fred,” remarked the young major, -“not only because we’re officers of the battalion, but because the -folks at home expect it.” - -“Just the same, I’ll be glad when vacation comes around,” remarked the -younger Rover. - -“Wonder what we can do this summer.” - -“I don’t know. I suppose the folks are planning to send us up to -Valley Brook farm――at least for a few weeks.” - -“Well, I wouldn’t mind seeing old Aunt Martha and Uncle Randolph, not -to say anything about Jack Ness,” was the reply. “But I wouldn’t like -to stay on the farm too long. It gets monotonous.” - -“Gee, if we could only go to some such place as Big Horn Ranch or -Snowshoe Island!” - -“Now you’re talking! Well, something may turn up before the school -closes; who knows?” - -Presently the gong sounded for the cadets to assemble on the parade -ground in front of the school building. At once the two young officers -donned their coats and their swords and lost no time in hurrying below, -followed presently by the twins, who had to go to the racks in the -lower hall for their firearms. - -Five minutes later another gong sounded, and by this time all of the -cadets, except one or two who had been excused, were assembled on the -parade ground. Major Jack was at the head of the battalion, which -consisted of three companies, and beside him stood Captain Dale, who -usually was present to witness the conduct of the cadets. - -“Battalion, attention!” commanded the youthful major, and at once the -cadets of the three companies braced up and stood in long rows like so -many ramrods. - -“Present arms!” was the next command, and thereafter Jack put the -battalion through the manual of arms. At the conclusion he looked -inquiringly at Captain Dale. - -“Very good, Major Rover,” said the military instructor. “Very good, -indeed.” - -After this came a slight pause, and then came another command. - -“Battalion, attention! Forward, march!” - -Boom! Boom! Boom, boom, boom! sounded out the drums, and then came a -rattle and the shrill notes of the fifes and away marched the cadets, -to circle the Hall and then enter the building. Here the guns and -swords were discarded and the boys poured into the big mess hall, there -to seat themselves at the long tables provided, each in his accustomed -place. Then, after a blessing asked by one of the professors, they all -fell to eating with great gusto. - -Jack did his best that day to settle his mind on his studies, yet many -times he found himself thinking of Ruth and her father and wondering -what was the trouble that had come to Mr. Stevenson. - -“It must be something out of the ordinary,” mused the young major. -“Otherwise, Ruth wouldn’t have bothered to mention it. It’s too -bad――and just when her father is under the weather, too!” - -Of course, the Rovers and the others who had been out on the lake -when the biplane crashed down were asked innumerable questions by -their friends, and they had to tell the particulars of the mishap over -and over again. Those who had gone overboard were asked if they had -suffered anything from the sudden plunge. - -“Not at all,” answered Randy. “It was just like taking a bath before -Saturday night comes around, you know,” and at this some of the cadets -who were listening grinned. - -Among the boys to listen to an account of what the Rovers and their -chums had to relate was Henry Stowell, a lanky young cadet who, because -of the peculiar broad mouth he possessed, often went by the nickname -of Codfish. Stowell was a regular sneak, and had often been a toady -of some of the bullies who had from time to time been cadets at the -Hall. He was thoroughly disliked by a large number of the pupils. On -more than one occasion the Rovers had done Codfish favors, and twice -they had rescued him from those who would do the cadet harm. But though -Stowell had promised to mend his ways, he had soon slumped in his -habits and become just as much of a sneak and a telltale as ever. - -“Those people ought to give you a big reward for saving their lives,” -said Stowell. “They ought not to expect you to do that for nothing.” - -“We weren’t out for any reward, Codfish,” answered Randy promptly. - -“Oh, that’s all right,” said the sneak, pulling down the corners of his -broad mouth. “Just the same, a reward comes in mighty handy, especially -when a fellow’s pocket money is getting low.” Stowell’s allowance was -small, and it was a notorious fact among those who knew him best that -he was continually borrowing from those more fortunate than himself. - -“That sneak makes me sick,” declared Andy, when he and his brother were -by themselves. “I suppose if he had been there he would have said, -‘Give me ten dollars or I won’t haul you out of the lake!’” - -“He certainly is a poor stick; and all of the lessons we’ve given him -haven’t improved him any, so far as I can see,” answered Randy. - -It was not until three days later that the Rovers had a chance to go -over to Clearwater Hall. In the meantime, however, the young major had -taken it upon himself to call up his sister on the telephone. - -From Martha he learned that Mr. Stevenson had gone home. His side was -still very sore and Jack’s sister said that he looked more haggard than -ever. - -“I think he has something on his mind,” Martha said, over the wire. -“But what it is I, of course, don’t know. Nor did I care to question -Ruth. Perhaps she will tell you something about it herself.” - -Because of this, Jack was quite concerned when he and his four -cousins got a chance to ride down to Haven Point in one of the school -automobiles. The chauffeur of the car, Bob Nixon, said he was going to -stay in town two hours, which would give the boys a chance to run up to -the girls’ school and see their relatives and friends. - -As a usual thing, outsiders were not permitted at Clearwater Hall -except upon special occasions. But there was an understanding between -Colonel Colby and Miss Garwood, the head of the girls’ school, whereby -the Rovers could visit their relatives almost any time. And this, -of course, usually gave them a chance to see Ruth Stevenson and May -Powell, Spouter’s cousin. Spouter often came also, bringing Gif with -him. - -The young folks met in the lower hall of the institution and then -strolled out under the big trees of the campus. They talked about -matters in general and also about Mr. Stevenson’s condition. - -“I think he’ll get over his injuries in a week or two,” declared Ruth. -“He certainly got bumped most dreadfully.” - -Presently, as had happened before, Jack and Ruth walked off a little by -themselves, and then the young major questioned the girl regarding her -father’s troubles. - -“Of course you haven’t got to say anything if you don’t want to, Ruth,” -he added. “But if there is anything I could do to help I’d like to know -it.” - -“I don’t know how you can help us, Jack,” answered the girl soberly. -“But daddy certainly has trouble――and of a most unexpected sort.” - -“Something to do with his business, I suppose?” - -“Yes and no, Jack. He has had a very valuable book of formulas stolen,” -answered the girl. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - WHAT HAPPENED IN THE STORM - - -“A book of formulas?” repeated the young major of the Colby Hall -battalion. “Just what do you mean by that, Ruth?” - -“It’s rather a long story, Jack, and I don’t know all of the -particulars. But it seems that during the great World War two Germans, -brothers, came to this country, bringing with them some formulas for -making artists’ paints. They had been in the business both in Germany -and in France and could produce most wonderful shadings in these -artists’ materials.” - -“I see, Ruth. I know the Germans were always great on formulas of dyes -and things like that.” - -“Well, these two Germans were very old men, and in a roundabout way -they offered to sell these formulas, for they felt that they were too -old to go into the manufacture of such things. - -“Now, my father, as perhaps you know, has been interested for several -years in a small paint works located in the Middle West. Through the -manager of these paint works he was introduced to the two old Germans -who came East to see him and finally offered him these wonderful -formulas, provided he would keep the entire matter secret. - -“They proved to his satisfaction that they owned all rights to the -preparations, and offered to sell said rights for the sum of thirty -thousand dollars.” - -“Thirty thousand dollars!” exclaimed Jack. “Some little sum of money, -I’ll say!” - -“My father didn’t have so much cash, but he borrowed some from a -bank and got some more from old Uncle Barney, who was making money -out of those zinc ore beds on Snowshoe Island. Together they went -in and bought the formulas, which were written out in detail in a -leather-bound notebook. They had originally been written in German and -in French, but were translated by one of the old Germans into English.” - -“And after your father had purchased this book of formulas it was -stolen from him?” - -“Yes. He brought it home with him and would have placed it in a safe -deposit vault, but took it home for the purpose of making a duplicate -copy. Of course, he didn’t want to trust any outsiders with the secret -just yet; so he started in to make the copy himself.” - -“Then the book was stolen?” - -“Exactly! It disappeared one night. He had left it locked up in his -desk, and when he went for it the next day he found that his desk -had been broken open and that the valuable book of formulas had -disappeared.” - -“What of the copy he had been making?” - -“That had disappeared also.” - -“Gracious! No wonder he was upset, Ruth. Thirty thousand dollars is no -mean price to pay for a thing and then have it stolen. Did he suspect -anybody?” - -“There was nobody to suspect. Our maid had left our employ about a week -before and gone to live with a family in Philadelphia. There was nobody -at home but my mother and my father, for mother had not yet succeeded -in getting another maid.” - -“But wasn’t there any trace of the thief?” - -“They found that a window of the library had been broken open; but that -was all. Nothing was disturbed in the house except the desk. That was -of the regular roller-top variety and of course could be broken open -with ease.” - -“The thief or thieves must have been watching your father while he was -using the book. Otherwise they wouldn’t have been so certain where it -could be found.” - -“That is what daddy thinks. While he was making his copy he sat under -the light with the curtains of the windows only partly drawn. Anybody -outside could have looked in.” - -“Did your father suspect the two old Germans?” - -“Not at all. They were nowhere near. Both of them had gone to live with -relatives out in Milwaukee. He at once telegraphed to them, telling -of the loss and asking if they had duplicate copies of the formulas. -They at once sent a night letter stating they had no duplicates, and -advising him to be on the lookout for two men named Norris and Lemrech. -Later my father received a letter in which the old Germans told about -two workmen who had tried their best to get the formulas away from -them. These workmen were Carl Lemrech and Tex Norris, his American -cousin. They said that Lemrech was of a shady reputation, and not above -stealing the formulas, and that evidently his American cousin was the -same stripe of man.” - -“Has your father been able to get on the trail of those two men?” - -“No. He hired a detective to follow them up, but they had left the -boarding house where they had been staying for some time and had -disappeared.” - -“Then it is this that is making your father look so haggard, Ruth!” - -“Yes. Because as soon as he obtained the formulas and was satisfied -that they were really as valuable as anticipated, he took some more -money belonging to himself and to my Uncle Barney and purchased a -factory in which to manufacture these artists’ colors. He had samples -of the colors, and, oh, Jack, you never saw such beautiful greens and -reds and blues in all your life! They were simply wonderful! I’m sure -artists would go crazy over them!” - -“I suppose your father is at a standstill in the case then.” - -“Absolutely. If something doesn’t turn up soon I don’t know what he -will do.” - -“Has he told your Uncle Barney about this loss?” - -“Yes. He sent word the day after the flying machine accident.” - -“What has your Uncle Barney to say about it?” - -“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him. But I suppose he’ll be just as -much upset as daddy. I think he put every cent he had got out of the -zinc mines into this new concern.” - -“It’s too bad, Ruth. I wish I could help you. If only a fellow could -get on the trail of this Lemrech and his cousin Norris! Does your -father suppose they will be able to use the formulas?” - -“More than likely. You see, the whole affair was conducted more or less -in secret. That being the fact, what is to prevent those two rascals -from selling the formulas to some other color maker?” answered the girl -somewhat sadly. - -A few minutes later the two rejoined the others. Andy was cutting up -and telling some of his queer jokes, and he had the girls shrieking -with laughter. - -“And that puts me in mind of another!” Jack heard his fun-loving cousin -exclaim. “When is an apple pie more than an apple pie?” - -“Oh, Andy! how can an apple pie be more than just an apple pie?” -murmured May Powell. - -“Isn’t it more of an apple pie when it’s a peach of an apple pie?” -retorted Andy. And then May made a pass at him with a book she was -carrying. - -“You haven’t said a thing about the races you are going to have with -Longley Academy,” came from Mary Rover. “Who is going to be in them? -And when are they to take place? And are we going to be able to see -them?” - -“That’s all right, Cousin Mary! Fire three questions at a fellow all -at once!” broke out Randy. “There are to be some single shell races, -a four-oared race, and an eight-oared race. Also they are talking of -getting up a race between two of the motor-boats.” - -“My! but a race between motor-boats would be exciting,” murmured Martha. - -“Andy and Randy are to be in one of the four-oared races,” said Jack. -“Who is to row with them hasn’t yet been decided. Probably Spouter and -Dan Soppinger. A lot of the other fellows will be in the singles and in -the eight-oared events. The contests are to come off a week from next -Saturday.” - -“Where will they be held?” questioned May. - -“That’s to be decided in a few days. Longley wants ’em on the other -side of the lake and we want ’em on this side. I hope they have ’em on -this side, because then all the folks living in and around Haven Point -will be able to witness them.” - -All too soon the visit had to come to an end, and with cheery good-bys -the boys hurried back to Haven Point. They found Bob Nixon waiting for -them. - -“I was going to give you five minutes more,” declared the Hall -chauffeur. “We’d better be getting back. It’s getting late.” - -After that matters went along smoothly for several days. The Rover -boys paid close attention to their studies. During that time the boys -heard from the aviator and his wrecked biplane. It had been found that -the biplane could be raised with comparative ease, and this had been -done and it had then been floated over to the shore. The propeller -was broken, as already mentioned, and one of the wings of the flying -machine was also damaged. It was learned that the motor had become -loosened from its fastenings, just as the other aviator had surmised, -and this had caused all the trouble. The machine was taken away and -the aviators went with it, and that was the last seen or heard of them -for the time being. The aero corporation paid Mr. Stevenson’s doctor’s -bill. Perhaps they looked for a suit for damages, but it was not -forthcoming. - -The next Sunday the Rover boys attended one of the churches at Haven -Point and met Mary and Martha and a number of the other girls. - -“It’s been decided that we’re to hold the races on this side of the -lake,” said Fred, after the services were over and they were outside -talking to the girls. “It was decided by a toss-up, and, believe me, -the Longley crowd was mad when they lost. They chewed it over for -nearly an hour before they would give in. They said that it would be -much better to race over on the other side of the lake, along where the -Hasley Shell Loading Company used to have its ammunition plant.” - -“Good gracious! do they want to blow us all up?” questioned Martha, who -had not forgotten the terrible experience all of them had had when some -of the buildings of the shell loading company had been blown up, as -related in detail in “The Rover Boys Under Canvas.” - -“Oh, as far as that is concerned, the plant went out of existence long -ago,” answered Jack. “But there isn’t much of a population over there, -and it will be much nicer to have it on this side where so many people -can look at it from the shore. It was decided that Longley Academy -should have the use of one of the big docks, so they’ll have no cause -to complain.” - -“Can we be on hand to see the races?” questioned Ruth. - -“That, of course, will depend on what Miss Garwood has to say,” -answered the young major. “But I think Colonel Colby will see her about -it and fix it up. And if he does, you may be sure that we’ll take care -of all of you.” - -“I know Tommy Flanders expects to row. He’s been bragging about it -everywhere,” declared May. - -“Well, he used to brag a good deal about baseball,” answered Andy. - -“He says that he has gotten all over the trouble that he had with his -arm and that this season he’s going to pitch again,” went on Spouter’s -cousin. - -A little later the Rovers found themselves returning to Colby Hall -on foot. It was rather a misty day, and before they had covered half -of the distance to the school it had begun to rain. The sky grew -exceedingly dark. - -“I don’t like this much!” exclaimed Fred. “Not an umbrella nor a -raincoat in the bunch, either!” - -“I don’t want to get this uniform wet,” put in Randy. “It’s the best -I’ve got.” - -“Mine is getting awfully tight,” commented Fred. “If it begins to -shrink I don’t know what I’ll do.” - -“Colonel Colby’s uniforms don’t shrink,” put in Jack. “Your uniform is -tight because you’re getting too fat, Fred.” - -“Oh, let up on my getting fat,” pleaded the youngest Rover. “I’m not -half as fat as Fatty Hendry.” - -“And you don’t want to be!” exclaimed Randy. “Gosh! Fatty’ll never have -to work for a living. All he’ll need to do is to sit on a platform in -a side show and look pleasant and sell his photographs for twenty-five -cents a copy.” - -The downpour now became so heavy that the lads were forced to seek -shelter in an old barn standing by the side of the road. So far there -had been no thunder or lightning, but now they heard a distant rumble, -and presently the sky to the westward was brilliantly illuminated. - -“Gee! I guess we’re in for a regular summer storm,” said Fred. “Wish we -were back at the Hall.” - -“We’ll be late for dinner, that’s certain,” said Randy. - -The rain continued to come down and presently there was more lightning -followed by a sharp clap of thunder. - -“It’s getting worse,” said Jack. - -“I hope the lightning doesn’t strike this old shack,” answered Fred. - -“Oh, it isn’t likely, Fred. I think――――” - -What Jack thought will never be known, for at that instant there came -a crash of another sort, followed by a yell and a jingle of glass. -Through the side of the old barn broke a big six-cylindered touring -car. The hood of the car was carried away by the impact, and the -machine turned over on its side, burying its single occupant, a man, -beneath it. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - WHO THE MAN WAS - - -For several seconds after the crash came the four Rover boys were so -startled that they did nothing but stare at the overturned touring car. -The sky being so overcast, it was dark in the barn, so they could see -little. Then, however, came another flash of lightning which revealed -to them the body of the man lying partly outside and partly under the -overturned tonneau, the top of which had been completely wrecked. - -“Gosh, I wonder if he’s killed!” gasped Fred. - -“Looks as if he might be,” returned Jack, for the man neither moved nor -made any outcry. - -The wheels of the automobile were still spinning around and two or -three strokes came from the engine. But then the power died away and -the wheels stopped. - -“If only the wreck doesn’t catch on fire!” burst out Randy. He well -knew the danger from such a source. As all of my young readers must -know, gasoline is very inflammable when unconfined and needs but a -single spark to touch it off. - -“She’s leaking, all right! And it isn’t the radiator, either!” -announced Randy, as another flash of lightning came in through the open -doorway and the broken side of the old barn. - -Jack was already looking around the structure, and now he found what -he wanted――a couple of beams which had been used to brace up the old -building. - -“Come on, quick! We’ve got to pry the machine up and pull that man -out,” he ordered. “Everybody on the job!” - -His cousins understood and all four boys went to work with a will. -Fortunately, the instructions received during the Hall encampment now -stood them in good stead; and under Jack’s directions they soon placed -two large stones in position and then, using the beams as levers, pried -up the car, the others holding it while Fred pulled the unfortunate -individual from beneath. - -“Bend down, Fred, and see if there’s anybody else in the car,” cried -Jack. “There might be someone we didn’t notice.” - -The young captain did as asked. All he could discover was a light -overcoat and a gladstone bag, and he hauled both of these out. Then the -car was allowed to settle once more. Both the gasoline and the water -were running from it, but so far there seemed to be little danger of -fire. - -“Unless, of course, the lightning should strike the place,” said Jack. -“Then everything will go up in a hurry.” - -The fumes of the gasoline were now heavy, and the Rover boys lost no -time in carrying the man outside. He was unconscious, but they were -glad to know that he was not dead. His face was covered with dirt and -blood and his clothing was torn away from his left arm, which was also -bleeding. - -“A pretty bad case, I should say,” said Fred. “He looks a little bit -familiar to me, too. Do any of you recognize him?” - -“Can’t recognize anybody with so much blood and dirt,” announced Andy. - -All set to work to do what they could for the hurt man, fearing every -instant that he might die on their hands. Despite the rain, they -scooped up water from a nearby pool and, using their handkerchiefs, -bathed the sufferer. They were doing this when he gave a gasp and -presently opened his eyes. - -“Oh, oh!” he groaned. “What did I hit? Was it a barn?” and then he -closed his eyes again. - -“Maybe he isn’t hurt as badly as we thought,” cried Jack, in relieved -tones. “There doesn’t seem to be any glass in his eyes, and he can be -mighty thankful for that.” - -Fred and Andy had gone for more water, and presently came back with an -old tin can filled. With this Jack continued to bathe the face of the -sufferer, washing the blood away as best he could, while Randy worked -over the man’s arm, which was cut and scratched in a dozen places. - -It was still very dark, but an occasional flash of lightning lit up -the scene, and it was during one of these flashes that Jack suddenly -uttered an exclamation. - -“Do you know what I think?” he exclaimed. “I think this is Mr. -Garrison!” - -“What! Gif’s father?” ejaculated Fred. “Uncle Fred?” He had always -called the man after whom he had been named “uncle,” even though they -were not relatives. - -“Yes, sir, it’s Gif’s father!” answered the young major. “It’s a wonder -I didn’t recognize him before!” - -“Gif’s father! Think of that!” murmured Andy. “Gee, I hope he isn’t -hurt very much! It will be a terrible shock to Gif, not to say anything -about his mother!” - -Having recognized the man as the father of one of their best chums, and -one who in years gone by had been a great chum of the older Rovers, the -boys renewed their efforts on behalf of the sufferer, carrying him to -a shed some distance back of the old barn. Here they found some straw -and a few empty bags and laid Mr. Garrison upon those. - -“We might better get a doctor for him and telephone the news to Colby -Hall,” said Jack. “I guess I can run back to Haven Point and get -someone.” - -“Want me to go with you?” asked Andy. “Or would you rather that the -three of us stayed here and took care of him?” - -“You’d better stay and do everything you can,” answered the young -major, and then set off on a dog-trot through the rain. - -Less than half an hour later Jack had obtained the services of a Doctor -Parsons, who happened to be in his office at the time, and had likewise -telephoned to Colby Hall, getting Captain Dale on the wire. The captain -had said that he would at once inform Gif and also Colonel Colby and -that someone would come to the old shed as speedily as possible. Then -the young major and the doctor set off in the latter’s automobile -for the scene of the accident, the physician taking bandages and his -medical case. - -In the meantime those left at the shed continued to do what they could -for Mr. Garrison, and presently had the satisfaction of seeing him open -his eyes once more. The storm was lessening, the lightning and thunder -fast drawing off to the eastward, and it was growing lighter. - -“Oh, my head!” murmured the sufferer. “And my arm! What’s the matter -with my arm?” he questioned feebly. - -“You’ve had a terrible shaking up, Uncle Fred,” said his namesake -kindly. - -“Uncle Fred? Who is that that is speaking?” The man stared at the young -captain. “Why, I declare, it’s Fred Rover! Where did you come from?” - -“We were in the old barn keeping out of the rain when you smashed into -it and upset your machine.” - -“We? Who do you mean? Oh, I see! Here are Andy and Randy.” Mr. Garrison -tried to go on, but for the moment was too weak to do so. “I thought I -was going to be killed!” he groaned. - -“I suppose your car skidded?” suggested Randy. - -“It did. You see, I thought it wouldn’t be necessary to put on the -chains because I was going to stop at Haven Point, and then go up -to the school to-morrow. I came around the curve and then, all of a -sudden, lost control, and the next thing I knew I hit something and -then――and then I didn’t know anything.” - -“That was when you smashed through the side of the barn almost where we -were standing.” - -“Did I hurt you?” - -“Oh, no. We weren’t touched. But the car went over and you were caught -under it and we had to drag you out,” answered Andy. “The glass cut you -up pretty well and something tore the clothing from your arm and hurt -it.” - -Mr. Garrison tried to sit up, and then fell back helplessly. - -“I feel as if I’d been through a wringer,” he murmured. “Can you get a -doctor?” - -“Jack has already gone for one.” - -“Oh, then he was here too?” - -“Yes. He has gone to Haven Point to get a doctor, and said he would -telephone to Colby Hall.” - -“Poor Gif! And I was going to give him a pleasant surprise to-morrow,” -murmured the sufferer. “Well, I suppose I can be thankful I wasn’t -killed or hurt worse. The glass might have gotten into my eyes and -blinded me.” - -A little later the physician and the young major arrived and the -medical man went to work at once over the sufferer. - -“It doesn’t look as if any bones were broken,” he announced, after a -careful examination. “But he has received quite a shock and a severe -bruise on the head and another on his arm besides all these cuts and -scratches.” - -He was still at work when an automobile drew up nearby, driven by Bob -Nixon. It contained Colonel Colby and Gif. - -“My dad! Where is my dad?” demanded Gif excitedly. “Is he badly hurt?” - -“The doctor says it isn’t serious, Gif,” answered Jack, catching his -chum by the arm, for he could see that Gif was trembling all over. -“Take it easy, old man. He only got bumped and scratched.” - -There was a good deal of excitement for a few moments, Gif kneeling -by his father’s side and holding his uninjured hand tightly. Everyone -present could see how much the father and son thought of each other. -Then Colonel Colby came forward to greet the man who in years gone by -had been his schoolmate at Putnam Hall. - -“Tough luck, Fred!” he said kindly. “But we’re all mighty glad that you -weren’t killed.” - -“Well, I’m glad myself, Larry,” responded Mr. Garrison, and for just an -instant his old-time smile flitted across his face. - -At first it was decided to take Mr. Garrison to the doctor’s home in -Haven Point. But Gif demurred somewhat at this, and Colonel Colby -caught the cadet by the arm. - -“Would you rather have him at the Hall?” questioned the master of the -institution kindly. “If so, I’ll be only too glad to let him use one of -the rooms in my house. Young Professor Ditson has left, and your father -might as well have that room as not. It overlooks the river and would -be an ideal place for him.” - -“Oh, Colonel! If you only would take him up there,” cried Gif, “then I -could see him two or three times a day. And I’m sure mother would feel -better, too. You know, she thinks a great deal of you and your school.” - -“Then we’ll take him to the Hall,” was the prompt reply. “I think we -can carry him right up in our automobile, and we’ll ask the doctor to -come along so that he can do everything possible for your father after -we put him to bed.” - -The heavy storm had now let up considerably, although the dark clouds -still hovered to the eastward and the rumble of thunder could be heard -in the distance. With great care the men and boys, assisted by the -chauffeur, managed to get the sufferer into the back of the Colby Hall -automobile. There he was made as comfortable as possible on a bedding -of straw, sacks, and robes. Then all set out for the school, followed -by the doctor, who carried several of the cadets with him, Colonel -Colby and Gif riding with the sufferer. - -The news of the accident had spread, and quite a number of cadets -were on hand to see Mr. Garrison taken from the automobile and placed -in the residence occupied by Colonel Colby’s family and some of the -professors. But there was no noise or confusion, and the cadets were -informed that they must keep away from the place until further orders. -In the meanwhile, a trained nurse had been telephoned for, and she -soon arrived from Haven Point and took charge under the physician’s -directions. - -“Gee, you fellows don’t know how thankful I am to you for what you have -done,” said Gif earnestly to the Rover boys. He had had a toothache -that morning, and consequently had not gone to church with the others. -Now the excitement had driven the toothache completely away. - -“We are glad we were on hand to help him,” answered Jack. - -“Seems to me we’re becoming regular ‘Johnnies on the Spot,’” chuckled -Andy. “First when the flying machine went to pieces and now at this -auto accident!” - -When the doctor finally came away he told Gif that his father would -probably be all right in a week or ten days. - -“The bruises are just plain bruises and nothing else,” declared the -physician. “Of course, his face and his arm will feel mighty sore for -a while and it will take time for those cuts and scratches to heal. But -so far as I can see there is nothing serious.” - -Several days passed, and during that time the smashed automobile was -taken away. Mr. Garrison was soon able to sit up and enjoy his meals. -He spent many a pleasant hour with Colonel Colby, the two talking over -their numerous adventures while they had been classmates with the older -Rovers. - -“I came to give Gif and his chums a little surprise,” said Mr. Garrison. - -“Well, you gave them a surprise, all right enough,” broke in Colonel -Colby, with a twinkle in his eyes. - -“It wasn’t that kind of surprise, Larry,” answered Mr. Garrison. “I had -quite something else in my mind,” and then he mentioned what it was. - -“That’s fine, Fred! Fine!” exclaimed the owner of the Hall. “I’m sure -that Gif will be delighted, and his chums too. I know that that whole -bunch of boys was tickled to death when Songbird Powell invited them -out to Big Horn Ranch.” - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - THE FOUR-OARED RACE - - -Following the conversation between Colonel Colby and Mr. Garrison -Gif called upon his father and the two held a talk lasting the best -part of an hour. When the son was ready to leave his face glowed with -satisfaction. - -“It’s dandy of you, Dad! Just dandy!” he said, catching his parent by -the hand. “And won’t the others be surprised!” - -“Are you going to tell them now, Gif? Before I arrange those details?” - -“I suppose I might. But, no! I think I’ll keep them guessing for a -while. I’ll just hint at what is coming.” - -“You are to have some boat races here soon, I believe?” - -“Yes, Dad. They come off Saturday.” - -“Of course you hope to win?” - -“We certainly do! You see, I’m at the head of the student athletic -committee, and that, of course, takes in rowing here. The races are to -be against Longley Academy, the place that has been recently turned -into a military school.” - -That day Mrs. Garrison appeared to see her husband and was glad to know -that he was not injured nearly as much as she had anticipated. She -remained with him for several days, being the guest of Colonel Colby, -whom she knew quite well. - -In a large school like Colby Hall there were, of course, many who could -row well, and in the past there had been a number of races on the river -and the lake. There were, in fact, a number of regular crews, and the -school possessed an eight-oared shell, two four-oared shells, and a -dozen or more singles and doubles. - -“There will be three races,” announced Gif. “A race for the singles, -one for the four-oared, and one for the eight-oared.” - -“What about the motor-boat?” - -“Colonel Colby wouldn’t think of that. He said that these contests must -be contests of muscle, not gasoline.” - -There had been a general try-out of all the available material for -races in the school, and as a result of this three cadets had been -chosen to represent Colby in the singles against three cadets from the -rival academy. Then four other cadets with a coxswain were entered for -the four-oared shell and eight cadets with a coxswain for the final -event. - -“Hurrah! we’re in the four-oared event,” cried Randy, catching his twin -by the arms. “We’re to row in that race along with Spouter and Dan -Soppinger.” - -“Gee, I hope we win!” was the reply. - -“Oh, we’ve got to win!” - -“Of course you’ve got to win,” broke in Fred. “If you don’t win I’ll -lambaste the life out of you!” - -“You’ve got to do it for the glory of Colby!” exclaimed Jack. “We’ve -got to smother Longley Academy.” Secretly it fretted him and Fred not a -little to think that as officers of the school battalion they could not -participate in any of these contests. - -“What is Gif going to do? Just sit and look on?” questioned Andy. - -“No. He’s to be coxswain of the eight.” - -“And who will manage our four?” - -“That hasn’t been decided yet; but it will probably be Walt Baxter.” - -“Well, he’s all right,” answered Andy. - -Every afternoon after the school session was over those who were to -participate in the various races went down to the river to practice. -Gif and his assistants were here, there, and everywhere directing the -work. And even old Si Crews, the gymnastic instructor, did what he -could to aid the cadets. - -“If only it doesn’t rain on Saturday!” said Jack. - -He had heard through Martha that the girls at Clearwater Hall were to -come down to Haven Point and occupy a dock which had been hired for the -occasion. This dock and a number of others were to be gayly decorated -with bunting supplied by Colonel Colby. To make the occasion more -festive the colonel and the owners of Longley Academy had hired a local -brass band. - -At last the all-important day arrived, and although it was rather -cloudy early in the morning by eleven o’clock the sun came out -brightly, much to everybody’s satisfaction. - -The races were to start at two o’clock, and shortly after one the -visitors from all directions began to come in; those from across the -lake in various kinds of boats and others by carriage and automobile. -Soon the docks at Haven Point were crowded and a row of men, women and -young people lined the lake for a mile or more. - -The Colby cadets had a dock to themselves directly next to that -occupied by the girls from Clearwater Hall. The boys were in fine -fettle, and no sooner had they assembled than they boomed out with -their well-known refrain: - - “Who are we? - Can’t you see? - Colby Hall! - Dum! Dum! Dum, dum, dum! - Here we come with fife and drum! - Colby! Colby! Colby Hall!” - -And the singing of this refrain was followed by a blare from tin horns -and the noisy sound of many rattles. - -But Longley was also at hand with a song of its own, followed by wild -cheering and a number of catcalls. - -“Here is where Colby Hall gets snowed under!” - -“They won’t be in it with good old Longley!” - -“Make it three straight victories, boys! Three straight victories!” - -And to this the cadets of Colby Hall answered with equal vigor. - -“Colby to the front, first, last, and all the time!” - -“There is only one military academy on this lake, and that’s good old -Colby!” - -“Don’t forget to show ’em what real rowing means!” - -And then came cries and toots and rattles from both schools until the -noise was fairly deafening and the girls, who were between the two -factions, had to hold their ears. - -“Oh, I do hope Colby Hall wins!” whispered Ruth to Martha. - -“You don’t wish it any more than I do,” was the quick reply. - -“Spouter is going to row with Andy and Randy and Dan Soppinger,” put in -May. “Oh, I do hope they come out ahead!” - -“I just heard something,” put in another girl, Alice Strobell by -name. “Tommy Flanders is going to row in the four-oared race and Paul -Halliday and Billy Sands and another cadet are to be with him.” - -“Oh, in that case they’ll row against our crowd!” cried Annie Larkins, -her chum. And then the brass band struck up and everybody listened to -the music. - -The three cadets from Colby Hall to enter the singles were Bart White, -Darrell Harkness, and Peter Floyd. They had wanted to be officers of -the battalion, but having failed of election and still being somewhat -popular Gif had given them the chance of representing the school on the -water. - -After all of the preliminaries had been arranged and the judges were -in their places, the first race was called. It was for a little over a -mile, around one of the small islands and back to the starting point. -Soon the six single shells were lined up and at a report of a pistol -they were off. - -“Go it, boys! Go it for all you’re worth!” cried Jack enthusiastically. -But this call was swallowed up in a volume of sound from several -hundred throats. - -The Colby Hall contestants held out well until the island, which was -the turning point, was almost reached. Then, however, they began to -lose ground, and when the island had been passed it was seen that the -three oarsmen from Longley were in the lead. - -“Hurrah! Hurrah! What did we tell you!” came from the cadets of the -rival academy. “That’s the way to do it!” - -“Come on, boys! The race is already yours!” - -“Pull, Colby, pull!” screamed Fred, even though it was doubtful that -his voice could carry such a distance. “Pull as you never pulled -before!” - -Swiftly the six single shells approached the finishing point of the -race. Now it could be seen that one of the Longley oarsmen was slowly -but surely dropping behind, while one of the rowers from Colby was just -as surely forging ahead. - -“Bart White is crawling up!” - -“Pull, Bart! Pull!” was the cry from a Colby supporter. “You can win -yet if you try!” - -The finishing line was still ten yards off when suddenly Bart White -passed the fellow from Longley who was dropping behind. Then he fought -nobly to catch the two still ahead. - -But the distance was too short to do this, and while he was crawling -up steadily, before he could come within a length of the two forward -shells they crossed the line amid yells from Longley which were -deafening. The first race stood Longley first, second and fourth, with -Colby third, fifth and sixth. As there had been but two prizes for this -race, both went to Longley. - -“Oh, dear! I hope we have better luck in the next event,” murmured May. -She thought a great deal of her cousin Spouter, and wanted him to win. - -Inside of half an hour the four-oared shell race was called, and out -from one of the docks shot the Colby boat with Andy, Randy, Dan, and -Spouter in their places and Walt Baxter as coxswain. From another dock -shot the Longley shell containing Flanders, Halliday, Sands, and two -cadets who were unknown to our friends. - -It was plainly to be seen that in this race Longley Academy was “out -for blood,” as the saying goes. Tommy Flanders’ face looked so stern -that it was almost hateful, while Sands and Halliday showed that they -were going to do everything possible to down their former schoolmates. - -The intense rivalry resulted in some rather sharp maneuvering around -the starting point, and some thought the Longley cadets endeavored to -foul the Colby boat and possibly damage it. This led to some sharp -remarks, which, however, were quickly stopped by those in charge of the -affair. Both crews were ordered to their places and given very definite -instructions regarding the race. Then came the word to get ready. Bang! -went the pistol. They were off! - -This race was to be an affair of about two miles around another one of -the numerous islands which dotted the lake. The course had been laid -out with care and motor-boats were doing their best to keep it clear. - -The start was a beautiful one, and for a full half mile the two -four-oared shells kept almost side by side. Then Colby Hall crept a -little bit ahead. - -“Hurrah! Hurrah! Colby is gaining!” - -“That’s the way to do it, boys!” - -“The race is ours!” - -But this last remark a moment later was seen to be premature, for with -a mighty effort Longley increased its stroke and slowly but surely came -up to the Colby shell and then with equal sureness passed it. - -“Longley is ahead!” - -“Stick to the front, boys! Don’t let ’em catch you!” - -These and numerous other cries came from the supporters of the academy -from across the lake. Thus encouraged, Longley kept forging ahead until -a distance of at least a hundred feet separated them from Colby. - -“Oh, dear!” moaned May. “We’re going to lose this race too!” - -“Perhaps not,” answered Ruth Stevenson hopefully. - -“Gee! why don’t our boys get a move on?” whispered Fred to Jack. The -two young officers were side by side and the face of each showed his -intense anxiety. - -“Maybe Walt is holding them in a little,” answered the young major. -“Those Longley boys may be using up their muscle too quickly.” - -Presently the island was rounded and the two four-oared shells started -for the finishing line. Longley was still a hundred feet or more in -advance and kept that distance in spite of what the other boat seemed -to be doing to overtake them. - -“It’s our race! It’s our race!” yelled the Longley cadets -enthusiastically, and caps, rattles, and horns were thrown wildly up -into the air. - -Then came the last quarter of the race, and now it could be seen that -the coxswain of the Colby shell was talking earnestly to those under -him. At once the stroke of the Colby oarsmen was increased, and slowly -but surely the craft began to creep closer and closer to that ahead. - -“That’s the stuff, Colby! Go to it!” yelled Jack at the top of his -lungs. “Colby! Colby! Colby!” and this cry was taken up over and over -and over again, ringing out up and down and across the lake. - -And now the finish of the race was but a hundred yards off. Longley was -still nearly a hundred feet ahead, but the oarsmen in that craft, and -especially Tommy Flanders, looked all but winded. They tried in vain to -increase their stroke. It could not be done, and the only result of the -effort was to throw Paul Halliday out of stroke and thus for an instant -to disorganize the whole crew. Then slowly but surely, with set teeth -and eyes that seemed to strain from their sockets, the Colby crew came -on. - -“Row! Row!” called out Walt Baxter sharply. “Row! Row!” suiting the -words to the movement of his body. - -And the cadets under him did row as they had never rowed before, and -when the finishing line was still ten yards away they flashed past the -other crew and came in victorious by half a length. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - TOMMY FLANDERS TRIES A TRICK - - -“Hurrah! We win the four-oared race!” - -“My! but isn’t that a close finish?” - -“Here is where Colby Hall puts it over Longley!” - -The yells from the Colby cadets and their friends were deafening. Many -of the girls from Clearwater Hall joined in, and Ruth became so excited -she grabbed Martha and Mary and kissed them both. - -“I’m so glad your cousins helped win that race!” she said. - -“I’m going down to see them come in,” said Mary, and quickly made her -way out of the crowd of girls, followed by her cousin. - -“I’m going down too!” came from Alice Strobell. - -“So am I!” put in Annie Larkins, for these two girls had often been in -company with Andy and Randy, and the four were quite chummy. - -Of course Jack and Fred had to be on hand to see the winning oarsmen -come in, and they were first among the crowd to clap their cousins and -the others of the crew on the back and congratulate them. - -“Some race, I’ll say!” declared the young major. “I’m proud of you!” - -“I made them save their strength for the final quarter,” answered Walt -Baxter, in reply to a question from several persons. “I knew Longley -couldn’t keep up the pace they set.” - -“Oh, this is glorious!” burst out Alice Strobell, as she and Annie -Larkins came up and shook hands with the twins. - -Then May came forward to congratulate Spouter, and Dan Soppinger and -Walt Baxter were not forgotten. There was a general hubbub and a -general handshaking which lasted for fully ten minutes. - -In the meantime the Longley crew had returned to their dock. Here they -found a number of cadets and others to sympathize with them. Tommy -Flanders looked “mad enough to chew nails,” as one of the Colby cadets -reported later on. - -“It wasn’t a fair race,” growled Flanders. “They tried to foul us going -around the island.” - -“Of course they tried to foul us,” put in Billy Sands. - -This report, however, was not true. In fact, it was proved by a number -of eye witnesses that if there had been any fault at all in rounding -the island it lay with the Longley crew and not with the cadets from -Colby Hall. Otherwise the race had been a perfectly fair one from start -to finish. - -“I guess Tommy Flanders will sing in a little lower tone of voice after -this,” was Fred’s comment, when the excitement had subsided a little. -“My, but I bet he feels sick!” - -“He made a mistake by blowing so hard beforehand,” answered Jack. “Now -our crew can blow and have something to blow about.” - -There was no doubt but that the Longley following was very much -disappointed at the showing so far made. Of course, two of their cadets -had won the singles, but the four-oared race was considered much more -important. Even the blaring out of the brass band did not dispel -their gloom. However, a little later it was time to get ready for the -eight-oared race, and then the spirits of the Longley boys seemed to -recover. - -“Here is where we’ll show Colby Hall what’s what!” said one of the -crowd. “After all, it’s the eight-oared race that counts. The others -are only of secondary importance.” - -“Sour grapes!” yelled one of the Colby cadets who overheard this -remark. “You know the four-oared race is almost as important as the one -to come off.” - -As soon as they could do so, the Rover twins and their chums who had -won the four-oared race put their shell away, had a rub-down, donned -their uniforms, and then joined the other cadets. The Longley crew also -put their shell away, and then Tommy Flanders and his cronies seemed to -disappear. - -“I guess they don’t want to be questioned about the race,” remarked -Ruth to Martha, when they chanced to see the Longley boys hurrying off. - -“Well, it’s a bitter pill for anybody to swallow,” answered Jack’s -sister. “No one likes to be defeated.” - -Flanders, Halliday, Sands and a number of others had come over to the -Haven Point side of the lake in a private motor-boat belonging to an -old boatman named Nat Durgin. The craft was one that had been on the -lake for a great number of years, being used for all sorts of odd jobs. - -“Come on! We’ll watch the last race from out on the lake,” said -Flanders. “I’m not going back in that bunch to be laughed at.” - -“Just my idea,” answered Paul Halliday, lighting a cigarette. - -They had hired the motor-boat for the afternoon, so they could go where -they pleased. Durgin himself ran the craft, not caring to trust it in -the hands of any one else. He was a nice old fellow, although a bit -lazy, and nearly everybody around the lake knew him. - -At the appointed time the two eight-oared shells flashed into -appearance, each manned by a sturdy-looking crew and a coxswain. For -this race there had been chosen some of the best oarsmen at both Colby -and Longley. - -“Here they come!” - -“Now for another fine race!” - -“Oh, I hope we win this one too!” cried Fred to his cousins. - -“So do I,” answered Randy quickly. “That will show Longley they are not -so much, even if they did take the singles.” - -There was a wild cheering on all sides and the band blared forth -merrily. In the meantime the official motor-boats darted here, there -and everywhere trying to keep the other boats off the course. This was -not so easy, especially for the sailing craft, because the wind was -freshening slightly, and those on the sailing boats wanted, of course, -to keep as close as possible in order to see everything that took -place. At last, however, everything was in readiness, and at the report -of a pistol the two crews started off as one, side by side. - -“A perfect start!” cried Colonel Colby. - -“I never saw a better,” put in old Si Crews. - -The eight-oared race was to be about three miles in length, taking a -course that was triangular in shape and bringing the boats at one point -close to the Clearwater Hall shore. - -During the first leg of the triangle the shells kept side by side, -neither boat gaining more than a foot over the other. - -“Gee, but they’re both keeping at it!” cried Jack, who was watching -through a pair of fieldglasses he had brought along. - -“They’re both out for blood, and no mistake,” was Spouter’s comment. - -“Maybe Gif is holding our boys back,” suggested Fatty Hendry. “He knows -how to manage them if anybody does.” - -“I heard Si Crews telling him to watch their wind,” came from Dan -Soppinger. “That’s what helped us. Walt didn’t crowd us until he knew -that we could hold out; and then he drove us for fair. If that race -had been a hundred feet longer I’d have keeled over,” he added, with a -shake of his head. - -On and on swept the two shells, and then it was seen that Colby Hall -was slowly going ahead, first a foot, then a yard, then two yards. - -“Hurrah! Hurrah!” yelled Fred, throwing his cap into the air. “Now our -boys are doing it!” - -“Colby! Colby!” was the cry that swept across the water. “Go it, boys! -Go it!” - -“Pull, Longley, pull!” was the cry of the opposition. “You can do it! -Pull for all you’re worth!” - -And then there was such a hubbub that hardly a word of what was said -could be understood. As before, the horns and rattles added to the din, -and if the brass band was playing nobody heard it. - -Gif was certainly handling his crew superbly, but the coxswain of the -Longley oarsmen also understood his business, and now he increased the -stroke just a little and then slowly but surely Longley began to creep -up an inch at a time. Now it was less than a yard behind, now only a -foot, and now the two shells were once more bow and bow. - -“That’s the way to do it, Longley! Hurrah!” - -“Keep it up! Make Colby take your wash!” - -There had been a moment of intense suspense and silence, but now -another roar went forth as the hopes of Longley revived. Everybody was -again on his feet and all sorts of objects were thrown into the air, -many of them going overboard into the lake. And now the racers had -rounded the second mark and had but little more than a mile to go. This -was close to the shore at Clearwater Hall, and many people lining the -bank were on hand to encourage the young oarsmen. - -Longley had crept ahead a full yard, but now Gif spoke quietly but -earnestly to those under him. His body swayed back and forward a -little quicker and with a longer motion, and the oarsmen caught the -swing, their bodies moving with the precision of a machine. The long -eight-oared shell seemed fairly to leap from the water, and in a -twinkling the lead of the rival shell was cut down and Colby shot ahead. - -“Hurrah! Look at that!” was the cry. “Colby leads!” - -[Illustration: “HURRAH! LOOK AT THAT! COLBY LEADS!”] - -“Come on, you duffers!” yelled Dan Soppinger. “Come on! The race is -yours!” - -“We’re waiting for you with open arms!” screamed Fatty Hendry. - -As the two shells swept on with less than three quarters of a mile -still to be covered, the sailboats and motor-boats began to crowd in -behind to get a better view of the finish. This caused something of a -mix-up, in which two sloops came to grief, one losing her bowsprit. But -to this accident nobody just then paid any attention. - -Among the motor-boats to come up on the outer side of the course was -that containing Tommy Flanders and his cronies. The fellow who the -season before had been batted out of the box and who had just now -lost in the four-oared race, was so savage and gloomy he was almost -ready to do anything. Privately he had bet not only on the race which -he had helped to lose, but he had also bet rather heavily on the race -now taking place. Already he could see all his spending money being -swept away and himself in debt to several of his fellow cadets. - -“Hi! let me run the boat a little, Durgin,” he said suddenly to the old -boatman. “I want to get a good view of this finish.” - -“I’ll run her. Just tell me where you want to go,” answered Nat Durgin. -Even though the motor-boat was rather old, she had been newly painted -and he was rather choice of her. He knew that other boats would crowd -in and he did not wish to get into any mix-up and have his craft -scratched up. - -But Flanders would not listen, and crowding the old boatman to one side -he seized the wheel of the motor-boat and sent the craft ahead almost -directly for the spot for which the two racing shells were heading. - -“Hi! Hi! Don’t go too close!” cried old Durgin, in alarm. “Don’t -interfere with the race!” - -“I know what I’m doing!” answered Tommy Flanders. “You let me alone!” - -It was now plain to Tommy’s cronies that he was up to some trick. The -shell closest to the motor-boat was that belonging to Colby Hall, and -now it was less than twenty yards away. - -“That’s right, Tommy!” chuckled Paul Halliday. “Give ’em a whole lot of -wash! Soak ’em good!” - -“That’s what I’m going to do,” hissed Flanders through his set teeth. -And then he drove the motor-boat still closer. - -“Get away from there! Get away from there!” was the cry from one of the -motor-boats that was trying to keep the course clear. - -“Go to grass!” muttered Billy Sands. “Drive her in, Tommy! Give ’em all -the wash you can!” - -“You’ll hit their oars, you young fool! Keep away from there,” suddenly -yelled old Nat Durgin, and then he tried to push Tommy Flanders away -from the wheel. - -“Let me alone!” said Flanders, and began to struggle. - -Nat Durgin’s blood was up. He did not like Flanders or his cronies any -too well, and they had beat him down in the price to be paid for the -use of the motor-boat. Without ceremony the old man slapped Flanders -heavily in the face, then shut off the motor and turned the craft out -into the lake. - -“That’s the stuff, Durgin!” shouted a man from one of the boats lying -nearby. “Throw that young fool overboard!” - -“That’s right! Give him a bath!” came from another boat. - -“Say! what do you mean by hitting me?” roared Tommy Flanders, in a -rage. “You keep your hands off of me!” - -“And you keep your hands off the wheel of this boat!” returned old -Durgin sternly. - -“I won’t pay a cent for the use of this boat!” snapped Tommy. - -“You say another word and I’ll have you locked up for disorderly -conduct,” answered the old boatman heatedly. “You sit down and behave -yourself. I’m running this boat, and you’re not going to break up that -race.” - -“I wasn’t going to break up the race,” muttered Flanders in a sudden -panic, for he realized that he might get into serious trouble if a -report was made of what he had really attempted to do. - -“We’ll see about this after the race is over,” answered Durgin. - - - - - CHAPTER X - - AFTER THE RACES - - -“Say, boys, this is going to be another close race,” declared Jack. - -“My, see the boats swarming behind the shells!” was Andy’s comment. - -“Look at that motor-boat, will you?” came quickly from Spouter. “Gee -Christopher! what are they trying to do?” - -At once cries arose on all sides when it was seen that one motor-boat -was coming dangerously close to the racecourse. - -“It’s old Nat Durgin’s boat!” exclaimed Jack, after looking through the -fieldglasses. “And what do you know about this? Tommy Flanders is at -the wheel!” - -A moment later there were exclamations from a dozen or more individuals -as Durgin was seen to cast Flanders aside and take command of the -craft. Then it was seen to veer away and was lost to sight behind the -sails of a small sloop. - -“Here they come! And almost bow and bow!” - -“Colby is ahead!” - -“No! Longley is ahead!” - -“It’s a tie!” - -The excitement was now tremendous as it was seen that Longley had crept -up and was now bow and bow with the other shell. - -“Pull, Colby! Pull!” roared the cadets from that institution. “Pull!” - -And the cadets from Colby urged by Gif pulled as they had never pulled -before, their eyes staring from their sockets and their breath coming -laboredly. But Longley was also pulling, although now the terrific pace -was beginning to tell upon the oarsmen from the rival academy. They -were all but in, and their coxswain urged them to greater efforts in -vain. Now the finishing line was in sight, and it was then that Gif -broke out in a wild appeal to those he was directing. - -“Now then, boys! Every ounce that’s left in you! Go to it! Make her -jump out of the water! Make her jump good!” And with every word his -body swayed back and forth and the oarsmen responded with every bit of -vital force left in their spent bodies. The shell leaped ahead, while -at the same moment those in the other shell slowed up, being unable to -keep up the terrific pace. - -“It’s Colby’s race! It’s Colby’s race!” was the yell, and it was the -truth. Colby shot on and on and then crossed the finishing line a -length and three feet to the good. - -Then it was that the cadets of Colby Hall and their many friends rent -the shore of Clearwater Lake with their cries of exaltation――cries that -went echoing back and forth through the hills in the distance. Jack and -the others went nearly mad with joy, throwing up their caps and hugging -each other. Randy began to do a jig while Andy climbed a flagstaff on -the dock and went twisting around it at arm’s length. It was a moment -never to be forgotten and one that would live long in the annals of the -school on the Rick Rack River. - -“Three cheers for Gif Garrison!” called the young major of the -battalion, and they were given with a will, many of the girls from -Clearwater Hall joining in. - -Then all the others who had taken part in the various races were -cheered. Many ran down to where the eight-oared shell was now coming -in, and as soon as the crew had landed Gif was grabbed by his many -friends and hoisted up on a pair of sturdy shoulders and marched around -the dock. - -“Speech! Speech!” cried someone. But at this Gif shook his head. - -“Not just now, boys. I’m too nearly in. Some other time. I’m mighty -glad we won the race. Thank you.” And that was all he would say. - -Coming on top of the winning of the four-oared race, it was certainly -a great triumph, and for the time being the loss in the singles was -forgotten. The local band was forced to lead a march around the town -in which practically every cadet from Colby Hall and many of the girls -from Clearwater Hall, as well as some of the town people, participated. -Some had flags, while others carried their horns and rattles, and they -made the welkin ring with their cheers. - -“Bonfires to-night!” chuckled Andy. “Oh, boy! but we’ll have some time, -won’t we?” - -“Right-o!” responded his twin. - -Encouraged by the fact that the boat races would attract a large number -of visitors to Haven Point, the owner of an amusement park on the -outskirts had made arrangements for a special picnic with a number of -attractions. The admission to this park was free, and the cadets from -both academies, as well as the girls from Clearwater Hall, were invited -to visit the place. - -“Let’s go down and see what’s doing,” suggested Spouter, after the -excitement attending the races was over. “Mr. Falstein owns the park, -you know, and he has always been so nice to us we ought to encourage -him.” The man he mentioned was the owner of the moving picture theater -in the town and most of the boys knew him well. - -“I wouldn’t mind,” answered Randy. - -“Don’t you feel tired after the race?” questioned Jack. - -“Oh, I’m rested now.” - -“We’ve got two hours before we’re due at the Hall,” put in Andy. “Come -on.” - -The upshot of this was that the boys invited the girls to accompany -them, and after receiving permission from one of the teachers to do so -the crowd set off for the park, which was located in a large grove of -trees less than quarter of a mile away. - -They found a happy crowd already collected, indulging in swinging, the -use of a merry-go-round, and half a dozen other amusements. A small -band was playing, and half a dozen couples were indulging in dancing on -a small platform. - -“Let’s go on the merry-go-round!” cried Andy. “Come on!” and he caught -Alice Strobell by the arm. - -“I’ll go if Annie will go,” answered Alice. - -“All right, come on, Annie,” said Randy, and the two couples lost no -time in getting on the wooden horses, which speedily whirled them -around and around. - -A number of the others followed, including the Rover girls and Gif and -Spouter. Ruth said she did not care for such a ride, and she and Jack -wandered off for a walk with May and Fred behind them. - -In a short while the amusement park began to fill up and there were -shrieks of laughter from the young folks and merry music from the band. -Not a few of the visitors were from Longley Academy, bent on having a -good time in spite of their defeats on the lake. - -“I should think they’d want to go home,” said Dan Soppinger, who was -present. - -“Oh, well, you can’t blame them for wanting some consolation,” answered -Walt Baxter. And then Walt added quickly: “I think we ought to treat -’em as nicely as possible, Dan.” - -“Oh, sure! we’ll treat ’em all right enough,” was the ready reply. “I -like some of those fellows first rate, even if they do go to Longley. -It’s only such cads as Flanders that I can’t bear.” - -While Jack and Fred were strolling along with the two girls from -Clearwater Hall they were much surprised to see Tommy Flanders, Paul -Halliday and Billy Sands coming along a bypath with Codfish Stowell -between them. The latter did not for the instant notice our friends, -who were screened somewhat by bushes. - -“I want that money, Tommy. I’ve got to have it,” they heard Codfish say -in a pleading tone. “Can’t you let me have it to-day?” - -“I can’t let you have a cent,” grumbled Flanders. “Didn’t I tell you I -lost every dollar of my allowance on the races?” - -“Yes, but you promised me that five dollars last week,” went on the -sneak of Colby Hall. “You said you would be sure to give it to me.” - -“Oh, why don’t you shut up whining?” burst out Billy Sands. “You had -more fun out of that affair than we did. I don’t believe you ought to -make Tommy pay for anything like that.” - -“I don’t care! I did it because you wanted me to and because you -promised me the five dollars,” went on Codfish stubbornly. “I think -it’s awful mean that you don’t give it to me.” - -“Oh, give us a rest!” growled Flanders, and then the four cadets passed -on. - -“Well, what do you think of that?” ejaculated Fred, when the quartet -were out of hearing. “I didn’t know Codfish was hobnobbing with Tommy -Flanders.” - -“Neither did I,” returned Jack. “I suppose he got acquainted through -Sands and Halliday. He might rather leave that bunch alone.” - -“I saw that Stowell boy with Tommy Flanders in town some weeks ago,” -remarked May. “They were in the drug store having some soda. I -remember it very well from a remark that Flanders dropped. I thought it -was awfully funny.” - -“What remark was that, May?” questioned Jack curiously. - -“They were talking about something Stowell was going to do, and -Flanders said, ‘Use a pillowcase or a flour bag and it will be all -right.’ And a minute later I heard him say, ‘They’ll look like -Negroes,’ and he laughed.” - -“What’s that?” came from Jack and Fred simultaneously, and they -exchanged glances. - -“Why, what’s the matter?” cried Spouter’s cousin in astonishment. - -“Tell us about that again, May,” went on the young major, and the girl -repeated her story. - -“That solves the whole mystery!” declared Jack. - -“It’s as plain as daylight,” responded the young captain. - -“Will you kindly tell us what you’re talking about?” remarked Ruth, in -wonder. - -“I sure will, Ruth. We weren’t going to say anything at first because -the joke was on us, but now I think the joke is going to be on somebody -else,” replied Jack. And thereupon he gave the particulars of how he -and his cousins had been doused with a bag of soot. - -“Of all things!” burst out May. “And do you suppose it was that trick -Tommy Flanders was talking about to Stowell?” - -“Sure as shooting, May,” answered Fred. “Don’t you see how it all fits -together? You heard Tommy tell Stowell to use a pillowcase or a flour -bag. That was to conceal his face. Then he said it would make us look -like Negroes, and it certainly did. Then along comes Codfish pleading -to Flanders to pay him the five dollars he had promised him for doing -something. And then Sands suggesting that Codfish should call it square -because he got more fun out of it than they did!” - -“It certainly is a clear case,” broke in Jack. “Flanders and maybe -Sands and Halliday got Codfish to play that joke on us, and they -promised him five dollars for doing it.” - -“Let’s go after Codfish right now!” exclaimed the young captain, his -eyes blazing. - -“Oh, dear, don’t get into a fight!” burst out May, catching him by the -arm. - -“No use of starting a row here, Fred,” put in Jack quickly. “We can -catch Codfish to-night and Tommy Flanders some other time. We don’t -want to disgrace Colby Hall while this celebration is going on. Those -Longley fellows would like nothing better than to publish the fact that -we had started a rumpus on the day of the races.” - -“What an awful boy Tommy Flanders must be,” murmured Ruth, “to hire -another to play such a trick as that! And then just think of how he -tried to spoil that last race!” - -The cadets could not, however, resist the temptation to look around for -Flanders, Halliday, Sands and Codfish. They saw the four having some -ice cream, but then Flanders, Halliday and Sands went off by themselves -and Codfish disappeared. - -After that Jack and Fred and the girls continued their walk. Jack -learned from Ruth that her father was steadily improving in health, -but that he was as much worried as ever over the loss of the book of -formulas. - -“And old Uncle Barney is worried too over the loss of his money,” went -on the girl. “I’m afraid this loss may revive the old hard feeling -there was between my father and my uncle.” - -“It would certainly be too bad if that happened, Ruth,” answered the -young major soberly. He knew that the girl referred to a very bitter -quarrel which had existed between old Uncle Barney and Frederic -Stevenson, a quarrel the particulars of which have already been -narrated in “The Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island.” - -Presently one of the teachers from Clearwater Hall began to round up -the girls from that institution, and then the boys had to bid good-by -to their friends. - -“I suppose we might as well be getting back to school,” said Jack, as -Andy and Randy came up. “What do you say?” - -“Suits me,” responded Randy. - -“We’ve got something to tell you fellows,” put in Fred eagerly. -“Something worth knowing, I’ll tell you!” and thereupon the two young -officers gave the particulars of what they had learned concerning the -trick played upon them. - -“Beeswax and grasshoppers!” ejaculated Andy. “And to think Codfish was -guilty and we never suspected him!” - -“He certainly had nerve to play a trick like that!” returned Randy. “I -didn’t think the little sneak had backbone enough to do it.” - -“He was out after the five dollars Flanders promised him,” answered -Jack. “You know Codfish was always shy on pocket money. That’s the -reason he used to toady to Nappy Martell and those other rascals.” - -“We ought to give it to Codfish good and plenty to-night,” said Andy. - -“We will!” responded his brother. “Just wait and see!” - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - CELEBRATING THE VICTORY - - -A little later found the Rover boys, accompanied by half a dozen of -their friends, bound for Colby Hall. It was rather late, and they -hurried along with all possible speed. - -“No parade before supper, for which I am thankful,” remarked Jack. - -“And supper is to be half an hour late,” added Randy. - -“And best of all, no studying to-night,” broke in Andy. “Oh, my! but -won’t we have some fun!” - -“We’ve got to catch Codfish, Andy. Don’t forget that,” put in Randy. - -“Forget it!” answered the fun-loving Rover. “Why, you couldn’t make me -forget it for a million dollars. That boy is going to have a lesson -he’ll remember as long as he lives. Every time I think how he exploded -that bag of soot on us I get madder than ever.” - -“And after all we did for him when those bullies were misusing him!” -came from Jack. “He certainly is a pill and then some!” - -“Just the same, I suppose we’ve got to be careful that we don’t get -into any hot water,” remarked Fred soberly. “We can’t afford to injure -our reputations as officers, Jack.” - -“Why can’t you two officers leave this whole affair to Randy and me?” -questioned Andy. “You just go off and forget all about it and take in -what happens.” - -“I’ll see about that,” answered the young major. He realized the point -his cousin was trying to make and yet he was angry enough to give the -sneak a sound thrashing. - -The boys had walked on a distance of a quarter of a mile and were -coming out along the lake front when suddenly Spouter, who was walking -ahead with Dan Soppinger, uttered an exclamation. - -“Look down there at the dock!” he cried. “Looks like a fight going on!” - -“That’s what it is!” exclaimed Gif. - -“Why, it’s Tommy Flanders and his crowd and they are beating up old Nat -Durgin!” came quickly from Fred. - -“I’ll bet they got into a row about hiring that motor-boat,” remarked -Andy. “Let’s go down and see what happens.” - -“They have no right to beat up poor old Durgin,” returned Jack. “He’s -not a half-bad sort, even though he is rather lazy.” - -The crowd of cadets hurried their steps and soon came closer to the -scene of the quarrel. They had seen Tommy Flanders strike the old man -in the face, and now Nat Durgin responded with a blow on the shoulder. -Then Flanders jumped in, followed by Billy Sands and Paul Halliday, and -the three boys from Longley Academy bore the old boatman to the ground. - -“Stop that!” cried Jack. “Let up on him!” He had leaped to the front -and caught Tommy Flanders by the arm. Almost at the same instant Gif -and Spouter grabbed Sands and Halliday. - -“Take ’em off! Take ’em off!” cried old Durgin. He was all but winded -by his exertions. Evidently the quarrel had been going on for some time. - -“Huh! what do you want here, Jack Rover?” demanded Tommy Flanders -sullenly. “You keep your hands out of this!” - -“You let Durgin alone, Flanders,” answered the young major. - -“What’s the meaning of the row, anyhow?” demanded Gif. - -“You’re a fine bunch of cadets to pile on an old man three at a time!” -sneered Spouter. - -The three boys from Longley Academy looked anything but comfortable -as they saw themselves surrounded by the crowd from Colby Hall. They -stepped back from where Nat Durgin lay, and Randy and Dan Soppinger -assisted the old boatman to his feet. Near by was Durgin’s pipe, and -Ned Lowe picked this up and gave it to him. - -“I’ll have the law on you for this, you see if I don’t!” roared Durgin, -now that he saw that friends were at hand. “I’ll teach you young whelps -to knock me down!” - -“You hit me first,” retorted Flanders. “Don’t forget that! I’ve got my -friends to prove it!” - -“So I did hit you first,” answered Durgin readily. “And you deserved it -too――wanting to break up that last shell race!” - -“Did he really try to break up that race?” questioned Gif eagerly. -“I saw him at the wheel of your motor-boat when we were on the -homestretch.” - -“That’s what he did!” - -“It’s not so!” blustered Flanders. - -“It is so! He wanted to steer the boat and I told him I’d do it. Then -he shoved me aside and grabbed the wheel and steered right for your -shell. Then I slapped him in the face, turned off the power, and -steered my boat away from the course. A whole lot of people on the -other boats saw it.” - -“That was a fine piece of business, Flanders!” said Gif contemptuously. -“A fine piece of business, trying to spoil our chance to win! You ought -to be hooted out of Longley Academy for it.” - -“Oh, say, Garrison, don’t get so smart,” put in Paul Halliday. “Tommy -wasn’t going to run into your shell, or anything like it. He simply -wanted to get close so he could see what was going on. All the boats -were crowding in.” - -“I don’t want anything from you, Halliday. I’ve got your number, and -always have had,” returned the cadet who was at the head of the Colby -Hall athletic committee, and who had been the coxswain of the eight. “I -know you thoroughly.” - -“We don’t belong at Colby Hall any more, and you’ve got no right to say -anything to us,” remarked Billy Sands. - -“Well, we’ll take the right when you knock down a man as you did -Durgin,” came from Spouter. - -“They haven’t paid me for the use of my boat, either,” complained the -old boatman. “That’s what started the row here. They said they would -pay me right after the races.” - -“I’ll bet I know why they didn’t pay up,” broke out Andy, with a grin. -“Most likely they lost all their pocket money betting the wrong way.” - -“Hi, you shut up, Rover! You make me sick!” cried Tommy Flanders, -glaring at Andy sullenly. - -A wordy war followed, lasting several minutes. Then Nat Durgin walked -to where his motor-boat was tied up and sprang aboard the craft. - -“You fellows pay me what you owe me or I’ll have the law on you,” -he called out, and then he added to the boys from Colby Hall: “Much -obliged to you fellows for what you done for me.” - -“Hi! Wait!” cried Halliday. “You’ve got to take us across the lake!” - -“I won’t take you nowhere,” bellowed Nat Durgin. “I’m done with you! -But you’ve got to pay me what you owe me or I’ll do what I said -before――I’ll have the law on you,” and with this parting shot he -started up his motor and moved slowly away. - -“Now see what you did!” cried Billy Sands in anger, as he faced the -Colby Hall cadets. “How are we going to get back to school? All the -other boats have left.” - -“That’s your affair, not ours,” answered Jack. And then he continued as -he stepped closer to the trio of discontents. “My cousins and I ought -to give the whole three of you a sound thrashing.” - -“We know what you got Codfish Stowell to do,” broke in Andy. “Some day -we’ll square that account, and don’t you forget it!” - -“Hi! you fellows make me tired,” grumbled Flanders, and then he moved -off, followed by his cronies. At a safe distance he turned around and -shook his fist at the Colby Hall cadets. “You just wait! I’ll get -square some day!” - -“Gee! what a meek and innocent little lamb he is,” was Spouter’s -comment, as the boys hurried for the Hall. - -“Say,” put in Phil Franklin, who was in the crowd but who had taken no -part in the discussion with their rivals, “did they get Codfish to play -that trick on you?” - -“Yes, if you must know it,” answered Randy. - -“But don’t let Codfish know about this,” broke in Andy quickly. “He -thinks his secret is safe. We just learned about it during this -afternoon and we want to surprise him.” - -“All right, then, mum’s the word,” returned Phil, and the others said -the same. - -On account of the incident at the lakeshore the boys were somewhat late -in reaching the Hall. Snopper Duke, one of the professors, frowned a -little at this, but otherwise no comment was made. It was felt that -this was a festival night and that the cadets ought to be allowed to -do very much as they pleased. - -In anticipation of a possible victory a number of the boys had -collected a mass of boxes and barrels and other wood for fires, and -shortly after the evening meal these beacons began to blaze along the -shore of the Rick Rack. In the meantime the cadets donned their old -uniforms and then one after another came forth to shout and sing and -cut up generally. - -“After such a victory they deserve a good time,” was Colonel Colby’s -comment. The master of the school had not forgotten his own good times -while he had been a cadet at Putnam Hall. “Let the boys cut loose, -Captain Dale, so long as they don’t do any real harm.” - -Of course, “Shout” Plunger, the school janitor, who was very deaf and -who had to be shouted at in order to hear, came in for quite some -horseplay, as did also Bob Nixon and Si Crews. Shout was made to stand -on a box and sing, which he did in a queer cracked voice that brought -forth roars of laughter. Bob Nixon had to tell a funny story. He had -been warned that he might be made to do this, so had prepared himself -by digesting the contents of an old joke book, and therefore got off a -number of jokes that most of the boys had heard a dozen times. - -“Now then, everybody in a grand march!” cried Dan Soppinger gayly, -and then the cadets began what they called a serpentine hop, which -consisted of a long line of cadets winding in and out around the -bonfires and the trees on the edge of the parade ground. A few had -torches, and others musical instruments consisting of banjos, ukuleles, -mouth harmonicas, cornets, tin horns, clappers and various other things -more or less melodious. - -Henry Stowell was standing somewhat apart from those who were taking -part in the serpentine hop when suddenly he found himself seized from -behind and somebody whispered in his ear. - -“One of the professors wants to see you up in your room right away, -Stowell,” said the person behind him. “Don’t delay! It’s very -important.” Then before the sneak could turn around to see who had -delivered the message the unknown person had slipped behind a nearby -tree and disappeared in the darkness. - -“What can they want of me now?” murmured Codfish to himself. “I haven’t -been doing anything.” Then he heaved a sigh. “Maybe I’ll be called down -for being seen in company with Flanders and those two cadets who left -Colby to go to Longley. It was a mistake for me to be seen with those -chaps; but I wanted my money. If it’s that I’ll tell the professor -Flanders owes me five dollars. He can’t find fault with me for wanting -it back.” - -Leaving the river front, Stowell hurried into the school, which was now -practically deserted, the other cadets being out at the celebration and -many of the professors and the others watching proceedings. He sped up -the broad stairway and through the corridor and then opened the door to -his own room. He had expected that the room would be lit up, and he was -surprised to find it in darkness. - -“Hello! Anybody here?” he questioned abruptly. - -Codfish had scarcely spoken when the door slammed shut behind him, -cutting out nearly all the light coming from the corridor. Then, of -a sudden, the sneak found himself caught from behind and something -was clapped over his mouth so that he could not utter any outcry. His -assailants said not a word, but bound his hands behind him and then -fixed a gag in his mouth so that he could breathe but could not utter a -word. Then he heard the door locked, and a moment later the lights in -the room were turned on and Codfish saw a sight that almost froze the -blood in his veins. - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - SETTLING WITH CODFISH - - -Six figures surrounded Stowell, each pointing a menacing finger at him. -Each figure had a white sheet draped around it and a white towel pinned -fantastically around the head and face with just a small slit for the -eyes. - -While Codfish stared in alarm at the figures, the fingers were slowly -elevated until they pointed at something suspended from the ceiling; -and it was then that the sneak of the school began to squirm in terror. -A cord ran from a ring in the ceiling, one end of which was held in the -hand of one of the masked figures. The other end of the cord hung down -directly over the bed upon which Stowell had been pushed. The end of -the string was wound around the tail of a green snake all of three feet -long, a snake that wiggled from side to side as it dangled in mid-air. - -Codfish would have screamed in terror had not the gag prevented him. He -attempted to leap from the bed, but the masked figures were too quick -for him. Two held his hands on one side of the bed while two more held -his feet on the other. The figure having hold of the string gently -lowered it until the head of the wiggling reptile was less than a foot -away from Stowell. - -“Lie still!” was the stern command to the hapless youth. “Lie still, or -we’ll lower the snake upon you! Lie still, and you shall not be harmed.” - -At these words Stowell for a few seconds longer continued to struggle, -but then suddenly grew quiet, although still shaking with fright. - -“The snake is deadly poisonous,” said another one of the masked figures -in a voice that was hoarse and low. “Beware! Move, and one sting from -the snake will finish you! Beware!” - -At this Stowell began to mumble something, his face working convulsively. -At once one of the masked figures whispered in the ear of another. - -“Maybe he can’t breathe with that gag. We don’t want to smother him.” - -“Ask him if he’ll keep quiet if we remove the gag,” was the low reply. - -Thereupon one of the figures came a bit closer and, pointing a finger -at the gag, spoke again. - -“Henry Stowell,” it said solemnly, “listen! If we remove the gag from -your mouth do you promise faithfully that you will not cry out? If so, -nod your head.” - -There was a second of silence and then Codfish nodded his head -vigorously. - -“If you cry out do you give us full permission to give you a licking -for so doing?” asked another one of the masked figures in a deep bass -voice which, however, sounded remarkably like the tones generally used -by Andy Rover. - -Again there was a second of silence, and then Stowell nodded once more, -but this time not so vigorously as before. - -“It is well!” came from another of the masked figures. “Remember your -promise, Stowell! Remember!” Thereupon the gag was removed from the -sneak’s mouth, but his hands were still kept tied behind him. - -“Take that snake away! Please take that snake away!” were Codfish’s -first words as soon as he could catch his breath. “Don’t let it bite -me!” - -“Remain on the bed, Codfish,” was the stern reply. “Remain on the bed -if you want to keep away from the snake.” - -“It is the wonderful noobokoliki snake,” came in weird tones from one -of the masked figures. “The educated snake belonging to the secret -order of the Kalipops. He’ll not harm our members, but he will strike -at an outsider and strike to kill. Beware!” - -Perhaps Stowell did not believe what was said, but he saw that he was -in the hands of the masked cadets and he saw the wriggling snake tied -to the end of the suspended string, and he did not feel that he could -take any chances. - -“Please let me go! Please!” he muttered in a half sob. “I haven’t done -anything! Please take that snake away!” - -Thereupon the six figures ranged themselves in a circle around the -cadet on the bed, and each once more pointed a menacing finger at him. - -“Henry Stowell, you are a sneak!” came from one of the figures. - -“Henry Stowell, you are a sneak!” came from another of the figures. And -thus the accusation went around the entire circle. - -“I――I――don’t――know what you mean,” stammered Codfish. And now he grew -pale and red by turns, his eyes shifting from the masked figures to the -wriggling snake and then back again to the accusing cadets. - -“You do know!” came simultaneously from all the others in the room. -“You are a sneak!” - -“You are a disgrace to Colby Hall!” - -“We ought to give you the licking of your life!” - -“Stop! Stop! Please stop!” pleaded Codfish. He was growing more -and more alarmed. “Let me tell you something. I wasn’t going to say -anything about it until the end of the term, but I might as well tell -you. I’m going to leave this school. Next term I’m going to Longley -Academy.” - -“Thank fortune for that!” came in a murmur from one of the masked -figures. It was Andy who spoke. - -“The best news I’ve heard in a year of Sundays,” murmured his twin in -return. - -The news that Codfish was going to leave Colby Hall came as something -of a surprise to all of the masked figures, and at a signal from one of -them they moved to a corner of the room for a whispered conversation. - -“The poor little beggar is scared stiff,” came in low tones from Dan -Soppinger. “We might as well let him go.” - -“I’d like to pay him back for the time he reported me to Captain Dale,” -put in Ned Lowe. - -“Yes, and he ought to be made to suffer for reporting me to Professor -Duke,” put in Fatty Hendry. - -“Yes, and for the things he did for Gabe Werner against us,” added Walt -Baxter. “If ever a sneak deserved a sound licking, it’s Codfish.” - -“Well, we might let up on some of the things we were going to do,” -whispered Randy. - -“Just the same, I think he ought to be labeled for what he is,” came -quickly from Andy. - -“Oh, yes, we can label him all right enough,” said several of the -others quickly. - -With one eye on the dangling snake, Codfish had watched the masked -figures with the other, and now, seeing himself unnoticed for the -instant, the sneak slipped from the bed and started in a wild dash for -the door, the key to which was still in the lock. - -“No, you don’t!” cried Randy, and caught Codfish just as he was in the -act of backing up to the door to unlock it with one of his tied hands. -“Not just yet!” And thereupon all the lads pounced upon the sneak and -threw him on the floor. - -“Fix him up so we can label him!” cried Andy. “He deserves it! Hurry up -before someone comes!” - -In a twinkling Codfish found his hands untied. Then his coat was taken -from him, followed by his shirt. Four of the boys held him down face -front while two others approached with a can of red paint and a small -brush. - -“A sneak you are, a sneak you have always been and a sneak we are going -to label you,” were the words uttered, and in a few seconds more the -word SNEAK was painted across Codfish’s shoulders. Then he was turned -over and the same word, SNEAK, was painted across his breast. - -“Now then, into the clothes closet with him,” was the next order. “And -remember, Codfish, if you tell a word of this to any of the professors -we’ll lick you within an inch of your life,” was the caution given to -the frightened cadet. - -“I――I won’t say a word,” blubbered the sneak. “Please let me alone!” - -“We’re going to put you in the closet and keep you there,” said one of -the masked figures. Then the figure turned to the others. “We’ll take -turns at watching him, fifteen minutes each. Here is a club I brought -along. If he attempts to open the door of the closet and come out, -knock him in the head.” - -“Right, Most Honorable Ruler!” came from the other masked figures, with -a profound bow. - -“How long must I stay in the closet?” blubbered Codfish. - -“We’ll let you know when to come out,” was the short reply; and -thereupon he was shoved back into his own clothes closet and the door -was closed upon him. - -“Number Three, you are to stay here for fifteen minutes,” was the loud -command. “Then Number Six will relieve you, and after that Number Two.” - -“It is well, Most Exalted Ruler!” answered several of the other cadets. -Then the door to the corridor was unlocked and one of them peered out -cautiously. - -“The coast is clear,” whispered Randy. “Come on! Let’s cut for it!” - -“What are you going to do with that paper snake, Andy?” questioned Dan -Soppinger, with a chuckle. - -“We’ll leave that here for Codfish to play with after he gets over his -fright,” answered the fun-loving Rover. And then he went on in a loud -voice: “Now then, Number Three, be on guard and have your club ready!” -And thereupon one after another all of the masked figures stole softly -from the room, closing the door behind them. They sped to the rooms -occupied by the Rovers where they lost no time in getting rid of the -sheets and the towels. - -“I’ll bet he won’t dare come out of that clothes closet for a long -time,” was Ned Lowe’s comment. - -“Well, let him take his time,” chuckled Randy. “It will give that red -paint a chance to dry.” - -“I hope the lesson will do some good,” answered Walt Baxter. “He’s -about the worst sneak I ever heard of.” - -“It’s too bad we didn’t have a chance to try those other stunts on -him,” came from Dan Soppinger. “Having his head shaved would have done -him good.” - -“Well, we’re better off as it is,” answered Randy. “If we had shaved -him maybe it might have gotten us into trouble. As it is, I don’t -believe he’ll dare say a word about it.” - -“We didn’t treat him half as badly as he treated us,” answered Andy, -who could not forget the throwing of the bag of soot. - -The boys had come up from the campus by way of the fire-escape on the -back of the building, and now they lost no time in going below by the -same means. They mingled with their fellow cadets, who were doing a war -dance around the various bonfires. - -“How about it? Did you see Codfish?” questioned Fred, as he caught -sight of the twins. - -“We did!” was the quick reply. “And we’ve got news,” and thereupon they -related as briefly as they could what had happened in Stowell’s room -and what the sneak had said. - -“He can’t leave Colby Hall any too quick for me,” answered the young -captain of Company C. “Halliday, Sands and that bunch are welcome to -him.” - -The festivities along the Rick Rack continued until after ten o’clock. -Then, however, the bonfires gradually died down and one after another -the cadets entered the Hall and went up to their various rooms. - -In the meantime Codfish, half scared to death, remained in the clothes -closet for the best part of half an hour. Then, finding he could get -no reply from the person supposed to be outside on guard, he timidly -ventured to open the door and peer out. Then he came forth into the -bedroom, to find the lights still turned on but the apartment vacant -save for the snake, which now rested on the bed. - -“Ugh! What am I going to do with that thing?” the sneak murmured in new -fright. Then he ran to the doorway and, donning his coat, rushed down -the stairs. In the lower corridor he ran into Snopper Duke. - -“Oh, Professor! Professor! There is a snake on my bed!” he wailed. -“What shall I do about it? I don’t want to be bit!” - -“A snake!” repeated the professor. “How extraordinary! How did it get -there, Stowell?” - -“I――I――some――boys―― That is, I can’t really tell you, sir,” said the -sneak, with a shiver. He had been about to explain, but suddenly -remembered the whipping that had been promised to him if he played the -sneak again. “But the snake is there, sir, and I don’t know what to do!” - -“I’ll investigate,” said Snopper Duke, and marched up the stairs and -into the room, followed by the sneak. - -Professor Duke was by no means a timid man, and he approached the bed -boldly. A book was handy, and this he hurled at the reptile. The snake -did not move. Then the professor came closer. - -“Why, it’s only a make-believe snake! It’s made of paper!” he declared, -holding it up in his fingers. - -“A――a――paper snake?” faltered Stowell. - -“Yes. Someone has been playing a trick on you, Stowell. The next time -you are frightened you had better make an investigation before you -report.” And with this rather sarcastic remark Professor Duke strode -from the room and down the stairs. - -“A paper snake! Oh, what a sell!” Stowell murmured. “How they’ll laugh -at me when they hear of this!” - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - - GIF’S WELCOME NEWS - - -After the boat races and the affair with Codfish matters at Colby Hall -so far as they concerned the Rover boys and their chums moved along -rapidly. The term was approaching its end, and all the cadets were -anxious to make as good a showing in the examinations as possible. -Through some of the younger cadets the Rovers learned what trouble -Codfish had had in ridding himself of the signs that had been painted -upon him. The small boys said that the sneak was terribly angry over -what had occurred, but was afraid to open his mouth to any of those in -authority. - -“He’s afraid of that licking we promised him,” said Andy, and in that -surmise the fun-loving youth was correct. - -Of course baseball was not forgotten at Colby Hall this term. There -were the usual games to be played between that institution and Hixley -High, the Clearwater Country Club, Columbus Academy and Longley. -Both Randy and Andy were on the team this year as substitutes, and as -it happened they had little to do. The big game this year was won by -Hixley and another game was won by the Columbus boys. Colby beat the -Country Club and Longley received a great drubbing, the score being 14 -to 3. - -“That’s the time we put another one over on ’em!” cried Randy, in -satisfaction. “I guess that will hold ’em for a while!” - -He and his twin had managed to get into the game during the last three -innings, and he had made a two-bagger while his brother had made a -single which had brought in two runs. - -As had been expected, there were no tears shed among those who knew him -well when it was announced that Stowell was going to leave Colby Hall -and had already entered for the next term at Longley Academy. - -“It’s a case of good riddance to bad rubbish,” was Fred’s comment, and -to this his cousins and his chums agreed. - -During those days the boys saw the girls from Clearwater Hall twice. -The girls’ school was to close a week before Colby Hall shut down, and -this would send Mary and Martha home before their brothers and cousins. - -“We’re going up to Valley Brook Farm first and take Ruth with us,” -said Martha. “After that I don’t know exactly what we’re to do. What -are you going to do, Jack?” - -“Gif says he has a secret,” answered the young major. “He’s holding it -back just as Spouter held his secret back last term.” - -“Then you’re to be Gif’s guests?” - -“I don’t know what it is, Martha. After that accident to Mr. Garrison -he and Gif cooked up something between them, but Gif won’t open his -mouth about it yet. He says it’s to be a surprise.” - -“Well, surprises are very nice sometimes,” put in Ruth, who was present. - -“How is your dad, Ruth?” - -“Oh, he’s quite well now,” was the girl’s answer. “But he’s just as -much worried as ever about those formulas. He has been trying very hard -to get duplicates, but without success.” - -“It ought not to be so very hard to get formulas for making artists’ -material,” remarked Mary. - -“That’s all you know about it,” answered Jack. “I was reading up on -that subject some time ago. It seems some of the celebrated artists -made their own pigments; and they were mighty secret about it, too, so -that no one else could make exactly the same things. Why, some of the -great pictures are great largely on account of the paints that were -used in painting them.” - -“In that case I certainly hope they get the formulas back,” said Martha. - -The time soon came for the boys and girls to separate. Jack was sorry -to part from Ruth and asked her if she would not write to him when she -arrived at Valley Brook Farm. - -“I will if you’ll promise to answer,” said the girl, and this promise -was speedily given. - -“Gee, but I’ve got a hard examination in geometry for to-morrow!” -remarked Fred when the boys were returning to school. “I wish it was -over.” - -“I suppose we all wish the examinations were over, Fred,” answered the -young major. “I’ve got that examination in Latin, you know, and it’s a -hard one.” - -They met Gif at the entrance to the campus and noticed that their chum -had a broad grin on his face. - -“I’ve got news for you at last,” he said. “It’s all settled.” - -“What’s settled, Gif?” the Rover boys questioned in concert. - -“Where we’re to spend a large part of this summer’s vacation,” was the -reply. “I’ve just been waiting to hear from my dad to make sure that -everything would be all right. You’re all to go with me, and of course -Spouter is to be along, too. Come on down to the river and I’ll tell -you all about it. Here comes Spouter now.” - -A few minutes later the six boys were seated on a grassy bank -overlooking the Rick Rack. Then Gif pulled from an inner pocket a large -envelope and took from it half a dozen photographs. - -“What do you think of this?” and he passed one of the pictures around. - -“Pretty nice looking bungalow, I’ll say,” was Jack’s comment. “What’s -this in front of it――a river?” - -“No. This is what’s in front of it,” and Gif handed out another -photograph. - -“Why, it’s a lake!” exclaimed Spouter. “Looks like a dandy place, too! -Just look at those hills behind it, and see those immense cedar trees! -Looks like a regular paradise, Gif. Where is it?” - -“What do you think of this?” went on Gif, and held out a third -photograph, a picture of Mr. Garrison standing with a fishing rod in -one hand and a big string of fish in the other. - -“Looks like a good catch, all right,” was Andy’s comment. “I’d like to -do as well myself.” - -“Was that taken up on that lake?” questioned Fred. - -“It was, Fred. And here’s another picture that was taken by my dad one -day along the edge of the lake.” - -“A bear! A big bear!” was the cry from several of the cadets. - -“Is he wild?” questioned Randy quickly. - -“Wild? Of course he’s wild! My dad snapped the picture, but by the -time he could think of a gun the bear was half a mile away. But that’s -nothing. My dad says there used to be a whole lot of bears around that -lake. That, of course, was before the hunters got busy and killed most -of them off.” - -“What place is this, Gif?” demanded Andy impatiently. - -“This is a place we are to go to this summer, provided you fellows -are agreeable. This bungalow belongs to my father. It’s a big affair, -and used to be used by a hunting and fishing club of which he was -president. The club went to pieces and he paid a lot of their debts -and took the clubhouse in payment. He thought of going up there this -summer, but then changed his mind and put it up to me as to whether I -thought we would like to go. There were certain details to be arranged -first, so I didn’t say anything until everything was settled. Now if -you fellows want to go up, say the word and we’ll go.” - -“But what place is it?” queried Spouter. - -“It’s Big Bear Lake.” - -“Oh! I’ve heard of that place!” cried Jack. “And I’ve heard all about -the bears that used to live along the shores of the lake. They say it’s -a dandy place for hunting and fishing.” - -“Not much hunting in the summer time,” answered Gif. “But the fishing -is there, and we could have a dandy time knocking around the bungalow, -and in swimming, and like that.” - -“If you’re putting it up to me, Gif, I say let’s go,” cried Andy -quickly. - -“Go! Of course we’ll go!” exclaimed his twin. - -“You couldn’t hold us back,” burst out Fred. - -“I’d just as lief go to-day and let that Latin examination slide,” -commented Jack, and at this there was a general laugh. - -“The best news I’ve heard in a long time,” said Spouter. “Just think of -an outing in the shade of the primeval forest, close to the shore of a -placid lake, where we can sit and meditate and watch the sun going down -over the distant hills, and where we can hear the hoot of the lonely -owl as it flits around seeking its mate, and where――” - -“The ants get into the sugar, the flies into the butter, and where you -always wake up if you happen to walk into a hornet’s nest or a den of -snakes,” finished Andy. - -“Who said anything about ants or hornets, or snakes either?” snorted -Spouter. “You never do give me a chance to say something worth while.” - -“Never mind, Spouter, you’ll have your chance later on,” said Randy. -“Some day when you are all alone in camp, and we have gone on a -clambake or to hunt bears, you can stand on a rock in the middle of the -lake and orate to your heart’s content.” - -“That’s the stuff, Spouter! Just think of standing on a floating rock -delivering an address,” chuckled Randy. “Wouldn’t that be original?” - -“I’ll address you if you don’t look out,” answered Spouter, and threw a -handful of dirt at his tormentor. - -After that the boys plied Gif with questions in regard to the bungalow -at Big Bear Lake and as to where the place was located. - -“All I can tell you is that we’ll take the train to Boston and then -another train to a place called Rocky Run. That’s a small place at the -upper end of the lake. There we’ll take our boats――my father owns three -of them――and row down the lake until we reach the bungalow. The lake, -you know, is several miles long and between a quarter and a half a mile -wide and has a number of islands in it. One of the islands used to have -a fishing club colony on it, but the whole place burned down several -years ago.” - -“Any other places on the lake besides Rocky Run?” - -“Yes. There is the town of Beldane at the lower end. There are also -a number of bungalows at the upper end of the lake and one or two -bungalows on the opposite shore. But taking it generally, the place is -rather a wild one.” - -“That suits me,” said Fred. “The wilder the better.” - -“I wonder if we’ll get a chance at one of those bears,” mused Jack. - -“We’d better take some guns along,” said Fred. - -“Oh, yes, we’ll have to do that!” answered Gif. “My father said he -would send us a list of just what things we ought to take along and -what supplies we ought to get when we reach Rocky Run. There is an old -storekeeper up there named Mumbleton, Mose Mumbleton. He has done many -favors for my father and for the members of the fishing club generally, -and my father said he would rather have us buy our supplies there than -ship them from Beldane or Boston. It would give Mumbleton a chance to -make a little money, and we might find his friendship worth something -to us while we were up there.” - -After that the boys looked over the photographs again and continued to -talk about Big Bear Lake and the good times they expected to have there -until the bell rang for the evening parade. - -Although it was still early in June the night proved an unusually warm -one, and after having prepared himself for the examination in Latin -on the next day Jack found it almost impossible to get to sleep. He -tumbled and tossed on the bed for the best part of an hour and finally -arose, to sit by the open window for a while. - -He had been resting there for perhaps five minutes gazing out dreamily -into the moonlight, when he heard the put-put of a motor-boat on the -river. Then somewhat to his surprise he saw a motor-boat turn in to the -Colby Hall dock. Several figures sprang ashore and hurried into the -boathouse belonging to the military academy. - -“Hello! what does that mean? That can’t be one of our motor-boats,” -murmured the young major to himself. “That looks mighty queer to me.” - -He hesitated for a moment and then aroused his cousins. - -“Seems to me we ought to look into this,” said Fred. “Those fellows may -be nothing but thieves.” - -“If some of our fellows have been out on a lark we don’t want to get -them into trouble,” said Andy. “I move we sneak downstairs and make an -investigation.” - -The others agreed to this, and all quickly donned their shoes and -clothing and then made for the fire-escape, which they so often used in -preference to the regular stairway. - -As they ran across the campus they saw three figures steal forth from -the Colby Hall boathouse. The three figures made for the motor-boat at -the dock, and in a minute more the Rovers heard the motor of the boat -and then saw the craft glide out into the semi-darkness of the night. - -“Now what were they doing at the boathouse?” questioned Jack. - -Struck with a sudden fear, the young major broke into a run, followed -by the others. They dashed into the boathouse, which was dark, and in -one corner saw a faint glare. - -“It’s a fire!” gasped Fred. “Somebody has set the place on fire!” - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - - THE ROVERS AT HOME - - -The young captain of the Colby Hall cadets was right. A small fire was -blazing fiercely in one corner of the boathouse but a few feet away -from where two of the racing shells were stored. - -“Sound the alarm, Randy!” cried Jack. “And you, Andy, run for a pail of -water. Fred and I will get the fire extinguishers.” - -The young cadets had had more than one fire drill and knew exactly how -to go to work to get the best of the incipient conflagration. While -Randy ran off toward Colonel Colby’s cottage to give the alarm, Andy -grabbed up two fire buckets which were already filled and hurried with -them toward the blaze. In the meanwhile Jack ran to the far end of the -boathouse, where was located a fire extinguisher, while Fred sped off -to the gymnasium to get another. - -When Andy arrived with his water he found the blaze mounting up one -side of the boathouse. He dashed the water as high as possible, -realizing that the fire would spread rapidly if it reached the loft -overhead, which was stored with all sorts of combustible material. Then -the youth ran out to refill the buckets at the side of the dock. - -By the time Jack managed to arrive with the fire extinguisher the blaze -was covering one whole end of the boathouse. He got the extinguisher -into action as speedily as possible, squirting the fire destroying -compound where he thought it would do the most good. As Fred appeared -with another extinguisher the bell outside began to ring and half a -dozen men came running toward the boathouse, most of them in their -bathrobes and slippers. - -“How did this happen, Major Rover?” demanded Captain Dale in a somewhat -harsh voice. - -“I’ll tell you after the fire is out, Captain,” answered the young -major of the school battalion. “We’ve got to work quickly here if we’re -going to put this out.” - -“Form a bucket brigade,” ordered Captain Dale, addressing the others -who were arriving. And while this was being done he caught the fire -extinguisher from Fred’s hands and began to spray the contents as high -up as he could reach on the boathouse wall. - -Inside of three minutes the whole school was aroused and the cadets -came tumbling out on the campus in all sorts of dress and undress. As -they came out they were stopped by Fred and Captain Glasby of Company -A, who quickly formed them into a fire brigade and sent them for the -fire buckets and fire ladders. - -“Gee, that’s going to be some blaze!” - -“I hope the boathouse doesn’t burn down and all our boats with it!” - -“Why can’t we get the boats out?” - -“We can! Come on, fellows, quick!” And thereupon part of the crowd -rushed into the boathouse to save whatever could be handled. - -In the meanwhile a hose had been attached to a new water tower near the -gymnasium, and soon a stream from this was directed upon the flames. -For fully ten minutes it seemed to be a toss-up as to whether the -boathouse would be consumed or not. But the professors and the cadets -worked vigorously and presently it was seen that the flames were going -down. - -“Hurrah, boys, we’ve got the best of it!” shouted Jack encouragingly. -“Keep it up! Pass that water along lively!” And the buckets came along -the line so rapidly that it was all three cadets and two professors at -the front could do to empty them. - -At last the spot where the fire had originated was only a smoking and -steaming mass. With the conflagration out it was quite dark in and -around the boathouse and lights had to be lit so the workers could see -what they were doing. - -“I guess it’s out,” said Colonel Colby at last, and gave a sigh of -relief. - -“I’ll place Nixon and Crews on guard with a number of pails of water,” -said Captain Dale. “They can remain here for the rest of the night just -as well as not.” - -“Has any one any idea how this fire started?” demanded the owner of the -school, looking around at the assembled professors and cadets. - -“I have,” answered Jack. “I’m quite sure the place was set on fire.” - -“You surprise me, Major Rover,” answered Colonel Colby. “What have you -to tell?” - -In a few words Jack related his story and then the other Rovers told of -what they knew concerning the affair. As the recital proceeded Colonel -Colby’s brow grew dark. - -“You say there were three persons in that motor-boat?” he questioned. - -“So far as I could see,” answered Jack. “Of course the moonlight isn’t -very strong to-night.” - -“I saw the three fellows as they rushed back to the motor-boat after -they came from the boathouse,” put in Randy. - -“So did I,” added his twin, and Fred said the same. - -“Did any of you recognize any of those persons?” - -At this the Rover boys shook their heads. - -“Did you recognize the motor-boat?” put in Captain Dale. - -At this Jack grew thoughtful and looked at Fred. - -“I don’t like to say as to that,” answered the major of the school -battalion slowly. “I might be mistaken and get the wrong people into -trouble.” - -“But you think you know something?” put in Colonel Colby quickly. - -“I didn’t recognize the motor-boat so far as looks go,” answered Jack. -“It was the peculiar put-put the engine made when the boat came in and -when it went away. You know, motor-boats are apt to have a peculiar -sound of their own.” - -“What did this motor-boat sound like, Rover? If you have any definite -idea I think you ought to let me know.” - -“I don’t want to hide anything, Colonel Colby. In fact, I’m almost as -anxious to find out who set this fire as you are,” went on Jack, with -a little smile. “But I’d hate to accuse anybody wrongly. If, however, -you insist upon knowing what is in my mind, I’ll say that the put-put -of that engine sounded to me like the put-put of one of the Longley -Academy boats.” - -“Longley Academy!” exclaimed Colonel Colby and Captain Dale -simultaneously. - -“Are you sure of this?” demanded the captain. - -“No, I’m not. That’s the reason I didn’t want to say anything about it.” - -“Why should any one from Longley come over here and want to burn down -our boathouse?” demanded the colonel. - -“Maybe they’re sore because they lost those races,” put in Andy. - -“I don’t believe they’d be mean enough to go as far as that,” said the -owner of the institution. “However, I’ll start an investigation the -first thing in the morning.” - -The cadets went back to their quarters and soon the Rover boys were -once more preparing to retire. - -“I wonder if Flanders, Halliday and Sands would be wicked enough to -come over here and start a fire?” questioned Fred. - -“I’d hate to accuse anybody of doing that,” answered Randy. - -“Perhaps it was some rascals who have a grudge against Colonel Colby,” -suggested Jack. - -“Who could have such a grudge as that?” demanded Fred. “He treats all -his hired help fine. I don’t know of a single person around Colby Hall -who doesn’t like the colonel. And all the tradespeople in town like him -too.” - -“I wasn’t thinking of the people who work for him,” answered the young -major. “I was thinking of the fellows who used to be cadets here and -who were fired out――fellows like Werner and Martell.” - -The boys talked the matter over for several minutes, but could arrive -at no conclusion and finally retired. But it was some time before any -of them got to sleep. - -In the morning Colonel Colby, aided by Captain Dale, started his -investigation into the origin of the fire. A hunt was made up and down -the lake for the mysterious motor-boat, and Captain Dale even paid a -visit to Longley Academy. There he was received with decided coldness. - -“None of our boats were out last night. I am sure of that,” said the -head of the newly organized military academy. “To think that any of our -cadets would be guilty of setting fire to your boathouse is ridiculous, -Captain Dale.” - -“I did not say that they were guilty,” answered the captain briefly. -“We are simply trying to get at the bottom of this affair. I am sure if -one of your buildings were burned you would like to find out who did -it.” - -“I think this is simply a move on Colonel Colby’s part to bring Longley -Academy into disrepute,” said the master of the institution frigidly. -“It is an outrageous proceeding! I warn you not to make this matter -public. If you do, you may find yourselves confronting a suit for -damages.” - -“I am not saying anything in public,” returned Captain Dale, and a few -minutes later took his departure. - -Of course the cadets talked the matter over freely among themselves. -A few thought that some of their athletic rivals might have committed -the crime, but the majority were of the opinion that it must have been -done by outsiders, and possibly by those who in years gone by had been -dismissed from the Hall. The actual damage did not amount to more than -two hundred dollars, and Colonel Colby said he would have the boathouse -repaired just as soon as the present school term came to an end. - -At last, much to the cadets’ satisfaction, the examinations were at -an end. All of the Rovers and their friends had acquitted themselves -creditably, passing with from ninety-two to ninety-six per cent. Of the -three cadets at the Hall who did not pass, one was Henry Stowell. But -to this that sneak gave little consideration. - -“Why should I break my head to pass when I’m going to leave Colby Hall -for good in a couple of days?” said Codfish to the few who would listen -to him. “No more of this institution for me! I’m going to a first-class -place this fall,” and he stuck his nose up in the air. - -“We’ll miss you, Codfish,” remarked Andy, who chanced to hear these -words. “We’ll miss you just like a fellow misses the toothache or a -corn on his toe.” - -“Huh! Don’t you talk to me, Andy Rover,” grumbled Codfish. “I know -you!” and then he hurried away without anything more to say. - -It had been decided that the Rovers should return home for over the -Fourth of July, and then they were to meet Gif and Spouter in Boston -for the journey to Big Bear Lake. - -“Good-by to Colby Hall!” cried Randy, when the term had at last come to -an end. “Hurrah for Big Bear Lake!” - -“And hurrah for all the bears we’re going to shoot!” put in his twin. - -“And the fish we’re going to catch!” added Fred. - -“And the jolly times generally we’re going to have!” finished Jack. - -The journey to New York City did not take long, and at the Grand -Central Terminal the boys, as usual, found their mothers awaiting them -with the family automobiles. There was a good deal of hugging and -kissing, and then all drove up Fifth Avenue and over to the elegant -homes on Riverside Drive. - -“Gee, it’s fine to be home again, Mother!” cried Fred. - -“Yes, Fred. Only you don’t like to stay in it after you get here,” -replied his parent fondly. - -“Oh, well, you know a boy has got to be a boy,” he answered. - -That evening there was a grand family party between the boys and their -parents, the girls having already departed for Valley Brook Farm with -Ruth and May. Dick, Tom and Sam Rover wanted to know all about how the -boys had been getting along at the school, and then told a little of -how business matters were going with them. - -“The oil wells in Texas and Oklahoma are doing wonderfully well,” said -Dick Rover in reply to a question from his son. “It was the best work I -ever did to go down into those oil fields.” - -“How about matters in Wall Street?” questioned Randy. - -“Couldn’t be better, Randy,” responded Tom Rover. “Everything seems to -be coming our way now.” - -“Any more trouble with the Martell crowd?” - -“No. Since we got rid of Martell and Brown everything has been going -along swimmingly,” replied Tom Rover. - -“What are you folks going to do this summer?” questioned Andy. “Why -can’t you come and visit us while we’re at Big Bear Lake?” - -“Perhaps we shall,” answered his Uncle Sam. - -“Oh, Dad! that would be fine,” burst out Fred. “Come up, by all means!” - -“Well, we’ll see about that,” answered his father. “Your mother and -your aunts want to go up to Valley Brook Farm first and stay with the -girls.” - -“Oh, bring the whole bunch up to Big Bear Lake!” cried Jack. It must -be confessed though that when he spoke he was thinking mainly of Ruth. -“Gif says it’s a great big bungalow――in fact, a small-sized hotel.” - -“It used to be used for a fishing club, you know,” came from Andy. “It -would be great if we could all be up there together just like when we -were out at Big Horn Ranch.” - -“Well, that’s something we’ll have to think over,” said Dick Rover. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - - ON THE WAY TO BIG BEAR LAKE - - -“Off at last for Big Bear Lake!” - -“This is the life, boys! We ought to have a dandy time!” - -“Right you are, Fred! Oh, my, what fishing!” - -“Yes, and what boating and bathing, Andy!” - -“I wonder if Gif and Spouter will be on hand to meet us?” - -“They said so in that telegram I got last night,” answered Jack. - -“Sure, they’ll be on hand,” broke in Randy. “They never disappointed us -yet.” - -The four Rover boys were seated in a Pullman car that was whisking them -rapidly toward Boston. Each had a suitcase with him and numerous other -things to be taken to the camp. - -Fourth of July had come and gone with its usual festivities. In his -grip Andy carried an imitation giant firecracker filled with nothing -more dangerous than collars, neckties and handkerchiefs. With this -giant firecracker he had scared several of the servants half to death, -thinking he was going to blow up the kitchen of the house in which he -lived. - -It was an ideal summer day and the boys sat by the windows enjoying the -scenery as it rushed past them. All were in the best of humor. - -“This isn’t like going out to Big Horn Ranch,” said Fred, a bit -wistfully. “I’m afraid we’ll miss the cattle and the cowboys and all -that.” - -“I’d like to get a crack at a bear,” came from Fred. “Gee, wouldn’t it -be a feather in our cap to bring down a big fellow!” - -“How about it if the bear came along and brought you down by hugging -you to death?” questioned Jack dryly. - -“Pooh! who’s afraid of bears?” answered the stout young Rover. - -The boys had left New York after an early breakfast and one o’clock -found them at the South Station of the Hub. As they came forth from the -smoky train shed, suitcases and bundles in hand, Gif and Spouter rushed -forward to meet them. - -“Well, I see you’ve got here safe and sound!” cried Gif. - -“Now we can catch the two o’clock train for Rocky Run,” put in Spouter. -“Come ahead. We can get a couple of taxicabs right outside.” - -“I thought maybe you’d want to stay in Boston all night and start for -Rocky Run in the morning,” remarked Randy, who had not visited the Hub -many times and who would have liked to look around the city. - -“Oh, come ahead! We want to get to Rocky Run as soon as we can!” cried -Spouter. “Don’t you say so too, Jack?” - -“It’s up to Gif,” answered Jack. “We’re his guests, you know.” - -“Oh, stow that, Jack,” answered Gif quickly. “We’re going up to -Big Bear Lake on an equal footing. Nobody is to be boss. This is a -free-for-all,” and he gave a happy little laugh. - -Having piled into two taxicabs, it did not take Gif and his guests long -to reach the North Station. Here they procured tickets for Rocky Run -and then found they had still half an hour to wait for a train. - -“Let’s get some books and magazines to take along and maybe a game or -two,” suggested Fred. “We may want something to read or to play if we -strike bad weather. You know how dull a week of rain can be in camp.” - -The boys procured a number of newspapers and magazines and some -packages of candy, and in a little while the train for Rocky Run -rolled into the station. All this while Gif was looking around -anxiously. - -“What’s up, Gif? Are you expecting somebody?” questioned Jack. - -“I am. But it looks as if he wasn’t coming,” answered Gif. “It’s just -like him. He’s the slowest fellow I know. But dad said we might as well -take him along. There’s nothing much for him to do at home just now.” - -“Who are you talking about?” - -“I’m talking about Jeff, our hired man. Dad said we might as well take -him up to the bungalow to do the cooking and some of the other work.” - -“Gee! a colored man, eh?” exclaimed Andy. “We’re to go up there in -style!” - -“I’d rather not have him along,” answered Gif. “But dad said we might -as well take him and make him earn his salary. You see the folks are -not at home a great deal, and that doesn’t leave Jeff much to do.” - -As Gif was speaking a tall, ungainly-looking colored man, wearing -a pepper and salt suit and a light derby hat, shuffled into view, -carrying a valise in one hand and a bundle done up in a newspaper in -the other. As he came closer he began to smile languidly. - -“I’d an awful walk reachin’ here, Mistah Gif,” he remarked, as he let -his bag and bundle drop. “Awful walk! I got all tangled up in them -roundabout streets. Never did see no streets like these here ones in -Boston.” - -“I thought you wouldn’t get here, Jeff,” answered Gif. “Get aboard. The -train is about to start. Boys, this is Jefferson Adams Lincoln Wilson, -always called Jeff for short. Jeff, this is Sir Spouter and these are -the Mr. Rovers, number one, two, three and four.” - -“Yes, sir! Yes, sir!” responded the lanky colored man, bowing -profoundly all around. “Yes, sir! One, two, three, four! That’s easy, -yes, sir,” and then he followed the boys as they boarded the train. - -“How far is it to Rocky Run?” questioned Fred, after the crowd had -seated themselves with Jeff just behind them. - -“It will take us about four hours to get there on this train,” answered -Gif. “We run as far as Hammingwood on the main line and then switch off -to Rocky Run.” - -“In that case we won’t reach Rocky Run until almost dark,” answered -Jack. “Do you think we can get to the bungalow to-night?” - -“Dad said if we couldn’t we were to ask old Mose Mumbleton if he -couldn’t put us up all night. He said he was almost certain Mose could -accommodate us, for he often accommodates fishing parties.” - -“Then that’s all right. We wouldn’t want to get lost on the lake in the -darkness,” put in Randy. - -“Why not? It would be a barrel of fun,” added his twin carelessly. - -“Has Jeff ever been up there?” asked Fred in a low tone. - -“Oh, yes. He’s been up there several times. That’s one reason dad -wanted us to have him along. He said Jeff could show us where the best -fishing places were and all that sort of thing. Besides, Jeff has quite -a reputation when it comes to serving fish. That’s his specialty.” - -“Well, we’ve got to catch the fish before we have ’em served,” remarked -Jack dryly. - -“There’s only one trouble with Jeff. He’s very lazy, and apt to go to -sleep if you give him half a chance. Otherwise, he isn’t a half bad -sort.” - -The Rover boys and Spouter soon had evidence of Jeff’s failing, for the -train had been traveling for less than half an hour when, on glancing -back, the boys saw that Jeff was leaning back in the seat with eyes -closed, evidently sleeping soundly. - -“I’ll bet he isn’t of a worrying disposition,” was Fred’s comment. - -“I don’t believe he ever worried about anything,” answered Gif. - -“I think I’ll give him a little bit to worry about,” murmured Andy, -tearing a long slip of transparent paper from one of the candy packages -the boys had purchased. Taking the slip, Andy rolled it into a long -taper with a pointed end. Then he walked down the aisle and took a -place in a vacant seat directly behind the sleeping colored man. -Reaching over, he began to tickle Jeff in his ear. The colored man paid -no attention for a few seconds. But then, very slowly, his hand came up -and he brushed his ear. This operation was repeated several times, and -caused all of the boys to snicker. Then Andy reached over and tickled -Jeff in the nose. - -Ker choo! Ker choo! Jeff suddenly awoke with a start and began to -sneeze vigorously. As he did this, Andy dropped out of sight while the -others pretended to be busy with their papers and magazines. - -“My, my! I must be ketchin’ cold,” murmured the colored man. “I guess -I’d better close that window,” and he suited the action to the word -by bringing the window down with a bang. Then he settled himself for -another nap. - -Again the end of the pointed taper came in contact with his ear, and -again Jeff slapped not once but several times at an imaginary fly. Then -once more Andy applied the pointed paper to his nose. - -This time the sneezing that followed brought more results than had been -expected. Poor Jeff bobbed up suddenly, and then his head came down -violently in contact with the seat in front of him. - -“My land sakes!” he wailed. “What am the mattah with my nose?” and then -he sneezed again. - -“You sure are catching a cold, Jeff. Better take another seat where -there’s less draft,” suggested Gif. - -“I knowed yeste’day I was ketchin’ cold,” answered the colored man -slowly. “I was in the kitchen at your house workin’ and they had the -window open. I was sure I was goin’ to ketch cold. I can’t stand no -draft nohow,” and he shuffled away to another seat in the extreme -corner of the car. - -“Some fun, Andy, I’ll say,” remarked Randy, with glistening eyes, -as his twin rejoined him. “I think Jeff is going to give us many a -pleasant time while we’re up at Big Bear Lake.” - -“I’ll say so,” was the quick reply. - -“You take care that Jeff doesn’t discover what you’re up to,” -admonished Jack. “He may not like it a bit.” - -“Oh, Jeff is too lazy to notice most things,” answered Gif. “Just the -same, I wouldn’t stir him up too much,” he added, after a moment’s -reflection. - -Quickly the afternoon wore away, and a little after six o’clock the -boys arrived at the little station of Rocky Run. Here they alighted, -followed by Jeff, who had all he could do to carry his own baggage and -did not attempt to assist any of the others. - -The lads found that Rocky Run consisted of nothing more than half a -dozen houses, a general store and post-office, the railroad station, -and half a dozen boathouses. Over the store was the sign: - - MOSES MUMBLETON - - _General Merchandise_ - _Laundry Agency_ - _Rocky Run Post-Office_ - _Justice of the Peace_ - _Notary Public_ - _Boats to Hire_ - _Orders taken for Cord Wood_ - -“Looks as if Mose did a little bit of everything,” was Jack’s comment, -with a grin. - -“He’s about the whole shooting match up here, I guess,” answered Gif. -“Come on! Let’s leave our baggage here in a heap and go over to the -store.” - -With Gif and Jack in advance, the six boys left the railroad station -and walked across a broad roadway to where the general store was -located. This was in a long and broad two-story wooden building with a -one-story addition in the rear. In front was a piazza with two steps, a -broad double door, and two show windows filled with various goods which -had evidently been there on exhibition for some time. - -As the boys entered the establishment it was so dark inside they could -for the moment make out but little. Then they saw an elderly man with -a heavy gray beard leaning on a broad counter in the rear talking -earnestly to two young fellows who were evidently customers. - -“Well, that’s the price,” the man behind the counter was saying. “I -can’t sell those goods for any less.” - -“It’s a fierce price, I’ll say,” remarked one of the would-be customers. - -“We could get those things much cheaper in the city,” put in the other -youth standing at the counter. - -At the sound of the two voices Jack clutched Gif by the arm. - -“What do you know about this, Gif!” he gasped. “Am I dreaming, or is -that really Tommy Flanders?” - -“It’s Flanders all right enough,” answered Gif. “And Paul Halliday is -with him. Now what in the world brought those two fellows up here?” - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - - ON BIG BEAR LAKE - - -As the Colby Hall cadets came closer, Tommy Flanders and Paul Halliday -looked around at them. - -“Hello! what do you know about this?” cried Flanders. - -“What brought you fellows up here?” put in Halliday. - -“Haven’t we a right to be here if we want to?” questioned Jack coolly. -He did not like the tone of voice in which the boys from Longley -Academy had addressed them. - -“Oh, I suppose you have a right to come to Big Bear Lake,” answered -Tommy Flanders. “Just the same, I don’t give you any credit for -following us.” - -“As a matter of fact, we’re not following you,” retorted Gif. “We -didn’t even know you were here. Have you come to stay?” - -“Have we come to stay!” burst out Halliday. “That’s a good one! You -know well enough we came to stay.” - -“You can’t pull the wool over our eyes,” growled Flanders. “If you have -come up to Big Bear Lake for a vacation, you simply came to follow us.” - -By this time the others had come into the general store, adding to the -surprise of the cadets from Longley, who glared at them darkly. - -“If it isn’t Tommy Flanders and Paul Halliday!” burst out Randy. “What -do you know about this!” - -“They must be staying up here,” returned Spouter. “Otherwise it isn’t -likely that they would be at the store.” - -“Where are you fellows stopping?” questioned Halliday, as he approached -Fred. - -“We’re not stopping anywhere just yet. We just got off the train,” -answered Fred. - -“But you’re going to stay at the lake, aren’t you?” - -“Yes, if you want to know.” - -“On the east shore?” - -“No; on the west shore.” - -“Huh! you didn’t dare to come over to where we are located, did you?” -sneered Halliday. - -“Then you’re located over on the east shore, are you?” questioned Gif. - -“Of course we are. At the old Willoughby camp. You know that as well as -I do. Why, half the cadets at Colby Hall knew our bunch was coming up -here.” - -“Your bunch?” demanded Jack, with interest. “How many of you?” - -“Ten so far; and three or four others are coming later.” - -“Henry Stowell is coming to-morrow to join us,” remarked Halliday. -“He’s quitting Colby, you know, and coming to Longley this fall.” - -“Well, you’re welcome to Codfish,” announced Randy quickly. - -“Oh, he’s all right if only you didn’t tease him too much,” answered -the youth who had at one time been Randy’s fellow cadet. - -In the midst of the talk two other boys arrived, Billy Sands and a -youth named Ted Maxwell, who was a captain at Longley. Maxwell was a -tall, quiet fellow and quite gentlemanly in contrast to his schoolmates. - -“Yes, about a dozen or fifteen of us are to spend the summer at the -lake,” said Maxwell to Jack, as he shook hands. “Ten of us came up -three days ago, and the others are coming the beginning of next week. -We have hired the old Willoughby place, which, as perhaps you know, has -two little bungalows on it and a little boathouse. We hope to have a -dandy time.” - -“We won’t have such a good time if we know these fellows are going to -be up here,” growled Halliday. - -“Oh, I don’t know,” answered Ted Maxwell cheerfully. “We might get up -some rowing and swimming contests and things like that.” - -“I didn’t come up here to go into any contests,” broke in Tommy -Flanders. “I came up to take it easy and have a good time.” - -“That’s me, too,” put in Billy Sands. “I’m just going to take it easy -every day.” - -“Well, a little exercise won’t hurt anybody,” answered Maxwell. “I -don’t want to go stale, and neither do you fellows, if any of you -expect to make the football team this fall.” - -Maxwell asked the Colby cadets where they were going to locate, and -Gif and the others told him about the old fishing club bungalow and of -their plans for a grand outing. - -“That fishing club outfit is directly across the lake from our camp,” -said Maxwell. “We were rowing over that way only yesterday.” - -“I hope the camp is in good condition,” said Gif anxiously, wondering -if Flanders and his cronies had visited the place and possibly done -some harm. - -“It seemed to be. We didn’t land.” - -A few words more followed and then the crowd from Longley departed, -after purchasing a few things from Mr. Mumbleton. They moved down past -the railroad station to the lake and there set off in two rowboats for -their camp. - -“This is a fine state of affairs,” grumbled Gif. “I don’t know whether -we’ll have a good time or not with those fellows around.” - -“Oh, well, they’ll be on the other side of the lake,” answered Fred. -“How much of a distance between the two places?” - -“The lake is about half a mile wide where our camp is located, and -midway between the two places there are a number of small islands which -my father used to call the Cat and Kittens.” - -Mose Mumbleton had listened with interest to what all the boys had had -to say. Now he shook hands cordially with Gif, who speedily introduced -the others. In the meantime Jeff had calmly proceeded to make himself -at home on the piazza of the general store, nodding peacefully as he -sat with his back against one of the posts. - -“I thought you might know that Flanders boy,” said the old storekeeper. -“He goes to a military academy, too.” - -“Yes, we know the whole bunch; but we didn’t know they were coming up -here.” - -“The folks around here don’t like Mr. Flanders any too well,” continued -the storekeeper. “You see, Flanders bought the old Micwic factory on -Flat Rock Creek, and they say he is going to put it in operation again. -The bungalow colony is up in arms against such a move. They don’t want -any factory around here, nor do they want any factory hands locating -along the lake.” - -“Where is that factory located?” questioned Fred. - -“It’s just below where those boys have their camp――about halfway -between the camp and this place,” answered the storekeeper. - -“See here,” said Gif, motioning Jack and Spouter to one side. “Now -that we know that crowd is across the lake from our bungalow, don’t -you think it would be better if we went up to the camp without further -delay? I want to be certain that they haven’t visited the place and -upset things. I wouldn’t put it past them to do it. We can come down -here to-morrow and get our supplies. Of course, we could take up a few -things now, just enough for breakfast and maybe lunch.” - -“That suits me,” answered Jack. - -“Yes, let’s get to the camp, by all means. I want to see what kind of -place it is,” answered Spouter. - -As a consequence of this, Gif asked the old storekeeper about their -boats. - -“I got ’em all ready for you just as soon as I received your letter,” -said Mr. Mumbleton. “They’re locked up in my boathouse, and I can get -’em out in a few minutes.” - -“Then let us have a few groceries and things like that and we’ll -be off,” returned Gif. “We’ll come back to-morrow for our regular -supplies. We have a list all made out, and I’ll leave it with you.” - -“Suits me.” - -Thereupon the boys obtained some bread, coffee, sugar, condensed milk, -eggs, bacon and a few other things which were placed in a couple of -empty boxes. Then all went back to the railroad station for their -baggage. - -“Here’s a sample of what we can expect from those other fellows,” -growled Andy, as he pointed to the railroad platform. On their baggage -had been piled some dirty brushwood and leaves. - -“Well, let’s be thankful they didn’t do anything worse,” was Randy’s -comment. “They might have hidden the stuff from us, or something like -that.” - -“I guess they didn’t dare!” burst out Jack. “They knew we’d be after -them in a jiffy if they did anything like that.” - -Brushing off the baggage, the boys, followed by Jeff, made their way to -Mose Mumbleton’s boathouse. The old storekeeper was already on hand -and had brought forth three rowboats with six pairs of oars. - -“I went over each one of the boats carefully,” said the storekeeper. -“You’ll find ’em in apple-pie condition.” - -“All right. And don’t forget that we’ll be back to-morrow for our -regular supplies,” answered Gif. “Come on, fellows. It’s getting late -and it’ll be dark before we reach camp.” - -Gif was right about the darkness, because the sun was already sinking -behind the forest to the westward, casting long shadows across the -bosom of Big Bear Lake. - -“Wonder if we’ll see any bears on our way up,” came from Andy, as he -took his seat in one of the boats. - -“Sure! we’ll see a dozen of them,” returned his twin, with a grin. -“They’ll all be lined up on the shore bidding us welcome.” - -“Don’t forget, Jeff, you’re to row one of the boats,” cried Gif gayly. - -“Does you want me to row that boat all alone?” questioned the colored -man doubtfully. - -“Why, of course! You’re to row the boat and you are to pull the other -two boats, too.” - -“What! Me pull the boat all alone and tow the two other boats too?” -questioned Jeff, in consternation. “I can’t do it, nohow! No man -could!” - -“Oh, Gif is only fooling, Jeff,” put in Spouter. “We can do the rowing -just as well as not. We’ll let you cook supper for us when we land.” - -There had been little wind during the day, but now it seemed to spring -up, sighing drearily through the trees lining the shore. Then the sun -suddenly sank behind a heavy bank of clouds. - -“Doesn’t look as if we’d have any moonlight to-night,” remarked Andy. - -“Seems to me we’re going to have quite a blow,” answered Fred, as he -glanced through the tree-tops at the clouds. - -“Come on, fellows! Everybody on the job!” cried Gif. - -He and Fred, along with Jeff, were in the first boat to get off. -Quickly Andy and Jack followed, and then came Randy and Spouter. - -The course lay along the lakeshore and then past a broad cove where -there was a string of small islands. As they passed the last of these -islands they found the wind increasing and suddenly saw some whitecaps -ahead. - -“We’re in for a regular blow!” cried Gif. - -“How far have we still to row?” called out Randy. - -“About a mile.” - -“Oh, that isn’t so bad.” - -“We’ve got to go slow around here,” called back Gif. “The lake is -shallow and there are a great number of snags. Don’t hit any of them -and upset.” - -As the boys continued to row the wind increased in violence, and soon -whitecaps surrounded them. - -“Maybe we’d bettah pull in closer to shore,” suggested Jeff, as one of -the whitecaps came over the side of the rowboat, covering them with -spray. - -“Oh, we’ll head straight for the bungalow,” answered Gif. “Come on, -Fred, bend to it!” and they began to row with a will and the others -followed. - -A quarter of a mile more was covered when the wind seemed suddenly to -descend on the three boats with added violence. - -“Gee! we can’t make any headway against this,” gasped Fred. - -“Hadn’t we better turn toward shore?” called out Andy, from the second -boat, which was close behind. - -“Perhaps we’d better,” was the answer. “I don’t believe this blow will -last any great length of time.” - -The third boat had dropped a little behind and was almost lost to view -in the fast-gathering darkness. - -“They’re turning to shore,” said Spouter to Randy. “We might as well do -the same thing.” - -To turn the craft in that heavy wind was not easy. A wave came dashing -over the side, wetting them from the knees down. Then the boat whirled -around and all at once slid up on a snag. - -“Look out! We’re going over!” cried Spouter, and the next instant the -rowboat upset and he and Randy were floundering in the lake. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - - TO THE RESCUE - - -“Help! Help!” The cry came from Spouter, who was floundering around in -the semi-darkness of the fast-increasing storm. He had been pitched -overboard so suddenly that he had had no time in which to protect -himself. Consequently he had scraped his arm on the fallen tree which -had caused the overturning of the rowboat. - -“What’s that cry?” came from Gif. - -“Somebody calling for help,” answered Andy. “Look! One of our boats has -upset!” - -“It’s the boat that had Spouter and Randy in it,” came from Jack. - -“They must have struck one of the snags Gif told us about,” remarked -Fred. “Come! We’d better turn back and see what’s doing.” - -In spite of the violence of the wind and the whitecaps on the lake none -of the others imagined that Spouter and Randy were in any great danger. -In fact, they were inclined to look at the affair as a joke. They knew -that both of the cadets who had gone overboard could swim well. - -“Help! Help!” came again from Spouter. “Help! Quick!” - -“What is it, Spouter?” called back Jack. “Are you hurt? How about -Randy?” - -“Randy’s in trouble. He’s caught on a snag! Come quick!” - -“Randy in trouble?” The cry came from several of the boys, and as -quickly as possible those in the first two boats turned around and made -for the spot where the upsetting had taken place. - -What Spouter had said about Randy was true. When the boat upset Randy -had gone under and then come to the surface. He had attempted to strike -out for either the boat or the shore, and had then been caught by a -limb of the submerged tree. Then, because of this and because the boat -was pounding against it, the submerged tree had in some way turned -over, carrying the upper part of Randy’s body under the surface of the -lake. His feet were in the air, and he was kicking around vigorously -trying to extricate himself from his perilous position. - -It took those in the two remaining boats but a few seconds to reach -the scene of the catastrophe. They beheld Spouter working frantically, -trying to pull Randy to the surface. - -“What is it?” came from Jack. - -“He’s caught! I can’t bring him up!” gasped Spouter. “He’s caught on a -tree limb, I guess.” - -“Shove that boat back!” ordered Gif, and then reached out with his oar -to hold the craft in check, for the upturned boat was being driven by -the wind directly over the spot where Randy and Spouter were struggling. - -It was certainly a critical moment, and no one understood it better -than did Jack. The tree had bobbed around, and for a few seconds -Randy’s head had come to the surface, giving him a chance for fresh -air. Then the tree had settled once more and poor Randy’s head had -disappeared as before. Jack hesitated only an instant, and then sprang -into the lake beside Spouter. - -“What is it, Spouter? Can you make out?” he questioned quickly. “Is his -arm or part of his body caught, or is it only his clothing?” - -“It’s his arm. It’s twisted around one of the tree limbs,” gasped the -other. - -Taking a deep breath, Jack allowed himself to sink down. He felt around -in the darkness under water and found Randy’s free arm. The boy was -doing his best to liberate the other arm, which was held tightly in a -crotch of the submerged tree. Close beside the limb was a sharp rock, -and the force of the overturning tree was holding Randy against this. - -“I’ve got to get him out somehow,” thought the young major, and, -pressing himself against the rock, he pushed with all his might on the -tree limb, trying to force it back. Then he gave his cousin’s body a -shove. Then, unable to hold his breath longer, he came to the surface. - -As Jack did this the body of Randy appeared two yards away. He was all -but overcome when Spouter went to the rescue, followed by Fred. Between -them they managed to hoist the gasping youth into one of the boats. -Then they got into another craft, and Jack did likewise. - -By this time the wind was blowing more furiously than ever and the -cadets found it all they could do to get to shore. Fortunately they -found a small inlet where, among the bushes, it was comparatively -quiet. In the meanwhile the upturned boat drifted away and was lost to -sight in the darkness. - -“Is Randy all right?” questioned Gif anxiously, flashing a searchlight -he carried. - -“He’s pretty well used up,” returned Fred. “But I think he’ll come -around.” - -An instant later Randy gave a deep gasp and then opened his eyes. Then -he commenced to cough and presently sat up. - -By this time it had begun to rain and the boys could see that they were -in for a sudden summer storm. At first the rain came down gently, but -soon there was a heavy downpour and all were glad to seek the shelter -of some overhanging trees. - -In the meanwhile several of the boys did what they could for poor -Randy. He felt rather weak from his thrilling experience, and had -little to say. But they knew he would get over it, and for this they -were exceedingly thankful. - -“Gee! if he’d been drowned I don’t know what we should have done,” Jack -said, with a shudder. - -“Please don’t mention it, Jack!” returned Andy. “If anything like that -had happened to Randy I’d never have been able to go home and face -mother and father.” - -“It shows how careful we’ve got to be when we’re out on this lake,” -came from Fred. “Gif warned us about those snags.” - -“This is the only part of the lake where those snags exist,” said -Gif. “The rest of the lake is perfectly clear and deep enough for any -ordinary boat. Father used to warn us against coming up along this -shore. He always said it was much safer to go outside, even if one -rowed around some of those islands.” - -“And I’ll say your father was right!” returned Spouter. “I think if -we’d taken the outside route we’d have been perfectly safe even in the -wind.” - -“If you young gen’lemen wants to walk to the bungalow there’s a path -through the woods jest behind here,” announced Jeff presently. The -accident had scared him very much. “Of course it would be a wet walk, -but you could make it. It ain’t more’n a mile at the most.” - -“Well, we’ll either have to do that or else stay here all night,” said -Gif. - -“What about that lost boat?” questioned Jack. - -“We can’t do anything about that in the wind and the darkness, Jack. -We’ll have to wait until the storm is over and it grows light.” - -“And what about my suitcase and that one belonging to Randy? They both -went overboard when the boat upset,” put in Spouter mournfully. - -“Maybe we can fish them up if the lake isn’t too deep,” suggested Fred. -“But we’ll want to do it in good weather and when it is light. We don’t -want to take any more chances with those snags.” - -“What about you, Randy? Do you think you can walk to the bungalow?” -questioned Jack kindly. - -“I can try,” was the brave response. “I think I can walk part of the -way, anyhow.” - -“We can carry you the rest of the way if we have to,” answered Jack. -“In fact, I can start to carry you right now,” he added. - -But Randy would not submit to this, and so the whole crowd started off -through the woods on foot, Jeff and Gif leading the way. They carried -their suitcases with them, but left the bundles behind. - -By the aid of the searchlight it was comparatively easy to find the -path through the woods, and once on this they found walking not so bad. -Toward the end of the journey Randy lagged a little, and thereupon Jack -insisted that his cousin get on his back. - -When they finally reached the bungalow they found the long, low, -one-story building in absolute darkness. The front door had two -padlocks upon it, and Gif produced the keys given to him by his father -and unlocked the portal and threw it open. Then he threw the rays of -the searchlight into the living room. At once came a scurry of little -feet and then several dark objects scuttled through an open doorway -toward the rear of the building. - -“What were they?” questioned Spouter quickly. - -“I don’t know. Either rats or squirrels. Anyway, they’re gone,” -answered Gif. “Come on in out of the rain,” for the wind was blowing -the rain well under the wide porch of the bungalow. - -By the illumination afforded by the flashlight the boys could see that -the living room of the bungalow was plainly but neatly furnished with -a big square table, several chairs and two long benches. To one side -was a large fireplace on which some wood had been placed ready for -lighting. - -“We’ll soon have this place looking more comfortable,” said Gif. “We’ll -get a good fire started, and then we can dry our clothing. In the -meantime Jeff can go into the kitchen and stir things up there.” - -“How are you going to get a meal with the grub left behind?” questioned -Andy. - -“Oh, there’s always something of some sort here, isn’t there, Jeff?” - -“Was last time I was here,” answered the colored man. “We always left -some stuff in the tin canisters and in some glass jars, so that the -mice and rats and squirrels couldn’t get at ’em.” - -Two lamps were lit, and then they lighted the fire in the big -chimneyplace. Soon the flames were roaring merrily, and then the lads -began to take off some of their clothing. Randy was glad to disrobe and -wrap himself in a blanket from one of the beds. - -“I can’t help but think how close I was to drowning,” he whispered to -Fred. “It makes me shiver every time I think of it!” - -“Don’t mention it!” was the reply. “We’ve got to be awfully careful -after this, Randy.” - -“You bet!” - -As soon as his guests had been made as comfortable as circumstances -permitted in the living room, Gif went out into the kitchen to learn -what Jeff was doing. He found the colored man building a fire in an -old-fashioned cookstove which had been in use in the bungalow for many -years. - -“Ain’t very much to eat, I’ll tell you that,” said the colored man. -“Got a little coffee and sugar and some canned corn and some sardines.” - -“Well, I brought a big loaf of bread along and some crackers from that -box we had,” answered Gif. “We’ll have to make out somehow. It’s better -than nothing. I’m thinking the storm will clear away by morning, and if -it does we can get out early and rescue that stuff we left behind.” - -“Ain’t no way to do,” grumbled Jeff. “We ought to’ve stayed down to Mr. -Mumbleton’s place. If we’d have done that there wouldn’t have been no -accident nor nothin’.” - -“Well, we’re here, and we’ve got to make the best of it, Jeff,” -answered Gif briefly. He was by no means pleased to think that the -colored man had been “wished on them” by his father. - -Gif returned to the living room, leaving Jeff to prepare the evening -meal as best he could. He proceeded to take off more of his garments, -hanging them where they might dry before the open fire. In the -meanwhile all could hear the wind sighing mournfully through the trees -that surrounded the big bungalow and hear the rain coming down on the -roof as steadily as ever. - -“Well, we’re much better off here than if we had stayed in the woods, -that’s sure,” said Jack, as he stretched out on a bench in front of the -fire. “This will be fine when once we get settled and have everything -to work with.” - -“I wonder if those other fellows got back to the Willoughby camp,” -mused Fred. - -“I don’t see why not. They started long before we did, and they don’t -have any snags on that side of the lake,” answered Gif. - -The boys could hear Jeff moving around the kitchen and they heard -the clatter of kettles and pans as the colored man was preparing the -evening meal. Then, of a sudden, they heard Jeff let out a wild yell. - -“Hi! Hi! I’s killed! I’s killed!” roared the colored man. “Save me! -Save me! I’s killed!” - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - AT THE BUNGALOW - - -The uproar in the kitchen was so terrific that all the boys in the -living room of the bungalow leaped to their feet in alarm. - -“I’s killed! I’s killed!” roared Jeff. “I’s stung to death!” and, with -a clattering of a kettle on the floor, the colored man came dashing -into the living room flourishing a frying pan in one hand. - -“What is it, Jeff? What has happened?” questioned Gif. - -“It’s a snake! A great big long snake! Right on the shelf over the -stove!” wailed Jeff. He dropped the frying pan on the floor. “He done -stung me on the hand and on the arm! I’s a dead man!” and he began to -moan pitifully. - -“What kind of a snake was it, Jeff?” - -“Did he rattle?” - -“Was it a blacksnake?” - -“I don’t know what he was! He was behind some old newspapers and -magazines! I done put my hand up there to get down a salt-shaker and -he pushed his head out and stung me――stung me twice, right on the -hand and on the wrist. I’s a dead man! Somebody run for a doctor. If -I don’t gets a doctor I’ll be dead before mornin’,” and Jeff began to -move around the living room, swinging his injured hand and moaning and -groaning loudly. - -Of course all of the boys were alarmed. They had had several adventures -with snakes, some of them poisonous, and they knew that all that Jeff -said might be true. On the other hand, they realized that the snake -might be almost harmless. - -Although they had left a large part of their luggage behind when -starting on the walk through the woods, they had brought with them -a shotgun and a pistol. Grabbing up the shotgun, Jack walked to the -kitchen door. - -“Flash your light in, Gif,” he said, for the illumination made by the -kerosene lamp in the kitchen was rather dim. “If that snake is still on -the shelf a dose of shot at such close quarters will soon finish him.” - -With caution the two boys advanced into the kitchen of the bungalow. At -first Gif flashed the light all over the floor, and especially in the -corners. - -“What about that thing over there, Jack?” he exclaimed suddenly. - -“Only a dirty dishcloth,” answered the Rover boy. - -Having made sure that no snake was lurking on the floor of the kitchen, -Gif picked up a broom that was handy. - -“I’ll shove the stuff off the shelf with this,” he said. “If you see -anything of the snake, blaze away.” - -“I sure will,” answered Jack, raising the double-barreled shotgun and -placing his finger on one of the triggers. - -The others had crowded to the doorway to see what was taking place, -leaving Jeff still moaning and groaning in the living room. The colored -man was sure that he was going to die――that he had been poisoned. - -Holding up the searchlight so that the rays fell full upon the kitchen -shelf, Gif elevated the end of the broom, and then, with a quick -motion, sent the newspapers and magazines flying to the floor at one -side of the stove. - -As the mass of reading matter came down some dirt and a small wiggling -object not over two feet long came with it. Jack was ready to fire, but -suddenly thought better of it and, leaping forward, placed his foot on -the object. - -“Just a plain little garter snake,” he said, with a laugh. “If I had -shot it there wouldn’t have been enough left to show Jeff.” - -“Maybe the big snake is among the papers,” suggested Fred, who stood -just behind Gif. - -“We’ll soon see,” returned Gif, and with the broom he scattered the -papers and magazines in every direction and with it a quantity of dust -and cobwebs. But nothing in the way of a reptile appeared. - -“Here, give me that snake,” said Gif, after they had looked around the -floor carefully. And catching the little reptile by the tail he snapped -it into the air, almost severing the head from the body. Then, still -holding the snake, he went into the other room. - -“Here’s the thing that stung you, Jeff,” he said coolly. “Those stings -won’t hurt you any more than the sting from a good big mosquito. You -ought to be ashamed of yourself for getting so scared over nothing,” he -added, a bit more sternly. - -Jeff was crouched before the fire, rocking to and fro and moaning. Now -he looked up with staring eyes at the little snake Gif was holding. - -“Tha――tha――that ain’t the snake what stung me,” he faltered. - -“Yes, it is, Jeff. We just got it out of that bunch of papers on the -shelf. There isn’t another snake anywhere around. How this little thing -got in and on the shelf, I don’t know. Must have crawled in through -some little hole in the floor or the wall.” - -“I――I――I’m certain sure it was a big snake what stung me,” mumbled the -colored man. - -“Oh, Jeff, you’re full of tacks!” answered Jack. “Go on back into the -kitchen and look for yourself.” - -“A little snake like that couldn’t harm anybody,” came from Andy. “Why, -a hundred of ’em wouldn’t be any worse than a bunch of mosquitoes!” - -Jeff looked rather sheepish. He examined his hand and his wrist, and -then moved rather slowly toward the kitchen. - -“I never did like no snakes,” he said. “I had a cousin once down South -got bit by a moccasin and he didn’t live no time at all. When snakes is -dangerous they’s dangerous, and I don’t want none of ’em around me.” - -“If you’re afraid to go into the kitchen and get us something to eat, -I’ll go in there myself,” said Gif sharply. - -“Oh, I’s goin’! I’s goin’!” answered the colored man hastily. “We’ll -have supper in a few minutes. Ain’t much to cook, as I done told you -before.” Then he resumed his preparations for the repast. - -Even when it was ready the supper did not amount to a great deal. -However, the boys managed to make it do, and, thoroughly tired out, -were glad enough to go to bed early. - -As Gif had told them, the bungalow was a low, rambling affair. On -each side of the big living room were three bedrooms and there were -more bedrooms in the rear. Behind the bungalow was a long, low shed -which, Gif explained, had occasionally been used for “the overflow” of -visitors to the fishing club resort. - -The boys decided that they would bunk together, two in a room, thus -occupying two rooms on one side of the big living apartment and one -room on the other. Jeff was to use a small room directly off of the -kitchen. - -“I’s goin’ to make sure there ain’t no snakes in my bed,” he announced -when getting ready to retire. - -The two fires had dried out the bungalow thoroughly, and, utterly worn -out with their day’s exertions, the Rover boys and their chums slept -soundly until nearly eight o’clock the next morning. When they arose -they found that the storm had cleared away and that the sun was shining -as brightly as ever. - -“This is something like!” declared Fred, as he went out on the porch of -the bungalow and stretched himself. “My, what a pretty view!” - -It was all of that, and the other boys came out to gaze upon the scene -before they finished their toilets. They could look up and down the -long lake for miles. In front of them were the pretty little islands -known as the Cat and Kittens, all covered thickly with brushwood. - -“If it wasn’t for the islands we could look right over to the -Willoughby camp,” said Gif. “It’s right in that direction,” and he -pointed with his hand. - -“Looks to me as if we were going to have rival camps,” was Jack’s -comment. - -“I hope those Longley fellows keep their distance,” came from Fred. “We -didn’t come up here to have our outing spoiled by Flanders, Sands and -that bunch.” - -There was very little to eat for breakfast, and this being so, the lads -resolved to go back along the path through the woods without delay and -bring in the remainder of their luggage and other stuff left behind. - -“You can come with us, Jeff,” said Gif. “I want you to help us with the -boxes of provisions.” - -“Don’t you want me to stay at the bungalow and clean up a little?” -asked the colored man, who had no desire for anything in the way of -strenuous work. - -“No, you come along. You can clean up after we get back.” - -“Have you a long boathook handy, Gif?” asked Spouter. “You know, Randy -and I want to rescue our handbags if we can.” - -“Sure! We’ll take a couple of them along,” was the answer. - -It did not take the party long to reach the place where the two -rowboats and their supplies had been left. They had covered the -supplies with a raincoat and with some tree branches, and now found -them in fairly good condition. - -“What do you say, Fred, if you and I go back with Jeff and carry all -we can,” said Gif to the stout young Rover. “Jack and Andy can help -Spouter and Randy look for the lost baggage and the missing rowboat. -Then, when they get back, we’ll have a good meal ready for them.” - -“Suits me,” said Fred, and in a little while he and Gif set off in -company with Jeff, each loaded down with all he could carry. This work -did not suit the colored man at all, but Gif paid scant attention to -his grumbling. - -The other boys found it no easy task to locate the missing suitcases. -They paddled around in both boats for the best part of a quarter of -an hour without success. Then Jack suggested that he undress and look -around as best he could under water. - -“Well, you take care that you don’t get stuck the same as I was,” said -Randy. - -“I’ll be careful, don’t fear,” was Jack’s answer. “I’ll take one of the -poles down with me.” - -He was soon in the water, and after diving several times managed to -locate Spouter’s baggage and fasten it to the boathook. Then this was -hoisted up, and Jack went down again, and after another long search -found the rest of the baggage. - -“That’s fine, Jack!” said Randy, when his suitcase came up. “I suppose -everything will be soaked, but I don’t know of much in there that the -water will hurt.” - -“You’ll certainly have to do over your neckties, and maybe your -shirts,” said Andy, with a grin. - -“Oh, well, a little thing like that doesn’t count,” answered his cousin. - -Having recovered the things from the bottom of the lake, the four boys -set out on a search for the missing rowboat. - -“The wind was blowing toward the east shore,” said Jack. “Maybe we’ll -find it along there somewhere under the overhanging bushes.” - -They pulled around in one of the boats for the best part of half an -hour, but without sighting the missing craft. By this time the sun was -mounting in the sky and they were beginning to feel hungry. - -“Guess we’d better get the other boat and go back to the bungalow and -come out again after we’ve had something to eat,” suggested Spouter. -“It may take a whole day or more to locate that missing boat.” - -They were about to turn toward the other shore of Great Bear Lake when -they saw a rowboat coming out of a cove just below them. The rowboat -contained four young fellows, two of whom were rowing and the others -taking it easy in the bow and stern. - -“Must be some of the fellows from the Longley camp!” exclaimed Spouter. - -“More than likely,” answered Jack. And then, as the distant boat swung -further out of the cove, he added: “And look! They’re dragging an empty -rowboat behind them!” - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - - A QUARREL OVER A ROWBOAT - - -“That’s our boat!” - -“I think so myself. Come on. Let’s row over to them before they have a -chance to reach their camp!” cried Jack. - -“That’s the talk!” returned Spouter. - -“I wonder if they got the oars,” said Randy. “The pair I was using was -dandy.” - -“It isn’t likely,” answered Andy. “You let them fall overboard, didn’t -you, when the boat upset?” - -“Sure! Everything went out, as far as I know.” - -With each cadet at an oar, the four lads sent the rowboat through the -water with good speed, and in less than five minutes were hauling up -alongside of the other craft. Those at the oars proved to be Tommy -Flanders and Billy Sands. The fellow in the stern, who was smoking a -cigarette, was Paul Halliday, while the fourth lad was a stranger to -the boys from Colby Hall, although they had seen him in the Longley -contingent at the ball games. - -“Hello! So you found our boat, did you?” exclaimed Spouter. - -“Your boat?” demanded Tommy Flanders. “Who said it was your boat?” - -“I say it,” answered Randy. “That boat got away from us yesterday in -the storm.” - -“Did you find the oars?” questioned Jack. - -“No. We didn’t find anything but the boat,” said Halliday. “And you’ve -got to prove it’s your property before we give it up,” he went on -suddenly and with a wink at his companions. - -“That boat belongs to Mr. Garrison,” declared Jack. “We got it from -Mose Mumbleton only yesterday.” - -“Well, you’ll have to prove that before we give it up,” came from Tommy -Flanders. “Don’t you say so, fellows?” - -“Sure we do,” put in Billy Sands readily. - -“Of course if it’s their boat they ought to have it,” came somewhat -slowly from the fourth boy. - -“Nothing doing, Fiddler!” cried Halliday. “We wouldn’t take their word -for anything. We’re going to take this boat to our camp and they can’t -have it until they prove it belongs to them. For all we know, they saw -us pick the boat up and now want a chance to get it for themselves, -even if it doesn’t belong to them.” - -“Halliday, you ought to be punched for that!” cried Randy angrily. - -“You know well enough we wouldn’t claim the boat if it wasn’t ours,” -added his brother. - -“I don’t know anything about it. If this boat belongs to Mr. Garrison -he’s got to prove property. Besides that, he ought to pay for having it -brought back. If it hadn’t been for us the boat might never have been -found.” - -“Oh, so you’re out for a reward, are you?” remarked Spouter -sarcastically. “How much do you think you ought to have――a quarter or -fifty cents?” - -“I don’t want any of your funny talk, Powell,” roared Halliday, in a -rage. “I’m not looking for any reward, nor am I going to turn this boat -over to somebody it doesn’t belong to.” - -“There is the name on the stern!” cried Randy. “_Comet!_ That’s the -name of the boat we were in yesterday when we got upset on a snag. -That’s our boat, and no question about it.” - -“Well, we’re going to take the boat to our camp. If Mr. Garrison wants -the boat and can prove it belongs to him, let him come over there,” -said Tommy Flanders, after a few whispered words to his cronies. Then -those in the other boat began to row away. - -“Great tomcats! we’re not going to let them get away with our boat, are -we?” gasped Andy. “Why, I’d fight ’em first!” - -“So would I,” declared Spouter. “That boat belongs to us, and they know -it as well as we do. It’s only a trick to keep us from having the use -of the craft.” - -“Let’s pull after them and cut the boat adrift,” said Jack. “Andy, you -get in the stern and have your knife ready. We’ll show those fellows a -trick or two.” - -“Right-o,” answered his cousin, and without letting those in the other -craft see what they were doing Andy got out his pocketknife and opened -the largest of the blades. The others fell to rowing, and in a few -seconds more were alongside of the rowboat which was being towed. - -“Hi! Let go of that!” cried Billy Sands suddenly, and, reaching out -over the stern, he tried to pull the second boat closer. - -Andy, however, was too quick for Sands, and in a twinkling he reached -over and cut the line. The loose end he caught in his hand and in a -moment more the empty rowboat was tied fast to the stern of the craft -occupied by the Rovers and Spouter. Then Andy dropped back in his seat -and grabbed his oar. - -“Away we go, boys!” he chuckled. “I don’t believe they can catch us -even if we have got to drag the other boat behind us.” - -“Stop! Stop!” roared Tommy Flanders. “Stop, or we’ll have the law on -you!” - -“You go to grass, Flanders,” answered Andy. - -“Don’t you dare to follow us,” called back Spouter. “If you do you’ll -be sorry for it.” - -“Oh, let ’em go. It’s probably their boat, anyhow,” said the boy who -had been called Fiddler, in a low tone. “We don’t want that boat. We’ve -got all the boats we need.” - -There was a hot argument between this boy and the others from Longley -Academy, and while this was going on the Rovers and Spouter pulled -steadily and soon placed quite a distance between themselves and the -other craft. Then, looking back, they saw Tommy Flanders and his crowd -take up their oars again and row in the direction of Willoughby camp. - -“What a nerve they had!” remarked Randy, as he and the others let up a -little in their rowing. - -“I’ll bet if we hadn’t spotted them they would never have said a word -about the rowboat. That is, if they found out we had lost it,” came -from Jack. - -“Just shows how mean that bunch is,” declared Andy. - -“They’ll be meaner than ever after this, Andy. They’ll want to square -up with us for getting the best of them in this affair.” - -As the other boat was now well on its way to the camp on the east shore -of Big Bear Lake, the boys from Colby Hall determined to turn back once -more and take a look around for the missing oars. This they did, and -spent an hour in rowing slowly up and down the shore and around several -small islands. They were rewarded by finding two of the oars. What had -become of the other pair was a mystery. - -It was well toward noon when they got back to camp, and it must be -confessed that their arms were tired and they were glad to rest a bit -before partaking of the dinner prepared by Jeff under the directions -and with the aid of Gif and Fred. - -“What gall those fellows had,” remarked Fred, when he heard the story -the others had to tell. - -“If they had kept that boat my father could have made it hot for them,” -remarked Gif. - -“Oh, they wouldn’t dare to keep it. They only thought they were going -to make us a lot of trouble,” answered Jack. “It was just a little -meanness on their part, that’s all.” - -All the boxes and bundles had been brought in; and as soon as they -had rested and had dinner Randy and Spouter set about emptying their -suitcases and drying out their contents. Fortunately, nothing had been -permanently injured, for which the lads were thankful. - -Several days passed, the boys doing little except to go in bathing -and lie around outdoors enjoying themselves. The bungalow boasted of -several hammocks, and these were stretched between convenient trees, -some of them quite close to the water. The lads went fishing, catching -a fine mess of pickerel and perch, which they had Jeff fry for supper -and for the following breakfast. - -“Well, Jeff certainly knows how to fry fish,” remarked Jack, after he -had eaten his supper. “I never ate fish that tasted better.” - -“That’s the one thing that Jeff can do,” answered Gif. “Otherwise, -I think he’s about as lazy and worthless as any nigger I ever met. -Privately, I wish we could get rid of him.” - -“You’d better pile more work on him, Gif. Maybe then he’d get tired of -the job and make an excuse for going home,” suggested Spouter. - -“I’m certainly going to do something unless he wakes up,” answered the -other. - -On Monday, following a quiet Sunday in camp, all the boys rowed up to -Rocky Run to purchase some additional supplies from Mose Mumbleton. -The old storekeeper was glad to see them and had some news to impart. - -“Three more young fellows came for that other camp yesterday,” he said. -“A fellow named Smith, another named Mason and a third chap with a big -wide mouth, named Stowell.” - -“That was Codfish!” exclaimed Andy. “They said he was coming up here.” - -“Did they buy anything from you, Mr. Mumbleton?” questioned Jack. - -“Oh, yes; a few things. But most of those fellows are terribly sharp at -driving a bargain. I guess they haven’t got any too much spending money -with them. Another thing! Mr. Flanders was up here. He has a boy over -to the camp. He’s the man, you know, who bought that factory up on Flat -Rock Creek.” - -“Is he staying up at the camp?” asked Andy. - -“Oh, no. He was going up to a farmhouse that’s quite close to the old -factory. I think he wants to look the property over. He’s thinking of -opening it up again, you know.” - -“What sort of factory is it?” questioned Fred. - -“Why, it used to be a paint works. What they’re going to do with it now -though, I don’t know. It’s a pretty good building, and I suppose it -could be used for most anything.” - -After the storekeeper had supplied them with the things they wanted -he told them they had better hang around a little longer as the train -would soon be in with the mail. They waited as directed and were -rewarded with a number of letters which, of course, they read eagerly. - -One communication received by Jack was from Ruth. In it the girl -declared that she was having a fine time with the other girls at Valley -Brook Farm, but that she was very much worried over her father’s -business affairs. - - “The loss of the book of formulas is worrying dad a great - deal,” she wrote. “Not only because he spent so much money on - it, but because he got some of the money from Uncle Barney - and because he signed an agreement to purchase a place where - he could manufacture those artists’ colors. And worst of all, - the loss of the money seems to have revived that old quarrel - between dad and Uncle Barney. Mother is terribly worried, - especially as dad doesn’t seem to be nearly as well as he was - before that aeroplane accident.” - -The reading of this communication worried Jack not a little. He could -see that Ruth was much downcast over the state of affairs. - -“Everything all right, Jack?” questioned Fred. “Here’s a letter from -dad if you’d like to read it. Everything is O. K. down their way.” - -“Oh, they’re all well enough up at the farm,” answered the young major. -“But Ruth has her troubles,” and then he told of what the girl had -written. - -“It’s too bad,” remarked his cousin. “I wonder why Mr. Stevenson -doesn’t try to get on the track of those two men, Norris and Lemrech, -the workmen who were interested in getting such formulas. Don’t you -remember they said Lemrech was of a shady reputation and not above -stealing the formulas and that the other fellow, who was his cousin, -was the same kind of man?” - -“Well, Mr. Stevenson is probably trying to locate those fellows. But -maybe they know enough to keep out of sight.” - -“If he shouldn’t get the formulas back, Jack, it might bankrupt him.” - -“That’s just what I have been thinking,” answered the young major -soberly. - - - - - CHAPTER XX - - AT THE RIVAL CAMP - - -Several days passed and the Rover boys and their chums began to feel -thoroughly at home in the camp at Big Bear Lake. The weather since the -storm when they had arrived had been ideal, and they slept with all the -doors and windows wide open. This aired the bungalow thoroughly. - -Because of Jeff’s constant worrying concerning snakes they had made a -thorough search in and around the bungalow for such reptiles. Their -only discovery was a nest of half a dozen garter snakes, not one of -them over two feet long, under some rocks near the shed behind the -house. - -“I half wish we could find a snake three or four feet long and scare -Jeff almost to death,” grumbled Gif. “Then maybe he’d pack up and go -home.” - -“What a pity I didn’t bring that paper snake along――the one we used to -scare Codfish with,” answered Andy. “I might try that big imitation -firecracker on him, only he saw it the other day and saw that I was -using it for a collar and necktie box.” - -During those days the boys went in swimming several times. They even -got up a little race among themselves, which Jack won with ease, -Spouter and Randy being tied for second place. They saw but little of -the cadets at the Willoughby camp. Once they noticed several rowboats -going in the direction of Beldane at the lower end of the lake, and -with the aid of the fieldglasses Gif had brought along recognized some -of the occupants. - -“I guess they’re going down there for their supplies instead of getting -them of Mose Mumbleton,” was Jack’s comment. “I suppose they have an -idea that Mumbleton is a special friend of yours, Gif, and that’s why -some of those fellows, especially Flanders and his bunch, don’t want to -trade with him.” - -“Well, I’m sorry to have Mumbleton lose the money,” answered Gif. - -“Oh, he won’t lose very much,” put in Randy. “Don’t you remember he -said they were very close at driving a bargain for what they wanted? -They would probably like to have him sell his goods without any profit.” - -“I’d like to have a look at their camp,” said Andy. “What’s the matter -with rowing over to that side of the lake to-morrow?” - -The others were willing, and they left directly after lunch on the -following day, Gif first instructing Jeff as to what he was to do -during their absence. - -“I want you to clean up the living room thoroughly, Jeff,” said he. -“And then I want you to get a first-class dinner ready for us. We’ll be -back about six o’clock. Have those fish we caught this morning and some -fried potatoes, corn, and see if you can’t turn out some kind of nice -cake or a pie. There are plenty of apples on hand for a pie.” - -“All right, I’ll ’tend to everything,” mumbled the colored man, but he -looked anything but pleased at the prospect. He had come to the camp -hoping that the boys would do most of the work and that he could take -it easy. - -One of the rowboats was considerably larger than the others, and the -six boys piled into this, taking two pairs of oars with them. - -“We can take turns at rowing,” said Gif. “That will give each fellow a -chance to rest. We can take our own time, too, because it isn’t so very -much of a trip.” - -“Let’s row in and out among the Cat and Kittens,” suggested Jack. -“I’ve been wanting to land on those islands ever since we came to the -bungalow.” - -“You won’t find much of a landing place, Jack. Every one of the islands -is covered with brushwood to the water’s edge, as you can see.” - -The boys rowed around the larger island and then in and out among the -four which were smaller. As Gif had said, they found each of them -heavily wooded and did not see a single place where a good landing -could be made. - -“If anybody wanted to build on any of these islands he’d have a job -clearing the ground,” was Spouter’s comment. “Not a single spot where -a fellow could run a boat ashore. You’d have to fairly fight your way -through the bushes.” - -“That’s what makes them so beautiful,” said Fred. “I never saw prettier -islands anywhere――not even over at Lake George.” - -Having gone around all the Cat and Kittens, they set out for the -eastern shore of Big Bear Lake, heading for the cove into which the -recovered rowboat had drifted. - -“We might possibly pick up one or both of the oars we lost,” said -Randy. “I’d like to get them back.” - -“Oh, Randy, you mustn’t worry about those oars,” put in Gif. “They -were not worth a fortune, and we’ve got several extra pairs up at the -bungalow, as you know.” - -Nevertheless, with plenty of time on hand, the boys spent the best part -of an hour skirting the cove and looking into every corner where they -thought the oars might have drifted. Once they thought they saw one of -the oars, but the object proved to be nothing more than a sunken log. - -“I suppose we might as well give it up,” said Randy, after a while. -“Let’s go around to the Willoughby camp and see what those fellows are -doing.” - -A row of less than ten minutes brought them in sight of the camp -occupied by the cadets from Longley Academy. The little dock and the -two small bungalows behind it seemed to be deserted, not a soul being -anywhere in sight. - -“Must have all gone off for the day,” said Jack. “Well, I don’t blame -them for wanting to get away when the weather is so fine. Plenty of -time to stick around camp when it rains.” - -“Shall we go ashore?” questioned Fred. - -“Better not,” came from Spouter. “If we landed and anything was found -to be wrong afterwards they’d say we did it.” - -“Listen! I hear somebody calling!” cried Andy suddenly. - -“It’s a cheer! Somebody is cheering!” exclaimed Jack. - -“I believe they’re having some sort of a game,” said Gif. “They’re out -in that cleared spot up the lake a bit.” - -“Come on! Let’s row in that direction!” cried Randy. - -They were soon at a point on the lakeshore where only a thin fringe of -bushes and trees separated them from what had once been a pasture lot -belonging to a small farm. Here they discovered half a dozen of the -Longley cadets enjoying a game of baseball with two boys batting and -the others in the field. - -“There is Tommy Flanders,” said Fred, in a low tone as they brought -their rowboat to a standstill. “He’s at the bat!” - -“And there is Billy Sands on first, and Halliday is pitching.” - -“Codfish is in the field. There is the fellow they called Fiddler, too.” - -Flanders, who had just had two strikes called on him, now knocked a -ball well out in the field and began to run to first base, and then -back to home. Codfish tried to catch the ball, but missed it and went -sprawling on the grass. - -“Good work, Tommy!” cried one of the boys, as the runner came in. - -“Hello! what are you fellows doing here?” came a sudden cry from the -brushwood. “If it isn’t the fellows from Colby Hall! What do you know -about that?” - -The speaker was a Longley boy named Bob Mason whom Jack and Gif knew -fairly well. He had been tramping along the shore looking for a good -place to fish. He carried a fishing pole in one hand and a can of bait -in the other. - -“Oh, we just thought we’d take a little row,” answered Gif pleasantly. -“We get tired of sticking in one place.” - -“I don’t blame you,” answered the Longley cadet. Then he set up a -shout: “Hi, you fellows! Come over and see who’s here!” - -“What’s that?” questioned Billy Sands, as the baseball game came to an -abrupt halt. - -“Here are the fellows from Colby Hall!” called back Mason. - -“Colby Hall!” exclaimed Billy Sands. “What are they doing here?” And -then he and the others forsook the improvised diamond and came crowding -down to the lakeshore. - -“Have you fellows been up to our bungalows?” demanded Tommy Flanders -before the visitors could say a word. - -“No. We haven’t been ashore. We’re just rowing around the lake,” -answered Jack. - -“Huh! Spying around our camp, eh?” - -“We have a right to look at it, haven’t we?” demanded Gif sharply. - -“Oh, you don’t have to get on any high horse, Gif Garrison, just -because your father owns that bungalow on the other side of the lake,” -cried Paul Halliday. “This is our side, and we want you to keep away -from it.” - -“Oh, say, Halliday! what’s the use of acting that way?” put in Bob -Mason. “They aren’t doing any harm. The lake is free to anybody.” - -“You can’t tell me anything about that crowd, Mason. I know them better -than you do,” answered Paul Halliday sullenly. “I didn’t leave Colby -Hall for nothing.” - -“We left it as much as anything to get rid of that bunch,” put in Billy -Sands. - -“They always want to pick on a fellow,” came from Codfish. “They’re as -mean as dirt. I think all of the fellows here ought to make them keep -away.” - -“We won’t come near your camp if you don’t want us to,” answered Jack. -“You can keep to your side of the lake and we’ll keep to ours.” - -By this time several other of the Longley boys had appeared, including -Ted Maxwell. Most of the crowd were of the Flanders stripe and apt to -take sides against the Rover boys and their chums. But Maxwell and -Mason, on the other hand, wanted to be friendly. - -“No use of getting hot about it, Tommy,” said Maxwell to Flanders. “Why -not have some good-natured rivalry? We might have some rowing races, -some swimming races, and we might even get up a baseball game, six on a -side――that is, if they would care to play with six men.” - -“You’ve got the right spirit, Maxwell,” answered Jack promptly. “We’ll -go into any contest against you that you suggest. We’ll row you or swim -you or play baseball against you. Or we’ll even shoot against you if -you say so,” he added, with a smile. - -“That’s the talk!” cried Mason. “Let’s get up a few contests. This -outing is getting awfully stale, anyhow.” - -“We don’t want any contests with them,” grumbled Flanders. - -“Sounds as if you were afraid,” put in Fred. - -“Oh, I’m not afraid. But I like to pick my opponents.” - -“Well, we’ll be ready for you any time you say,” called out Gif, after -a few whispered words with his companions. And thereupon he and his -chums rowed away. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI - - THE BIG BEAR - - -“I wonder if we’ll hear from them again,” remarked Spouter, after the -rowboat had gotten out of the hearing of the Longley cadets. - -“We’ll hear from them if Maxwell and Mason have their say,” answered -Jack. “Those two chaps seem to be pretty decent fellows.” - -“Maybe they’ll shame the others into some sort of a contest,” was -Randy’s comment. - -“If they don’t offer to do something it will show they’re afraid,” came -from Andy. - -“I’d like to play a game of baseball with them,” said Jack. He had been -very sorry not to be able to get in the games held during the school -term. - -“Gee! but wouldn’t we give it to ’em though?” murmured Fred. “I’d just -love to knock Tommy Flanders out of the box again!” - -“They’d want us to get a full nine together, and I don’t know how we’d -manage it,” said Gif. “With only six fellows, we’d have no outfielders -at all.” - -“Oh, maybe we could pick up three fellows at Rocky Run or at Beldane,” -suggested Spouter. - -“Well, we wouldn’t need any outside fellows if we went into a rowing -race or a swimming contest,” said Fred. “They would be lots of fun, -too.” - -“And we might get up some running races,” suggested Gif. “There is a -footpath all the way around the lake, so we could arrange to run to -Rocky Run and back or to Beldane and back or any other place. It would -be lots of sport――a race along a footpath through the woods!” - -“Fine chance to trip over a tree root and break your neck,” chuckled -Andy. “Just the same, I wouldn’t mind going into such a race myself,” -he added quickly. - -The boys continued to talk the matter over as they rowed slowly along -the lake front in the direction of Beldane. Then, when it was almost -five o’clock, they turned to cross the lake at a point considerably -below where the Garrison bungalow was located. - -“There’s a wide cove up yonder,” said Gif, pointing with his hand. -“Some day we’ll have to go and explore it. The old hunters used to call -it Big Bear Cove.” - -“That must be, then, where the bears hold out,” cried Randy. - -“I don’t know much about that, Randy. Nowadays names don’t seem to -count for much. You’ll go to a place called Rosedale and not find a -rose in it.” - -“Yes, I once went to a place called Cherryville,” said Spouter, “and so -far as I could find out there wasn’t a cherry tree anywhere around.” - -“How about Rocky Run?” questioned Jack. “Did any of you see any unusual -amount of rocks around that place? I didn’t.” - -“Well, let’s take a look at Big Bear Cove, anyway,” suggested Fred. -“We’ve got lots of time. You can bet Jeff won’t be in any great hurry -about dinner to-night.” - -“More than likely he’ll just be starting it when we get back,” said -Gif, his face clouding. “That coon certainly takes the medal for -laziness. I wish dad would get rid of him.” - -Still taking their time, the boys followed the shore of the lake for -a quarter of a mile more and then turned into the opening known as -Big Bear Cove. Here there were a number of small islands, all as well -wooded as the Cat and Kittens. - -“Seems to me this ought to be a lumberman’s paradise,” remarked Andy. - -“Not such a paradise as you would think, Andy,” answered Gif. “You -see, the growth is so thick none of the trees have much of a chance. -Consequently, only a few of them are of a size to meet a lumberman’s -approval. Many of them, too, are all twisted out of shape. There is one -place back of our bungalow that is so thick it’s known locally as The -Barrier because the lumbermen and hunters have found it impossible to -get through the thickets.” - -“Dandy place to get lost in, I’ll say,” remarked Randy dryly. - -“What a grand――oh, what a sublime spectacle!” murmured Spouter, who -was standing up in the stern of the rowboat looking around. “What a -picture for a painter! Can’t you see what wonderful water colors an -artist could paint here? Just think of the inspiration he could get -from yonder pretty inlet with those stately trees and those beautiful -overhanging bushes. And then――Great Scott, boys, look!” - -Spouter’s flowery oration came to a sudden close, and, giving a gasp, -he pointed up the cove to where a series of rocks jutted out into the -water. On the rocks was a huge form which suddenly came up on its hind -legs the better to get a view of what was beyond. - -“It’s a bear! A big black bear!” ejaculated Fred. - -“A bear! A bear!” was the cry, and all of the boys fairly glued their -eyes on the bear that still remained reared on its hind legs looking -out toward the lake. - -“Oh, what a shot!” murmured Jack. “If only we had a gun!” - -“And we didn’t even bring a pistol!” groaned Fred. - -“Nor a camera,” put in Spouter. “Talk about a picture! Wouldn’t it be a -dandy?” - -So far the bear had not seen the rowboat nor the boys. But now the gaze -of the big creature suddenly shifted just as Randy and Fred dropped -their oars into the water to row closer. There was a sudden snort of -astonishment. The bear came down on all fours and in a second more the -creature had leaped from the rocks and plunged out of sight into the -brushwood behind. - -“He’s gone!” - -“Wasn’t he a big one?” - -“No wonder they call this Big Bear Lake!” exclaimed Jack. “He was as -big as any bear I ever saw in the Zoo.” - -“And just to think we didn’t have a gun!” murmured Randy. “Oh, what -rotten luck!” - -“It’s the old story of seeing the biggest game when you haven’t got a -gun,” remarked Randy. “What do you think, Gif?” he went on. “Would it -be worth while to row to the bungalow and get our guns and go after -that bear?” - -“I don’t think so,” was the ready reply. “We scared him so that he’s -probably a mile or more away by this time.” - -“Just the same, I think we ought to come up and hunt for him some -time,” said Jack. “We might be able to trail him through the brushwood.” - -“Oh, yes! let’s hunt for him, by all means,” cried Fred. - -“What if the bear does a little hunting on his own account?” questioned -Andy. - -“You’re not afraid, are you, Andy?” - -“Oh, no, Fred. But when we go bear hunting we’ve got to be mighty -careful. You know it isn’t like hunting rabbits or squirrels.” - -“Oh, I know that.” - -The boys could not resist the temptation to row to the point of rocks -where they had seen the bear, and they even went ashore to take a look -around. They soon satisfied themselves that bruin was no longer in that -vicinity. - -“My! but didn’t he look big when he sat up?” cried Fred. “I’ll bet he -was eight feet high.” - -“Oh, I wouldn’t say that, Fred,” answered Jack. “Just the same, he was -pretty big for a black bear.” - -“I’d hate to have him rise up in front of me and hug me,” said Spouter. - -“I wonder if there are any other bears around here,” remarked Fred. - -“More than likely. It’s very seldom that you’ll find a bear traveling -entirely alone. Most likely the mate of the bear is somewhere around.” - -At last the boys turned away from the rocky point and rowed out of the -cove in the direction of their bungalow. They had spent more time than -they had expected, and now found the sun setting over the trees to the -westward. - -“Gee, this rowing has made me as hungry as any bear!” announced Randy. - -“Same here,” answered Spouter. “I do hope Jeff has dinner ready.” - -“Some fried fish and fried potatoes won’t go half bad,” put in Jack. - -“I told him to have it ready at six o’clock, and it’s now half past,” -came from Gif. “I hope he hasn’t burnt any of the stuff waiting for us.” - -The lads were soon in sight of the bungalow. As they came closer a -smell of cooking mingled with a smell of something burning greeted -their nostrils. - -“He’s got supper ready, all right enough,” announced Gif. - -“But what’s that burning?” cried Jack. - -“Must be something on the stove,” returned Spouter. “Maybe he spilled -something.” - -“We’ll soon see,” cried Gif, and as soon as the boat reached the little -dock he leaped ashore, followed by the others. - -As they hurried to the bungalow they found black smoke pouring from the -open doorway. Rushing inside, they saw that smoke was coming from the -kitchen. - -“Hi, Jeff! what’s the matter?” cried Gif. - -To this question there was no response, and a glance around showed that -the colored man was nowhere in sight. On the stove rested a large pan -of fried fish and another pan containing fried potatoes. Both the fish -and the potatoes were much overdone, and each pan was sending forth a -volume of smoke. - -“Confound him!” cried Gif. “He’s let the fish and the potatoes burn! -What do you know about that?” - -“Better get them outside, Gif,” answered Jack, who was close by his -chum. “Here, give me that pan!” And, catching up a cloth, he caught -hold of the pan of fried potatoes and carried it outside. Gif followed -with the pan of fish. Other things were on the back of the stove, and -these were likewise beginning to burn. - -It must be confessed that Gif was thoroughly angry, and so were all -the other boys. They had returned to the bungalow, each with a hearty -appetite, and now the expected dinner was burnt and worthless. - -“I wonder where Jeff went?” questioned Jack, glancing around. - -“He ought to have his neck wrung!” growled Gif. - -“Maybe something happened to him,” returned Spouter. - -Hastily the six cadets started on a search around the bungalow. It came -to an end almost immediately as Andy set up a low cry. - -“Here he is! He’s asleep!” - -“Asleep!” snorted Gif. “The idea! I’ve half a mind to use a horsewhip -on him!” - -Andy had found Jeff lying in one of the hammocks. The colored man, -bedecked in his big kitchen apron and wearing his cook’s cap, was fast -asleep and snoring lustily. - -“I’ll fix him, the black rascal!” began Gif, and started to rush -forward when Andy suddenly stopped him. - -“Wait a minute, Gif,” said the fun-loving Rover, in a low voice. “Wait -a minute! We’ll give that coon the surprise of his life.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXII - - THE DEPARTURE OF JEFF - - -As has been mentioned before, some of the hammocks which the boys had -slung were close to the water’s edge. One hammock, put up by Randy, -hung across a small stream that at that point flowed into Big Bear -Lake. It was this hammock into which Jeff had thrown himself, probably -while waiting for the lads to return. - -“What are you going to do, Andy?” questioned Jack. - -“Let him down into the brook. It will do him good,” returned the -fun-loving Rover. - -“Now you are talking!” came from Gif. “Souse him good! He deserves it!” - -Everyone of the boys was willing to teach Jeff a lesson, and the others -watched with interest while Andy brought forth his pocketknife and -commenced to saw away at the rope that held the hammock in place. All -unconscious of what was going on, Jeff snored away as lustily as ever. - -“It’s going!” whispered Andy, a few seconds later. “Watch him, boys, -but get out of sight.” - -The others understood and quickly sprang behind the neighboring trees. -Then Andy gave a final slash. - -Crack! The rope parted. Splash! The hammock with Jeff in it struck the -brook, sending the water flying in every direction. Then the colored -man rolled over and the next instant was floundering around vigorously. - -[Illustration: THE HAMMOCK, WITH JEFF IN IT, STRUCK THE BROOK.] - -“Hi! Hi! Save me! I’s drownin’! I’s drownin’!” he bellowed. “Save me!” -And then he began to flounder around worse than ever. - -The boys could not resist the temptation to laugh, and suddenly they -burst out in a roar, in the midst of which Jeff suddenly stopped his -struggling and arose to his feet in about two feet of water and mud. He -gazed at the broken-down hammock ruefully, and then his eyes wandered -in the direction of those who were taking in the scene. - -“Wha――wha――what’s dis?” he stammered. “Who――who―― How――how did I come -in dat brook?” - -“Jeff, what were you doing in that hammock?” demanded Gif. - -“I――I jest been restin’, Mr. Gif. Jest been restin’ a minute waitin’ -for you young gen’lemen to get back,” answered the colored man lamely. - -“Just been resting for a minute!” stormed Gif. “You were sleeping as -soundly as a rock and snoring to beat the band.” - -“And you let the supper burn up!” put in Jack. - -“All those fine fish we caught, worthless!” added Spouter. - -“Burnt up! Who says they’re burnt up?” cried the colored man, walking -out of the brook and stamping the mud from his feet. “I didn’t burn -nothin’.” - -“Yes, you did. Everything is burnt,” answered Gif. “Just go and see for -yourself. What are we going to do for dinner?” - -Jeff started toward the back of the bungalow and then saw the pan of -burnt fish and the other pan of burnt potatoes, both resting on the -ground near the doorway. His face fell, but then, of a sudden, he -turned around savagely. - -“I don’t care! I didn’t mean to burn that supper up! You was so long -comin’ I jest thought I’d rest a minute. You didn’t have no call to -flop me into the water.” - -“You’re lazy and good-for-nothing, Jeff,” answered Gif sternly. “The -best thing you can do is to get out of this camp. I’d rather do the -work myself than have you around.” - -“Let him go,” answered Jack. “We can do the work between us. We’ve -done such work before.” - -“I don’t like it up here nohow,” said the colored man. “They’s too much -to do with so many young fellows around. I’d rather go back.” - -“Then you go,” answered Gif. “But remember, I’m going to write to my -father and let him know just how lazy and worthless you’ve been here; -and I’ll get the other boys to write too, so he’ll know the truth of -the matter.” - -“When do you want me to go back?” questioned the colored man, after a -pause. He was now just a little bit scared. - -“You can go back to-night if you want to, or otherwise to-morrow. But -if you stay here to-night you clean up this muss and clean those frying -pans. And you get busy and cook us something worth eating, and be quick -about it,” returned Gif. - -To this the colored man did not reply, but, taking up the frying -pans, he disappeared into the kitchen. Presently the boys heard him -clattering around among the kettles and pans and knew he was doing what -he could to prepare another meal for them. - -It took Jeff the best part of an hour to prepare another meal, and even -then it was not as good as the boys would have wished. The colored -fellow was very sullen, and they could see that he was on the point of -breaking out. Gif, however, gave him no chance, and suggested that he -take the morning train at Rocky Run for home. - -“How is I goin’ to get to Rocky Run with my baggage?” asked Jeff. - -“I’ll row you over directly after breakfast,” answered Gif. - -“I’ll go with you, Gif,” said Jack. - -During the night Jeff must have thought the matter over and come to the -conclusion that he was in wrong, for he was up early in the morning -and had an excellent breakfast awaiting the boys when they arose. He -suggested in a roundabout way to Gif that he remain at the camp as -originally intended. - -“No, Jeff, I’ve made up my mind we’re going to do without you,” said -Gif. “You’re too lazy and shiftless. You get your things together and -Jack and I will row you over to Rocky Run where you can get the train -and go home.” - -The boys were ready at the appointed time, and much against his will -Jeff proceeded to get his baggage into shape and then came down and -got into the rowboat. In silence Gif and Jack rowed him to Rocky Run, -arriving there some ten minutes before train time. - -“Now there’s your ticket, Jeff,” said Gif, after he had procured it. -“And that’s all.” And thereupon he and Jack left the colored man at the -railroad station waiting for the train. - -“It ain’t right,” said Jeff sullenly. “It ain’t right nohow. I came up -here to have a job for the rest of the summer. It ain’t right to send -me off. You’ll be sorry for it some day.” - -To this neither of the boys made answer. They wished a few things from -Mose Mumbleton’s store and they also wanted to know if any mail matter -had come in the day before. - -There were half a dozen letters, one from home, two from Valley Brook -Farm, and several from their school chums. - -“Hello, here’s news!” cried Gif, as he read one of the communications. -“This is from Dan Soppinger, and he says he and Fatty Hendry and Ned -Lowe and Walt Baxter are on an auto tour and expect to pass through -Beldane in a couple of days, and if we’ll come there and show ’em the -way they might visit our bungalow.” - -“Good!” returned Jack. “I’d like first rate to see those lads. It will -brighten things up a bit to have them at the camp.” - -“Say, Jack! if those fellows would only stay over a few days it would -give us a chance to get up a baseball match against the Longley bunch.” - -“So it would! We’d have our six fellows here and Dan, Walt and Ned. I -don’t suppose Fatty Hendry would care to play. He never was much at -baseball.” - -“He could be one of the umpires. We’d probably want two――one from each -side. That is, unless we could get some outsider.” - -“It would be better to have an outsider, Gif. They wouldn’t be -satisfied with our man’s decisions and probably we wouldn’t be -satisfied with the decisions from their side.” - -“Well, anyway, we’ll have to go down to Beldane and meet them. Then we -can talk the matter over. Maybe, after all, Longley won’t give us a -match. You know how Tommy Flanders felt about it.” - -“Yes. But I think Ted Maxwell has more influence with the crowd than -Tommy Flanders.” - -As before, Jack had a letter from Ruth. The girls were talking of -returning to New York and then the crowd were to visit May Powell. Ruth -wrote that her father was still somewhat sick and greatly worried over -his business affairs and over the loss of his book of formulas. - -“That certainly is a mystery, Jack,” said Gif, when the young major -mentioned the matter to him. “I don’t see why he doesn’t get some -first-class detectives on the trail of those thieves.” - -“I suppose he has somebody on the case,” answered Jack. “It’s pretty -hard, though, to do anything if you haven’t got some sort of clue to -work on.” - -“I think I’d follow up the Germans who sold the formulas in the first -place.” - -“As for that, he is convinced that they were perfectly honest in the -matter. I think the thing to do is to follow up those two other men -they mentioned, Lemrech and Norris.” - -Having finished reading their letters and placing the letters for the -other lads in their pockets, Gif and Jack procured such supplies as the -camp needed, paid for them, and started down toward their rowboat. As -they were stowing their supplies away they glanced along the lakeshore -and were somewhat surprised to see one of the boats from the Willoughby -camp tied up there. Then they saw Halliday, Sands and the youth called -Fiddler talking earnestly to Jeff. They had been told that the morning -train was late and would not arrive for a good half hour. - -“I wonder what those fellows want of Jeff. They don’t know him,” said -Jack curiously. - -The boys from Colby were on the point of rowing back to the bungalow -when suddenly Billy Sands came running forward, hailing them. - -“What do you want, Sands?” questioned Gif, bringing the rowboat to a -stop. - -“I want to ask you something about this colored man,” answered Sands. -“He worked for you, didn’t he?” - -“Yes.” - -“Is he honest and all that sort of thing?” - -“He’s honest so far as we know.” - -“Pretty good cook, too, isn’t he?” - -“Sometimes. What do you want to know for?” - -“Why, we’re thinking of taking him up to our camp. We’re tired of doing -our own work.” - -“Well, you’re welcome to Jeff if you want him. We’re through with him. -We prefer to do our own work.” - -“I see.” Sands paused for a moment. “You say he’s perfectly honest?” - -“As far as we know.” - -“And he’s a fairly good cook?” - -“Yes.” - -“Hum!” Sands rubbed his chin reflectively. “Well, I think maybe we’ll -give him a chance. It’s awfully hard to get anybody up here.” And -thereupon rather abruptly he started to walk back to his cronies. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII - - DEEP IN THE WOODS - - -Of course the other boys were greatly interested in the news that Gif -and Jack had to impart when they returned to the bungalow. They found -the other lads cleaning up not only the living room and the bedrooms, -but likewise the kitchen. - -“Now that Jeff has gone we’re going to have everything in apple-pie -order,” said Fred. “Of course, we’ll have to take turns at getting the -meals and all that sort of thing.” - -“You can’t imagine where Jeff is going,” cried Jack, and thereupon -related what had occurred at Rocky Run. - -“Well, as far as I am concerned those Longley fellows are welcome to -Jeff,” was Randy’s comment. - -“I’ll bet they get sick of him pretty quick,” came from Spouter. “They -won’t like his laziness any more than we did.” - -Then Gif and Jack told about the possible visit from the other Colby -Hall cadets and passed over the letters received. - -“On a tour!” cried Andy. “What do you know about that? Some style, I’ll -say! I suppose they’ll want to put up at the best hotel in Beldane.” - -“We’ll have to have ’em over here, by all means,” cried his twin. - -“Sure, we’ll have to have them over,” answered Gif. “The bungalow is -plenty big enough. And besides we were thinking we might get up a -baseball game against the Longley bunch.” - -“Right-o!” cried Fred. - -“And we’ll wallop them good and plenty,” said Spouter. - -“Why can’t we challenge ’em right away?” asked Andy impatiently. - -“No, we’d better wait until the other fellows get here. They may not -want to stay that long and they may not want to play in a match.” - -“Oh, nonsense! They’ll play quick enough.” Nevertheless, it was decided -that no challenge should be issued until the other boys were on hand. - -Now that Jeff was gone, the boys felt more at home than ever. They -could do exactly as they pleased with no older person to interfere. - -“Gif, you’ll have to make out a regular schedule for us to follow,” -said Jack. “You’re at the head of the camp, you know.” - -“Fiddlesticks!” cried Gif. “You fellows have as much to say here as I -have. This is an every-man-for-himself camp.” - -Just the same a schedule was made out, the boys taking turns in pairs -at cooking while the others took turns at making beds and cleaning -up generally. This schedule worked out very well, and while some of -the things may not have been cooked as well as if the colored man had -served them, nobody complained. - -The boys had not forgotten about the big black bear, and on the -following day all set out on a hunt. Each carried firearms of some -sort, and they likewise took with them a substantial lunch, for there -was no telling when they would get back to the bungalow. - -“Now that Jeff is gone, I guess we’d better lock up the bungalow,” said -Gif. “We don’t want any tramps or wild animals to get into it.” - -“What about the boats?” questioned Spouter. - -“Oh, we’ll leave them tied up. I think they’ll be safe enough. We can -put the oars in the house.” And this was done. - -Gif was acquainted with the path that ran along the lakeshore, and he -led the way with the others following close behind. They passed through -some heavy brushwood, and then made their way around and over a series -of rough rocks. - -“Say, this puts me in mind of some of the climbing we did when we -located that cave where those fellows had the German submarine,” -remarked Fred, referring to a time which has been described in detail -in the volume entitled “The Rover Boys Under Canvas.” - -“Gee, but those were exciting times!” said Jack. - -“Oh, we’ve had some other exciting times since then,” came from Randy. -“Don’t forget our days down in Texas and out at Big Horn Ranch.” - -The six lads pressed on, Gif and Jack somewhat in advance and the -others following more slowly. Spouter brought up the rear, for he was -very apt at times to stop to view the situation. - -“I never saw more beautiful views,” said he, as he came to a halt at -a point where the path overlooked the sparkling lake. “Every turn is -beautiful enough to drive an artist crazy. I wish I could paint. I’d -like to spend the whole summer doing some of these scenes.” - -“We’ve got to pay more attention to taking pictures, Spouter,” answered -Randy. “A nice collection of photos will give us something to remember -this outing by.” - -As they walked through the woods they started up some small game, but -did not attempt to do any shooting, not being certain in regard to the -game laws. Besides, they knew that a shot would frighten the bear if -it was anywhere in that vicinity. They had small cameras along and -occasionally stopped to snap a picture or two. - -Presently they reached the rocky point where the bear had been seen. -They approached cautiously, thinking that bruin might possibly be in -sight. But nothing came to view. - -“I bet this is a good cove for fishing,” remarked Fred. “I’m quite sure -I saw some fish stirring around over there just now.” - -“Well, we’re not out for fish now,” answered Gif. “We want to get on -the trail of Mr. Bear if we can.” - -Leaving the point of rocks, the six cadets plunged into the woods, -following a trail which they knew must have been made by wild animals. -As they advanced they spread out a little to the right and to the left, -always, however, keeping within sight of each other. - -“We’ve got to do that,” cautioned Jack. “Otherwise some of us may get -lost, and it would be a serious business to get lost in such a thick -woods as this is.” - -“It certainly is an ideal spot for wild animals,” said Spouter. “I -wonder if there are any deer here?” - -“Sure!” answered Gif. “But whether we’ll see any or not is another -story.” - -“It wouldn’t do us any good if we did see some deer,” said Randy. “It’s -out of season to shoot them.” - -“That’s true.” - -On and on went the six boys, deeper and deeper into the forest. The -trail which was fairly well defined led up a small hill, and here they -came to an opening from which they could see for several miles around. - -“Here is a pretty good view of the lake,” observed Spouter. “And see! -There are some rowboats!” - -“Wonder if they are the rowboats belonging to the Longley boys,” -remarked Jack. - -“There is a motor-boat off to the north,” said Randy. “I suppose that’s -one of the boats belonging to Beldane. I understand they have several -of them up at the hotel.” - -Having rested for a short while on the hill, they took up the trail -once more and plunged down into the forest on the other side. Here, -after only a few rods had been covered, they found the trail spreading -into three forks. - -“Now, then, which fork shall we follow?” questioned Jack. - -“Don’t ask me,” answered Gif. “You know as much about it as I do.” - -The six lads examined the three forks as best they could, and after a -brief discussion decided to follow that leading southward. - -“There is no use of getting too far from home,” said Gif. “As it is, -we’ll be pretty tired by the time we get back.” - -By noon the six boys were tired and hungry and perfectly willing to -rest for the midday lunch. They had brought sandwiches, crackers and -cake with them, and washed this food down with some water from a nearby -spring. They took their time over the meal, and then rested for another -half hour before resuming their hunt. - -“Looks as if we were going to be skunked,” remarked Randy presently, -after they had climbed up the side of a rough hill and then down again. - -“Don’t say anything about skunks,” retorted Gif. “That’s one animal we -don’t care to hit.” - -“Oh, a skunk skin is quite valuable in these days,” said Spouter. “Just -the same, I think we’ll leave those animals alone.” - -Several times they stirred up some rabbits and squirrels, and often -came across some birds. Once they heard a covey of partridges whirring -upward, but they were almost out of sight behind the trees. - -“There must be some pretty good hunting here in the late fall,” -remarked Fred. He was sorry that they could not bring down some of the -small game. - -“Yes, it would be great to come up here when the season is open,” -answered Gif. - -All this time the boys were keeping their eyes wide open for the -possible appearance of a bear. But either there were no bears in that -vicinity or the animals knew enough to keep out of sight. - -“Gee! I’m getting dog tired,” remarked Andy, about the middle of -the afternoon. “If you’ll ask me, I’ll say let’s head back for the -bungalow.” - -“I second the motion,” said his twin promptly. - -All were tired, even though they did not care to admit it, and, coming -to a small watercourse, they decided to follow this until they could -once more reach the lakeshore. - -“I think it will bring us close to the bungalow,” said Gif. “In fact, -I’m of the opinion it’s the brook that flows into the lake right beside -the house.” - -“You mean the brook that Jeff got his bath in?” asked Andy. - -“That’s it. Of course I may be mistaken, but I think it’s the same -brook.” - -It was no easy matter to follow the watercourse, because the bushes -were rather thick on either side and they did not wish to get their -feet wet if it could be avoided. However, they kept on steadily, and -soon came to an open spot where going was a bit easier. - -“What’s the matter with one of us shinning up a tree to see just where -the lake is located?” remarked Jack presently. - -“That’s the idea!” called out Fred. “Andy, you’re the best monkey of -the bunch. Let me give you a boost up this tree.” - -Andy was willing to go up the tree mentioned, and in a moment several -of the others had given him a lift to the lower branches, and up he -went hand over hand until he was almost at the top of the tree. - -“We’re heading in the right direction,” he called down. “The lake isn’t -more than half a mile off.” - -“Can you see the bungalow?” questioned Gif. - -“I can see something in the trees, but whether it’s the bungalow or not -I’m not sure.” - -“Look! Look!” burst suddenly from Spouter. “Andy, take care of -yourself!” he shouted. - -“What’s the trouble?” came from the top of the tree. - -“Some animal is there, on one of the branches just below you! I don’t -know what it is,” was Spouter’s quick reply. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV - - SIX BOYS AND A WILDCAT - - -All of the other boys were much surprised by Spouter’s declaration that -there was some sort of animal in the branches of the tree Andy had just -ascended. - -“What is it, Spouter?” - -“Are you sure you saw it?” - -“Was it a squirrel?” - -“Couldn’t be a bear, could it?” - -“No, it wasn’t a bear. It wasn’t large enough for a bear,” answered -Spouter. “It was just about the size of a great big tomcat.” - -“Maybe it was a wildcat!” exclaimed Gif. “Wildcats have been shot more -than once around here.” - -All of the boys rushed to pick up the firearms which had been dropped -when they had boosted Andy up the tree. Then they began to circle the -tree, looking up in all directions for a sight of the wild beast. - -“What is it?” yelled Andy. And then he added quickly: “If you shoot, -don’t shoot me!” - -“We can’t see anything,” answered Jack. - -The boys on the ground were alarmed, but this was as nothing compared -to the alarm felt by Andy. His weapon had been left behind, and so he -was practically defenseless. - -“There he is! I see him!” came suddenly from Randy. “There!” And he -pointed to a branch on one side of the tree. There was a flash of a -hairy body, a quivering of some of the leaves, and then all became -quiet again. - -“It was a wildcat!” - -“That’s just what it was!” - -“Where did he go to?” - -“Hi, you fellows!” cried Andy. “If it’s a wildcat don’t drive it up -here!” - -“Can’t you break off a tree limb and use it for a club, Andy?” called -out Jack. “Maybe you can keep the wildcat from reaching you, anyway.” - -The words had scarcely been uttered when with a catlike scream the -wildcat suddenly sprang from one side of the tree to the other. As it -passed through midair all of those below saw it plainly. It was full -grown and had a pair of glaring greenish eyes and claws that looked -exceedingly formidable. - -Bang! It was Spouter’s weapon that spoke, but the charge of shot passed -below the limb on which the wildcat now rested. The youth had been -afraid to aim his weapon too high for fear of hitting Andy. - -As the shotgun blazed forth the wildcat leaped to another branch of the -tree. This brought the beast in full view of where Gif and Jack were -standing. Simultaneously both boys raised their weapons and blazed away. - -“He’s struck! He’s struck!” cried Randy, and as he uttered the words -the wildcat came tumbling down out of the tree into some brushwood. -Here the beast thrashed around for an instant and then crouched low as -if for a leap at the boys. - -“Look out!” yelled Jack. “He’s going to spring!” - -Then with a spitting snarl the wildcat made a leap. But as it did -so the small rifle Fred carried spoke up and a bullet went straight -through its head, killing it almost instantly. - -“Is he dead?” questioned Randy, after the wildcat had fallen -quiveringly on the dead leaves of the forest. - -“I guess so,” answered Fred. “But don’t go too near, he may be only -wounded.” - -All of the boys had been taught to load up immediately after firing, -and now their first attention was given to their weapons. - -“How about it? Did you hit him?” questioned Andy. - -“Yes. He’s as dead as a doornail,” announced Gif, after a gingerly -examination. - -“Any more wildcats in the trees?” - -“I don’t know. But you keep your eyes open.” - -In a few minutes Andy was on the ground beside the others, and all -surveyed the wildcat with interest. It was a full grown creature and -had it had the chance might have done great damage. - -“What shall we do with it?” questioned Fred. “I don’t know that I care -for it particularly.” - -“We might take it to the bungalow, anyway,” answered Gif. “If we could -take it down to Beldane we could get a bounty on it.” - -“A bounty?” queried Andy. - -“Sure! They pay five or ten dollars a head for wildcats in this state. -And they pay a bounty on bears, too,” he added. - -“Would we have to take the whole animal to Beldane?” questioned Spouter. - -“I don’t think so. I think the head and skin would be plenty. In some -places all they ask for is the ears or the tail, or something like -that.” - -The boys had learned how to take care of the game brought down, and -now, after taking several pictures of the animal, they speedily skinned -the wildcat, bringing the head with the pelt. The carcass they threw -into the bushes. - -“Well, we got something, anyhow,” said Fred with satisfaction, as they -continued to follow the watercourse toward the lake. - -“One fine shot you made, Fred,” answered Randy. - -“Fred, I don’t know what I should have done if you hadn’t brought him -down,” put in Andy. “He might have come to the top of the tree after -me.” - -“Oh, I guess he was more scared than we were,” answered the stout Rover -boy modestly. Yet, behind it all, he felt quite proud of the shot he -had made. It had been at close range and he had had to think and act -quickly. - -The relaxation from the intensity of the situation was felt by all of -the lads, and long before the bungalow was reached they were in a merry -humor, singing, joking and whistling loudly. - -“I’ll tell you what we might have done,” said Gif. “We might have set a -bear trap and used that wildcat for a bait.” - -“Would the bear go into such a trap?” questioned Jack. “I thought -they didn’t care very much for meat, especially in the summer time. I -thought they liked roots and things like that better.” - -“We might have put some maple sugar in the trap with the meat,” -answered Gif. “Bears like sweets, you know.” - -The boys arrived at the bungalow about sundown. All were too tired for -a while to do more than sit around and rest. Finally, however, they -prepared themselves a simple evening meal, and almost as soon as this -was disposed of one after another shoved off to bed. - -“This is the ideal life,” said Jack, as he was undressing. “A fellow -doesn’t have to have any appetizing sauce for what he eats and he -doesn’t have to be rocked to sleep.” - -“My dad always said that it made a new man of him to spend a week or -two up here in the woods,” answered Gif. - -In the morning the boys took their usual plunge in the lake and after -breakfast decided to take one of the rowboats and go up to Big Bear -Cove and try their hand at fishing. Fred had noted a certain hole under -some large overhanging trees where he was certain they would be able to -get some pickerel of good size. - -As they had done the day before, they took a lunch with them so that -there would be no hurry about getting back. And this was just as well, -because once they were at the fishing they found the sport so fine that -they hated to think of giving it up. Each one of them caught both perch -and pickerel, and one of the finny tribe landed by Jack weighed at -least two pounds and a half, while another, caught by Spouter, weighed -almost as much. - -“We’ll have fish enough for several days,” said Gif. - -“If only we can keep some of them alive,” answered Randy. - -“Oh, I think we can. I’ve been fixing up that pound in the brook, you -know.” - -The day was not without its surprises. Once Randy was standing on a -small point of rocks and had what he thought was a magnificent catch. -Suddenly the fish whisked around and before the lad could save himself -he lost his balance and went into the lake with a big splash. - -“Hurrah! Randy’s gone in swimming with all his clothes on!” cried Andy. - -“Don’t let the fish pull you away,” called out Fred gayly. - -“Catch the pole! Catch the pole!” called Randy, as he came up to his -feet and scrambled out on the rocks. “There goes the fish with my pole!” - -Jack handed his own pole to Spouter and made a leap for the rowboat. -Getting in, he sculled rapidly after the pole, which was being jerked -along the surface of the lake. As he caught the pole there was a snap, -and the empty line came flying toward him. What became of the fish they -never learned. - -After that things went along quietly for half an hour. Then, of a -sudden, Spouter let out a yell. - -“Hannibal’s ghost!” he called out. “I’ve got the biggest fish yet! Gee, -I can hardly budge him!” - -“Play him, Spouter! Play him!” called out Gif. “Don’t let him get away -from you.” - -“I knew some whopping big fish were down in that hole,” cried Fred. -“Play him for all you’re worth, Spouter!” - -“I can’t budge him,” gasped Spouter. “Gee, what a catch!” - -Spouter was so excited that all the others pulled in their lines and -ran to where he stood close to the bent-over trees which lined the edge -of that side of the cove. Spouter was trying his best to haul in, but -without avail. - -“Maybe your line is caught,” suggested Gif. - -“No, it’s a fish. I’m sure of it,” answered Spouter. “I felt it pull.” - -All crowded closer to give Spouter whatever advice and assistance -they could. Even Gif tried to pull in on the line, but without avail. -Finally, however, Spouter twisted the line a little to one side, and -then up came the hook and attached to it what looked like the remains -of an old hunting boot. - -“Well, what do you know about that!” cried Spouter, in disgust. -“Nothing but an old boot!” - -“And I’ll bet it was caught in between the loose roots of the trees,” -said Jack. And then there was a general laugh, in which even Spouter -joined. - -It was nearly five o’clock before the boys got into the rowboat again -and started to return to the bungalow. They had fifteen perch and seven -pickerel to their credit, and of this catch they were justly proud. - -“We’ll have one dandy fish supper to-night,” said Randy, smacking his -lips. “And we won’t have Jeff here to burn it up for us, either.” - -“Yum, yum! I can smell the frying fish already,” murmured Gif. - -The boys took turns at rowing and soon reached the lake proper and then -sent the craft flying in the direction of the bungalow. As they came -close to the dock Spouter, who was looking ahead, set up a sudden shout -of wonder. - -“Hello! what do you know about this? The other boats are gone!” - -“The boats gone!” cried Gif. “Are you sure?” - -“Look for yourself, Gif. We left them tied to the dock, didn’t we?” - -“We sure did.” - -The two boats that had been left at the bungalow dock were certainly -missing, and much mystified the six boys landed, to gaze around in -bewilderment. But gaze as hard as they might, they could see nothing of -the missing craft. - -“Do you suppose Tommy Flanders and his crowd took them away?” -questioned Jack. - -“I wouldn’t put it past them,” answered Gif. - -Fred and Randy had turned toward the front door of the bungalow. The -key to this was hanging on a nail, and taking it down they unlocked -the door and threw it open. As they passed into the house a cry of -astonishment broke from them. - -“Did you ever see anything like it before?” - -“Who did this?” - -“What’s the matter in there?” called out Gif. - -“Matter? Everything’s the matter,” answered Fred. - -“They’ve smashed up the whole house!” added Randy. - - - - - CHAPTER XXV - - WHAT THE RIVALS DID - - -The other lads lost no time in following Fred and Randy into the -bungalow. They too gazed around in astonishment which readily turned to -dismay and anger. - -And the lads had good cause to be angry. Someone had crawled through a -window and “rough-housed” the bungalow thoroughly. Hardly a thing had -been left untouched. All the bedding was scattered around on the floor, -some in the living room and some in the kitchen, and on top of this had -been piled the furniture and all the cooking utensils. To add to the -mess, books and papers were scattered in every direction, along with -all their canned goods and such fruit and vegetables as they happened -to have on hand. A side of bacon rested on one of the bunks and a ham -was in the woodbox under some kindlings. At one end of the center -table, which had been shoved into a corner, rested in a heap their -supply of coffee and at the other end in another heap their supply of -sugar. All of their plates, cups and saucers were missing, as were -also the knives, forks and spoons. All their extra underwear had been -tied together and in knots. - -[Illustration: THE LADS HAD GOOD CAUSE TO BE ANGRY.] - -“The Longley bunch did this――that’s as sure as sure!” cried Jack, as he -surveyed the scene. - -“I think so myself,” returned Gif. “Some muss, and no mistake.” - -“They ought to be hammered good if they really did it,” cried Spouter. - -“I’d like to take a horsewhip over them,” came from Fred. “Look at that -sugar, will you? And look at the coffee!” - -“Well, anyhow, they didn’t dare scatter it on the floor,” put in Randy. - -“That proves one thing to me,” came quickly from Jack. “Tommy Flanders -and his bunch didn’t do this alone. If it was the Flanders crowd alone -they wouldn’t hesitate to make all our grub worthless to us. They would -have scattered everything on the floor or thrown it into the brook, or -something like that.” - -“I believe you there, Jack,” answered Randy quickly. “Some of the -better class of fellows must have been in this. They did it just to be -funny.” - -It was all the boys could do to make their way from one room to another -of the bungalow since each of the doorways had been cluttered up by -chairs and benches. - -“Nothing to do but to straighten things out,” remarked Gif. “Some job, -I’ll say.” - -“Do you suppose they took the boats away?” questioned Spouter. - -“I hardly think so, Spouter,” answered Jack. “The fellows who did this -acted half decently about it; otherwise a lot of the stuff would have -been actually ruined. And that being so, I don’t believe they really -took the boats away. Probably they’re only hidden.” - -“We ought to look around for the boats before it gets too dark,” -suggested Gif. “We can fix up things indoors any time.” - -“Suppose we divide the work,” suggested Jack. “I and some of the others -can fix up the house while you and the rest look for the boats.” - -This plan was carried out, and Jack and the twins remained indoors to -do what they could toward straightening out the bungalow while the -others went outside to hunt for the missing rowboats. - -To rearrange the interior of the bungalow was no mean matter, for a -large part of the furniture was heavy and they had to be careful first -of all that they did not damage some of the canned goods which were -scattered in all directions. - -“We’ll pick up the apples and potatoes and onions first,” ordered Jack. -“And then we can go at the canned stuff and the meat and things like -that.” - -“We’ll have to find the lamps first,” said Andy. “It’s getting dark.” - -The hunt for the three lamps took some time. They were finally located, -minus the chimneys, in the oven of the stove. The chimneys they -discovered on the back of a pantry shelf. - -“Fine thing to put those lamps in the oven!” snorted Randy. “Suppose we -had built a fire there! That kerosene might have exploded.” - -“Yes. And anyway we’ll have to clean that oven out. Otherwise it may -have a kerosene smell to it when we try to bake something,” added his -brother. - -Lighting the lamps and placing them where they might not be knocked -over, the three boys set to work with a will and inside of half an hour -had salvaged all of the eatables. Then they commenced to place the -furniture in shape and picked up the bedding and their clothing. - -“We’ll have to air the blankets out and dust them off,” said Jack. -“They got rather dirty on the floor, I’m afraid. And the underwear will -have to be washed――that is after we untie the knots.” - -“It’s queer what became of all the tableware and knives and that -truck,” remarked Andy. - -“Did you look in the woodbox?” questioned Jack. - -“I did,” came from Randy. “That’s where I found the ham.” - -The boys took the bedding out on the bungalow porch and shook it -vigorously. Then they left it on chairs to air while they made another -search around the building for the missing table stuff. - -They were still on the hunt when they heard a shout from outside. -Running to the rear of the bungalow they heard voices up the little -brook that at this point flowed into Big Bear Lake, the same -watercourse they had followed when they had encountered the wildcat. - -“Hello!” shouted Jack. “Have you found the boats?” - -“Yes!” came from Gif. - -“They’re tied up in the trees!” explained Spouter. - -Jack and the twins ran in the direction of the voices and presently -came upon the other lads standing at the foot of a tall tree. Swinging -from one of the branches of this tree were the two missing rowboats. - -“Some job they must have had, to tie them up there,” remarked Andy. - -“Yes. And we’re going to have a job to get ’em down,” answered Gif. -“I think we’d better let it go over until to-morrow.” - -“I’m willing,” said Jack. - -“Now you’ve found the boats perhaps you can find the dishes and knives -and forks and spoons,” said Andy. “We can’t get a trace of ’em.” - -All of the lads returned to the bungalow feeling that the boats would -be safe where they were for the night. They straightened out the rest -of the furniture and made up the beds and then started to get supper -ready. - -“I don’t know what we’re going to eat off of,” remarked Gif. “We’ll -have to use tin pans and basins and kettle tops and whatever is handy.” - -“And we’ll have to eat with our pocketknives and the kitchen fork,” -added Randy, with a grin. - -“Well, anyway, I’m glad the grub isn’t missing,” broke in Spouter. “I’m -hungry enough to eat a meal with my fingers.” - -They soon had some potatoes on to boil. Then they cleaned some of the -fish and started to fry them and also made themselves a large pot of -coffee. To the hungry lads the aroma from the coffee and the smell of -frying fish were exceedingly appetizing. - -“Makes a fellow feel like home――a smell like that,” was Fred’s comment. -He was slicing some bread which had been brought from Rocky Run on the -last visit to the store. - -It was a comical sight to see the boys try to eat their supper without -any of the tableware. One used a pie plate, another a saucepan and -still another an old frying pan. Andy used an overturned teakettle -cover and his twin had to get along with the glazed bottom of a -jardiniere which someone had once left at the bungalow. All used their -pocketknives but Gif and Spouter, who managed to get possession of the -bread knife and the smaller article used for peeling potatoes. - -“This must be like life in the trenches,” remarked Randy, while they -were eating. - -“I guess we’re better off than that,” responded Jack quickly. “Lots of -times those poor fellows had to eat out of their bare hands.” - -In spite of the trick that had been played upon them all of the boys -slept soundly that night. They felt that they would be perfectly safe -in retiring without leaving a guard. - -“Those fellows won’t dare show themselves around here for a while,” -remarked Gif. “They’d be too afraid we’d pitch into ’em.” - -“They wouldn’t hang around very long, anyway, if they saw us with our -guns,” added Fred. - -“We’ll have to pay ’em back for this little joke, Fred,” said Andy. - -“Of course. Just give me the chance and I’ll show ’em what we’ll do!” - -“I think the best we can do is to say nothing at all about it,” said -Jack. “Don’t let on that anything unusual has happened. That will keep -them guessing.” - -In the morning the lads took their usual plunge in the lake and then -Spouter and Fred prepared breakfast, it being their turn for so doing. -While they were at this the others went outside, first to indulge in a -little horseplay in the way of boxing and wrestling, and then to throw -themselves into the hammocks which were handy. - -Jack was resting in one of the hammocks and gazing upward when suddenly -his eyes rested upon a couple of potato sacks swinging from ropes tied -to the tree limbs above him. At once he set up a shout. - -“Hi, boys! Here is some more of the stuff, I guess!” - -“Maybe the dishes are in those sacks!” exclaimed Gif, as he came to -view the suspended bags. - -“We’ll soon find out,” was the reply, and Jack began to climb the tree -while the other boys gathered underneath. Soon he was at the sacks and -felt of them carefully. - -“The tableware, all right enough,” he announced. “I guess the knives -and forks and spoons are here too,” he added, after feeling around some -more. - -A long boat-line was procured and with this the sacks were lowered -carefully to the ground. As Jack had surmised, they contained all the -crockeryware, as well as the knives, forks and spoons. Not a single -thing seemed to be missing. - -“Quite a stunt, I must admit,” said Spouter, “to hang those things and -the boats up in the trees. We might have hunted around a long while if -Jack hadn’t spotted those sacks.” - -Directly after breakfast the boys made their way to where the boats had -been suspended, and inside of an hour had the craft safe once more at -the lake front. - -“Now I guess we’re all fixed,” announced Gif. “I’m glad it was no -worse,” he added, with a sigh of relief. - -“They certainly gave us enough work to do,” grumbled Fred. - -“But not as much as it might have been,” answered Jack. “If Flanders, -Sands and Halliday were in this they must certainly have been held back -by some of the other Longley boys. Otherwise they would have smashed up -stuff and scattered it in all directions.” - -“Maybe Jeff came over with ’em!” cried Andy suddenly. - -“Possibly. But I think this is only the boys’ trick.” - -The six lads were taking it easy that day after supper when they -discerned a motor-boat coming up the lake in their direction. As the -craft came closer several persons in the boat stood up and waved their -hands frantically. - -“Hello! who can that be?” cried Jack, leaping to his feet. And then he -ran down to the dock, followed by the others. - -As the motor-boat came closer there was a cry from across the water. - -“Colby Hall, ahoy!” - -“Why, it’s Dan and his crowd!” ejaculated Fred. “What do you know about -that!” - - - - - CHAPTER XXVI - - THE BASEBALL GAME - - -The coming of Dan Soppinger and his crowd filled the Rover boys and -their chums with pleasure, and they did all they could to make the new -arrivals feel at home. - -“We got to Beldane quicker than we thought,” explained Dan. “And there -was a boatman at the hotel who said he knew where your bungalow was, -so we thought we’d come right up instead of staying in the town over -night.” - -“And you did just right!” answered Gif. “And we want you to stay here -for a few days at least.” - -“And we want you to help out in a baseball game. That is, if we can -have our challenge accepted,” put in Jack. And thereupon the other boys -were told about the rival camp on the other shore of Big Bear Lake. - -“Gee, that will suit me!” cried Walt Baxter. - -“I’d like to stay here. But don’t ask me to play ball,” puffed Fatty -Hendry. “You know that exercise is too violent for me. I’m willing to -root, but that’s all.” - -“I’ll be glad to play,” came from Ned Lowe. “It’ll be a change from -touring. I get rather cramped sitting in the car all day. Since we -started we’ve done nothing but ride, making a hundred and fifty miles -or more a day.” - -“Maybe we can get the motor-boat fellow to take a challenge across the -lake before he goes back to Baldane,” suggested Gif. The man was still -at the dock awaiting orders from the lads he had had for passengers. - -“That’s the talk! We’ll send the challenge right away!” - -The boatman was consulted and readily consented to leave the challenge -at the Willoughby camp before returning to the Beldane hotel. - -“We want you to put our baggage on check in the cloakroom until we get -back,” said Dan. “And take good care of our auto, too. You can come -back for us next Monday,” he added, after consulting Gif. And so it was -all arranged. - -In the letter to the Longley boys Gif explained about the arrival of -the other lads and challenged their rivals to a game of baseball on -their own grounds on the coming Saturday afternoon. If the challenge -was accepted the cadets from both schools were to go to Beldane and -there select an umpire. - -The arrival of the challenge from the Colby boys created a great stir -in the Longley camp. Ted Maxwell and a number of others were in favor -of an immediate acceptance, but Flanders and his cronies demurred. - -“I didn’t come here to play ball. I came to take it easy,” growled -Flanders. - -“I don’t want anything more to do with them,” put in Halliday. - -“You were willing enough to go over there and rough-house the place,” -came from Maxwell. “Why not be a real sport? If we don’t play them, -when we get back to school they’ll tell everybody we were afraid.” - -A hot discussion lasting fully an hour followed. Then a vote was -taken and eight of the Longley boys were found to be in favor of the -game while only three were openly opposed. Thereupon Flanders and his -cronies finally said they would play. - -“And remember,” said Ted Maxwell, “if you do play you’ve got to do your -best.” - -“Oh, don’t worry! We’ll wipe ’em off the face of the earth,” growled -Halliday. - -“You let me pitch and I won’t let ’em get in a single run,” added -Flanders. - -“I’ve got an idea,” went on Maxwell. “We might make this game quite -an affair. They’ve got a regular ball grounds down at Beldane, and -this week they’re holding a drive for a hospital that’s to be located -there. Why can’t we arrange to play at Beldane for the benefit of the -hospital? That ought to give us a good audience.” - -“You’ll have to talk to Gif Garrison’s crowd first,” said Bob Mason. - -Then came the question of getting an answer back to Gif. On account -of what they had done at the bungalow scarcely any of the lads wished -to go over to the other shore. They were much surprised, however, -when they landed to find that not a word was mentioned regarding the -“rough-housing” that had taken place. - -“It would be a splendid scheme to play at Beldane for the benefit of -the hospital!” cried Jack. “That suits me exactly.” - -“Let’s do it, by all means,” put in Fred. - -And thereupon three boys from each camp set out in a rowboat for the -lower end of the lake to make the necessary arrangements. - -As luck would have it, the ball grounds were not to be used on the -following Saturday, and the local authorities were only too glad to -have the exhibition game take place for the hospital’s benefit. No -admission fee was to be charged, but it was understood that during the -game a silver collection would be taken for the benefit of the proposed -institution. “And a silver collection doesn’t mean that you can’t drop -a bill in the basket,” added one of the committee. - -Some of the boys had their baseball uniforms with them, while others -managed to either borrow or rent uniforms, so that on the day set apart -for the game both sides made quite a creditable appearance. They had -new balls and bats, and the Rover boys and their chums had spent all -their spare time in practice. - -As in years gone by, Jack was to pitch for the Colby Hall team, as -it was called, while Tommy Flanders was to fill the box for Longley -Academy. Fred was to be first baseman, with Randy at third and Andy in -center field. Gif went to second and also captained the nine. - -“You’ll have to act as a substitute, Fatty, whether you want to or -not,” said Gif. - -“All right,” answered the stout cadet. “But please don’t call on me. -Finish the game among yourselves. I’ll be a high and mighty rooter,” -and he grinned. - -It was advertised around the lake that two well-known military -academies would play a game of ball for the benefit of the new hospital -and this brought to the grounds a large number of people, including -quite a few automobile tourists. When the boys trotted out on the field -they were greeted with applause. - -“There are the Colby Hall boys.” - -“And there are the cadets from Longley Academy.” - -“Looks as if we might see a pretty good game.” - -The manager of the local ball team had consented to act as umpire, and -promptly on time the game started. Longley was first at the bat and in -a second more Jack found himself facing Mason. - -“Now then, Bob, knock it over the fence!” cried one of the Longley boys. - -“That’s it, Bob! Bring in a homer first clap!” - -Although he had not been on the Colby nine since the new rule -concerning officers had gone into effect, Jack had not given up his -baseball practice and he felt himself in excellent condition when he -caught the ball that the umpire tossed to him. Then came the command, -“Play ball!” and he gave a warm up-swing and threw the ball over the -plate. Mason was on the alert and promptly knocked the sphere down to -center field where it was stopped by Andy and quickly sent to first. - -“He’s out!” - -“Hurrah! First blood for Colby Hall!” - -It was a splendid beginning, but such a fine showing could not last. -Before the inning came to an end the Longley boys had scored two runs, -much to their delight. - -“Now, Colby, show ’em what you can do!” - -Although the left-handed pitcher who had battled against Colby Hall -during the games at the schools was at the camp, Tommy Flanders had -insisted upon filling the box and now he came forward with his usual -confident air. - -“Go at ’em, Tommy! Eat ’em up!” cried Codfish, who had been playing -center field. - -Flanders was on his mettle and it must be confessed that he did very -well――so well, indeed, that the Colby boys were retired in that first -inning without getting further than first base. - -“Hurrah! That’s the way we’ll do ’em up!” shouted one of the Longley -supporters. - -After this the game went along without either side scoring until the -fifth inning. Then Andy managed to get a single, followed by a double -from Gif, and then came another single by Walt, and when the inning -came to an end the score was a tie, 2 to 2. - -“Some game, I’ll say,” said one of the men from the hotel. “Almost as -good as the professionals put up.” - -“Fine young pitchers, both of them,” said his gentleman friend. - -After that the game seesawed along until the eighth inning, when the -score stood 4 to 4. Both Jack and Tommy Flanders had pitched well, and -the support on each side had been almost flawless. - -“Some game, I’ll say,” remarked Fred, as he came in to the players’ -bench. “Why can’t all of us put up a game like this when we’re at home?” - -The only flaw in the proceedings had been when Flanders had been -cautioned by the umpire for stepping out of the box when about to -deliver the ball. - -“You’re mistaken. I didn’t step out,” growled Flanders, and became -quite angry. - -“You heard the warning,” was all the umpire said, but the tone of voice -was such that the Longley pitcher knew he must pay attention to what -was told him. - -When the Longley boys came to the bat for the last time their best -stick men were to the front, and as a result they managed to get in two -more runs, much to their delight. - -“Hurrah! Six to four!” cried one of the Longley boys enthusiastically. -“Now then, hold ’em down to another goose egg and the game is ours!” - -“We’ve got to do something, fellows,” said Gif earnestly. “Who is at -the bat?” - -“I am,” answered Fred. - -“Well, do your best.” - -“I certainly will,” responded the stout young Rover, as he grasped the -ashen stick and walked to the plate. - -Two balls and a strike were called on Fred. Then the sphere came in -just where he wanted it. Crack! went the bat, and the ball went sailing -between first and second base. Away flew Fred, reaching the bag in a -cloud of dust. - -“Hurrah! A single! Now then, pile up a few more, fellows!” - -Randy was to the bat next, and it must be confessed that he was just -a bit nervous, for he realized that their chances of winning the game -were slim. Nevertheless, after having a strike and two balls called -upon him, he managed to land on the horsehide for another single, which -took Fred safely to second. - -Spouter now came forward and managed to dribble the ball down close to -first base. He was put out, but Fred managed to slide to third while -Randy reached second. - -The next fellow to the bat was Ned Lowe. He knocked a pop fly, which -the second baseman gathered in with ease. - -“Two out! Now hold ’em down and the game is ours!” - -“Hit it, Jack, hit it for all you’re worth!” whispered Gif, as Jack -came forward with his bat. - -The major of the Colby Hall battalion did not answer. But he set his -teeth and took a firm grip on the ashen stick as he faced Tommy -Flanders. A ball was called and then a strike, and then another ball -and a strike. All those in the grandstand seemed to hold their breath -for what might be coming. The game might be won or lost in a few -seconds more. Tommy Flanders wound up with care and the ball came in -just a trifle low. Crack! went the bat, and the horsehide sailed upward -far into the left field. - -“Run, boys, run! It’s a two-bagger!” - -“No, it isn’t! It’s a home run! Run!” - -Fred, playing well off third, came in with ease and Randy followed -almost immediately. Jack was racing down to second, and as he did this -he saw that the fielder was still running to gather the bouncing ball. -Up he tore to third and there hesitated for an instant. - -“Go in! Go in!” yelled Gif. “You can make it, Jack! Run! Run!” And with -leaps and bounds Jack came in over the home plate. - -“Three runs! Colby Hall wins the game!” - - - - - CHAPTER XXVII - - A SQUALL ON THE LAKE - - -Of course the Longley boys were keenly disappointed, especially as they -had thought they had the game “sewed up,” as some of them expressed it. -Yet the contest had been a fair one and they could not find fault over -the result. - -“You win,” said Ted Maxwell, coming up and shaking hands with Gif. “A -good clean game.” - -“I was a little out of practice,” grumbled Tommy Flanders. “I bet you -couldn’t beat us again,” and he walked off in disgust. - -“Now we’ve had a ball game, why can’t we have a few races on the lake, -or things like that?” suggested Spouter. - -“I’m willing,” put in Bob Mason. - -“Maybe we’ll send you a challenge to a boat race,” added Maxwell. - -“All right, anything you say,” returned Gif. - -After the ball game matters ran along smoothly at the bungalow for a -week or more. Dan and the others who were touring left after having -had “the time of their lives,” as Walt Baxter expressed it. - -There were three rowing matches arranged, a match between two of the -boys from Longley and two from Colby Hall, then a match for singles, -and finally a match in which the six boys in the camp were pitted -against six of their rivals. - -“I hope we manage to do something in those boat races,” remarked Fred -one day, when the boys were tramping through the woods on another look -for the black bear they had seen. - -“Well, I think we’ll have a good chance to win,” answered Gif. “We won -before, didn’t we?” he went on, with a smile. - -“I’ll bet it made them sore to lose that ball game,” came from Jack. - -“We sort of paid ’em back for rough-housing the bungalow,” remarked -Randy. - -“Oh, we’ve got to fix ’em for that yet,” said his brother quickly. - -From Mr. Mumbleton the boys had heard that a black bear had been seen -on the lower eastern shore of the lake and they had rowed over in that -direction. - -“I think this is somewhere around the place where Tommy Flanders’ -father bought that factory,” remarked Gif, after they had come to a -halt to rest for a few minutes. “They said it was on Flat Rock Creek, -and, unless I’m mistaken, this is the creek,” and he pointed to a broad -and somewhat muddy watercourse. - -“I don’t think we care to visit any factories,” answered Spouter. “I -don’t see why a fellow should build such a thing up here. It just -spoils the scenery.” - -The boys spent the best part of the day in the woods. They had, as -before, brought their lunch along and rested for nearly an hour after -eating it. Then they concluded that they might as well go back to where -they had left their rowboat and go home. - -“What’s the matter with rowing past the Longley camp? If we see any of -the fellows we can ask them if they’re all ready for the boat races,” -suggested Fred. - -The others were willing, and in a short while came close to the camp of -their rivals. Strange to say, no one was in sight, not even Jeff. - -“Maybe they’ve gotten rid of that darkey already,” remarked Gif. - -“Well, I wouldn’t blame ’em for doing it.” - -“Let’s go ashore and take a look around,” suggested Andy, thinking -there might be a chance to play some trick on the boys who had -“rough-housed” the bungalow. - -“You want to be careful that they don’t spot you, Andy,” warned Jack. - -They pulled into a little cove under some overhanging trees and then -approached the camp very cautiously. Not a soul seemed to be about -either of the small bungalows nor at the shed in the rear, and, growing -bolder, the lads entered the nearest structure. - -“Quick! Let’s give ’em a dose of their own medicine!” exclaimed -Andy, and in a twinkling they were all hard at work disarranging the -furniture, clothing and the bedding and the entire contents of the -kitchen. Then they hurried to the other bungalow. - -“Let’s cart the bedding out into the woods. We can hang it over some -bushes,” suggested Randy, and this was done with all possible speed. - -Then Andy took all the spoons in the place and jammed them down out of -sight into a big pot of salt. The forks he jammed down into a pot of -sugar. - -“I think that’ll keep ’em guessing a little while,” he chuckled. - -Only one boat belonging to the Longley camp was to be seen, and after -surveying the situation the boys managed to push this under the dock -completely out of sight. - -“They’ll have to go in swimming to get that boat out,” said Jack, with -a laugh. - -Having disarranged the entire camp to their satisfaction, the boys -hurried back to where they had left their boat and pulled away toward -their own shore. - -“Here come a couple of boats now!” cried Jack presently. “I think -they’re the Longley fellows coming from Rocky Run.” - -They kept on rowing and presently the other boats came close enough to -be hailed. - -“We’ve been taking your friend Jeff down to the railroad station,” -explained Ted Maxwell. “We found he was no good――too lazy――so we -shipped him.” - -“I don’t blame you, Maxwell!” exclaimed Gif. “I thought you’d get -enough of him before long!” - -“How about the races?” called out Jack. “All ready for them?” - -“We’ll be ready when the time comes,” answered another one of the -Longley boys. - -“How are you going to keep house without Jeff?” questioned Andy. - -“Oh, we’ll get along all right enough,” replied Paul Halliday. “We made -him put everything in apple-pie order before he left.” - -“And you’ll find it in apple-pie order when you get back――I don’t -think,” muttered Randy in a low tone, and then the boats separated. - -“I’d give a dollar to be on hand when they arrive home,” said Spouter, -with a laugh. “Won’t they be mad?” - -“Well, it’s tit for tat,” returned Jack. “They mustn’t think they can -trick us and get away with it.” - -At last came the day for the boat races. The Rover boys and their chums -had practiced constantly under Gif’s directions and felt that they had -done all they possibly could to win. - -“If only the girls were here to see these races,” remarked Fred. - -“Yes. And if only they had been on hand to see the ball game,” returned -Jack. And then his mind went back to Ruth and to her father and he -wondered how Mr. Stevenson was making out about the stolen paint-making -formulas. - -In the singles Fred was victorious over Billy Sands and Jack came in -ahead of Paul Halliday. In the doubles Spouter and Andy lost to Ted -Maxwell and another of the Longley boys, while Gif and Randy won with -ease over the lad known as Fiddler and Codfish. - -Of course the six-oared race, which took place three hours later, was -the big event. For this purpose two boats which were almost alike were -chosen and a course around a number of the islands was mapped out. Some -men in motor-boats from Beldane were asked to act as judges and in the -end the event took on quite a look of importance, many coming from all -around the lake to witness the contest. - -“Here is where we have got to win!” declared one of the Longley boys. -“It will even up for losing that ball game.” - -“Well, we’re going to win!” cried another, who was one of the best -oarsmen at the academy. “If you’ll follow my directions we can’t lose.” - -For this race both crews had practiced carefully, and when they came -out to the starting line each looked to be in the pink of condition. - -The race proved a great surprise in more ways than one. The sun was -shining, but there were heavy clouds in the sky and just as the race -started it began to rain. Then the wind blew up sharply. - -“Row, boys, row!” cried Gif, who was setting the stroke. - -“Gee, feel the rain!” murmured Andy. “We’re in for a ducking.” - -“Never mind; pull!” answered Jack. - -All had caught the stroke perfectly and were doing very well. They did -not hurry, for the course was over two miles and a half long and they -did not wish to tire themselves out before the finish. - -Less than half of the race was over when the sudden summer storm broke -in all its fury. There was a vivid lightning flash across the sky -followed by a terrific crash of thunder and then came little less than -a deluge, which sent many of the observation boats to the shore in a -hurry. - -“Gee, we’re going to catch a squall!” exclaimed Spouter. And he was -right, the heavy gusts of wind soon sending the whitecaps bobbing up -and down all around them. - -“Don’t give up, boys!” shouted Gif, to make himself heard above the -sudden roar of the elements. “We’ve got to win this race, storm or no -storm.” - -“Here come the Longley boys!” exclaimed Jack, as they were rounding one -of the islands. “Great Scott! did you ever see it blow so hard?” - -The squall seemed to grow stronger by the instant, and the boys had -all they could do to keep the boat from foundering. Nevertheless, they -kept to their oars and soon saw the finishing line but a short distance -ahead. Only the motor-boat with the judges was nearby, all other craft -having hurried away to seek shelter. - -Anxious to win the race, the Longley crew also kept on. But they had -swerved somewhat from their course, and now in trying to regain the -proper position they suddenly shipped a big wave. - -“Hi! We can’t stand this!” cried one of the lads in sudden alarm. - -“Pull! Pull!” yelled another. “We’ve got to win, I tell you! Pull!” - -Then came another vivid flash of lightning over the lake, followed by -a deafening clap of thunder. The shock was so terrific that several of -the lads in the Longley boat were seen to throw up their hands and let -their oars go. Then wind and waves hit the rowboat a smashing blow on -the side and over it went, hurling the six occupants into the lake! - - - - - CHAPTER XXVIII - - AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY - - -The rowboat containing the Colby Hall cadets had just crossed the -finishing line of the race when the wind and waves hit the Longley -craft, turning it over. - -“Hurrah! We win!” shouted Andy, in keen satisfaction. - -“Look! Look!” exclaimed Jack. “The Longley fellows are in trouble. -Their boat has turned over on them!” - -“Gee! we’d better row to the rescue,” came from Fred, with a gasp. The -strenuous rowing had all but winded him. - -In spite of the wind and whitecaps, the six boys managed to turn the -rowboat around and sent it in the direction of the other craft. They -could see one of the boys clinging to the upturned boat while the other -five were floundering around in the lake. - -The catastrophe was witnessed only by those in the rowboat and the -judges and others aboard the motor-boat, for the downfall of rain was -now so heavy it cut out completely the view from the shore. - -The motor-boat started to the rescue also, and arrived at the scene of -the disaster several seconds ahead of the Colby boys. The motor-boat -people managed to pick up three of the lads in the lake. - -“Save me! Save me!” yelled one of the boys, and those in the rowboat -saw it was Billy Sands. He was throwing up his arms frantically. -Evidently the race had all but exhausted him. - -As the rowboat came closer Jack reached over and caught Sands by the -arm, and then he and Gif pulled the dripping cadet over the gunwale. -They then rowed up beside Bob Mason and assisted him aboard. - -“My gracious! did you ever see such a storm?” spluttered Mason. “I -never saw so much lightning in my life. I wish I was ashore.” - -“Help! Help! I don’t want to be struck by lightning!” came in a bellow -from the overturned rowboat, and now the Colby Hall boys saw that the -fellow clutching the craft was Tommy Flanders. - -Another flash of lightning now lit up the scene and the thunder rolled -along from one end of the lake to the other. In the midst of this those -on the motor-boat hauled in Flanders and then came beside the craft -occupied by the Colby Hall cadets and those they had rescued. - -“Shall we pull you in?” questioned the man who had the motor-boat in -charge. - -“Perhaps it would be as well,” answered Gif. “We’re pretty well tired -out from the race, and that wind is fierce.” - -“All right. We’ll take you over to your dock. Here’s a rope. Tie it -fast.” - -“What of our boat?” questioned Ted Maxwell. - -“We can either pick that up coming back or let it drift. I don’t think -you’ll lose it.” - -Some floating oars were picked up and then the craft belonging to Mr. -Garrison was hauled over to its dock. - -“Well, you fellows win the race,” said the judge of the contest, with a -smile. “Some finish, I’ll say.” - -“Won’t all of you come into the bungalow?” asked Gif politely. “No use -of starting out in this terrible downpour. It will probably let up in a -little while.” - -“I think we might as well,” said one of the men present, and everybody -marched into the bungalow. Here fire was started, both in the living -room and in the kitchen, so that those who wished to do so might dry -themselves. Then several pots of hot coffee were made and passed -around. - -“That touches the spot!” said Ted Maxwell gratefully. “I was quite -chilled by that sudden bath after being all overheated from the race.” - -“I don’t want any coffee,” grumbled Tommy Flanders. “I want to get back -to our camp.” He had determined to make himself as disagreeable as -possible. - -“We’ll take you over there as soon as the storm lets up a little,” said -the man who had the motor-boat in charge. - -“It was a mighty nice thing for you fellows to do――to go to our -rescue,” remarked Bob Mason to Gif and Jack. “I’ll not forget it. I’m -sorry now that we came over here the other day and mussed things up.” - -“Well, I guess you got paid back for that,” put in Andy. - -“We sure did,” replied Mason, with a grin. And then he added in a -whisper: “Several of our fellows wanted to destroy your stuff, but -Maxwell and I wouldn’t stand for that.” - -The sudden summer storm stopped as quickly as it had begun, and before -long the motor-boat departed, carrying the Longley boys to their own -side of the lake. On the way the overturned rowboat was picked up and -also another one of the floating oars. - -After the races the Rover boys and their chums settled down to enjoy -themselves thoroughly. They felt that in the future the Longley -boys would leave them alone so far as “rough-housing” the place was -concerned. - -The six lads were still anxious to get on the trail of the bear they -had seen, and went out several times, but without success. - -“We must have scared Mr. Bear out of his wits,” said Jack. “Otherwise -we’d find some trace of him.” - -“Oh, let’s try it again!” cried Fred. And eagerly they set out one -Monday morning after a quiet Sunday in and around the bungalow. - -They started in the rowboat, going again to the eastern shore of the -lake in the vicinity of Flat Rock Creek, for Mose Mumbleton had again -told them that the bear had surely been seen somewhere in that vicinity. - -“Maybe it’s a different bear from the one we saw on our side of the -lake,” remarked Spouter. - -“Well, I don’t care if it is,” answered Fred. “One bear is as good as -another as far as I am concerned if only we can bring him down.” - -The boys tramped around the best part of the morning and then sat -down to rest in the shade of some trees and bushes while partaking -of the lunch they had brought along. They were close to a footpath -running along the edge of the creek that flowed into Big Bear Lake, and -while resting after eating saw two men coming along the path talking -earnestly. - -“I won’t take a cent less than five thousand dollars,” one of the men -was saying. “Flanders has got to pay that much or he don’t get the -formulas.” - -“If I had my say, Carl, I’d charge him more than five thousand,” said -the second man, a tall, thin individual with a heavy moustache. - -“Well, five thousand is quite a sum, Tex,” answered the fellow called -Carl, who spoke with something of a German accent. Then the two men -left the vicinity of the creek and took to a trail leading through the -woods. - -The six boys had heard every word spoken, and they gazed at each other -in surprise. - -“They’re going to try to sell Flanders something for five thousand -dollars!” observed Gif. - -“Did you hear the names Carl and Tex?” ejaculated Jack. “Those fellows -must be Carl Lemrech and Tex Norris, the fellows suspected of stealing -that book of formulas!” - -“Exactly!” cried Randy. - -“I wonder if they’ve got the book of formulas with ’em,” came from Fred. - -“Let’s follow them,” put in Andy, in excitement. - -“We will, Andy,” answered Jack readily. “But listen! Perhaps it will be -as well if we keep out of sight.” - -With caution the six lads followed the two men through the woods until -they reached an old cabin which had long since seen its best days. They -found the men inside smoking and drinking from a flask one carried. -They were talking earnestly. - -“This is Monday,” said Lemrech. “I’ll fix it so we can see Flanders -here by Wednesday noon. We’ll leave the book of formulas hidden right -where it is and he sha’n’t have a sight of it until he shows us his -money. I wouldn’t trust him to pay up if he had the book. He knows well -enough we couldn’t sue him.” - -“Oh, yes, you want to get your money first,” answered Tex Norris. - -After this the men talked the matter over for a quarter of an hour -longer. Then there came a hail from the distance. - -“There’s that farmer who said he might give us board,” remarked -Lemrech. “Come ahead.” - -“We don’t want to fix up the deal with Flanders at a boarding house,” -complained Norris. - -“Oh, no. We’ll fix it up right here. And I’ll make the time Wednesday -noon sharp.” - -“What do you think we ought to do, Jack?” questioned Fred, when the two -men had departed. - -“Don’t you think we ought to search the cabin and see if that book of -formulas is anywhere around?” questioned Andy. - -“We might do that. But the chances are the men have hidden the book -where we couldn’t very well find it. I think the best thing we can do -is to hurry to Beldane and send Mr. Stevenson a telegram to come at -once.” - -The boys knew they could not telegraph from Rocky Run, as no regular -office was located there. They hurried down to the lake and set off for -Beldane without delay. - -“I’ll bet Mr. Stevenson will be surprised when he gets our message,” -said Jack, after the yellow slip had been passed in and paid for at the -Beldane telegraph office. - -“Going to wait for a reply?” questioned Gif. - -“I think we might as well.” - -The boys hung around for three hours. Then came a message from Mr. -Stevenson. It was to the effect that he would start for Big Bear Lake -on the first train in the morning. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIX - - JEFF BRINGS NEWS - - -The Rover boys and their chums knew that Mr. Stevenson could not arrive -at the camp before Tuesday evening. He would take the train to Beldane -and would probably come up to the bungalow in a motor-boat. After -breakfast on Tuesday time hung heavily with all of the lads. They took -their morning bath and then knew hardly what to do, being somewhat -excited over the prospect ahead. - -“Maybe Mr. Stevenson will have a regular fight to get that book of -formulas back,” was Randy’s comment. - -“When he goes after those men and after Mr. Flanders he’d better go -armed,” said Fred. - -“I intend to go with him if he’ll let me,” put in Jack. - -“I guess we’d all like to go along,” said Gif, with a laugh. - -Not knowing what else to be at, Andy and Randy took a walk up the brook -back of the bungalow. They were gone about half an hour when they came -rushing back wild with excitement. - -“We saw the bear!” gasped Andy, who was all but winded from running. - -“He’s stretched out on some rocks sunning himself!” put in his brother. - -“The bear! Where is he? Let’s get a shot at him!” exclaimed Fred, and, -leaping up, ran for his gun. - -All of the others did likewise, and in less than a minute the six -campers, fully armed, were moving cautiously up the brook in the -direction where the twins had said the bear had been located. - -“We don’t want to make any noise,” whispered Jack. - -“Is everybody’s gun in good condition?” questioned Gif, in an equally -low tone. “We can’t take any chances, you know; that bear may be a real -fighter when he’s aroused.” - -At this each of the lads examined his weapon, to find it in good order -and ready for use. They moved forward in a bunch, each straining his -eyes to be the first to catch sight of bruin. - -“Now take it easy,” said Randy presently. “Those rocks where we saw the -bear are not over a hundred yards away.” - -“Come on! Let us circle a little to the south,” cautioned Jack. “We -don’t want the wind to carry our scent. Some of those bears have a nose -as keen as a deer, so I’ve been told.” - -As they advanced between the trees and around the rocks and brushwood -the six lads carried their guns ready for instant use. If the truth -must be told, each was anxious to get the first shot at the game. - -“There he is!” - -“He’s coming this way!” - -“Shoot him!” - -Bang! Crack! Bang! went the shotguns and light rifles the boys carried, -and the black bear, suddenly leaping from some rough rocks just ahead -of them, was shot in the foreshoulder and in the rump. The beast -emitted a loud roar, and then suddenly disappeared behind some nearby -brushwood. - -“Where’d he go?” - -“Look out! He may jump out at you!” - -Reloading hastily, the six lads circled the brushwood cautiously, each -straining for another sight of the black bear. They could hear a low -growl and saw some of the bushes suddenly move. - -“Give him another dose just for luck,” suggested Gif, and the six -firearms sounded almost as one as all the lads fired at the spot where -they thought the black bear might be. - -How many of the shots reached the mark they were never to ascertain. -But evidently the bear was hit again, and with a fearful roar of rage -and pain it suddenly burst from the brushwood and lumbered in the -direction where Fred and Spouter were standing. - -“Shoot him! Shoot him quick!” - -Crack! went Jack’s rifle and bang! came a report from the shotgun Gif -carried. Then one after another the other weapons rang out and the -black bear was halted when less than three yards away from Fred and -Spouter. The huge creature, now on its hind legs, tottered from side to -side and then came down with a crash at the foot of a big tree. - -“Hurrah! We’ve got him!” cried Randy. - -“Be careful! Maybe we’ll have to give him a shot or two more,” -cautioned Jack. - -The young major was right. The bear, a tough old fellow, was by no -means dead. Though seriously wounded, it thrashed around and then did -its best to stand up. - -“I’m going to finish him,” cried Fred, and before any one could -stop the stout young Rover, he had run forward and sent a charge of -buckshot directly into the bear’s ear. At once the huge creature -rolled over on its back, gave a few spasmodic jerks, and then lay still. - -For a moment after the end came the boys could scarcely understand what -had happened. Then, as they realized that they had laid the big black -bear low, their faces broke out into smiles and they shook each other -by the hand. - -“We got him! We got him!” exulted Fred, dancing around. “And look at -the size of him!” - -“Some bear rug there, I’ll say,” was Randy’s comment. - -“No bare floor with a bear rug like that,” chuckled Andy, who even in -such a moment of excitement had to have his little joke. - -“Now the question is, how are we going to get this bear down to camp?” -said Gif, after they had made certain the creature was dead. - -“We might as well skin it right here,” suggested Spouter. “No need of -carting the whole carcass along. Why, it must weigh five or six hundred -pounds!” - -“We’ve got to have a picture of him,” cried Fred. And several snap -shots were taken without delay. - -“We want some bear steaks for supper,” said Jack. “We’ll treat Mr. -Stevenson to a surprise.” - -“Why can’t we roll the bear over to the brook and float him down -somehow,” suggested Gif. And after a good deal of labor this was done -and they managed to bring the carcass to a point some distance behind -the bungalow. Here they skinned the bear and cut out the choicest of -the meat, chopping up the remainder and dragging it off so that the -smell might not reach camp. - -Fred and Spouter were trying their hand at broiling some bear steaks -when they heard a shout from the other lads. Thinking that Mr. -Stevenson had arrived, they ran to the front of the bungalow, to behold -a rowboat coming in containing a single occupant. - -“It’s Jeff come back! What do you know about that?” cried Gif, in -disgust. - -“I suppose he’d like you to give him another trial, Gif,” said Jack. - -“Not unless he promises to do much better than he did,” was Gif’s reply. - -“Well, to have somebody to do the cooking and dishwashing would help -out a whole lot,” said Spouter, with a sigh. Secretly he and the others -were all tired of doing the housework. - -“Good afternoon, gen’leman,” said Jeff, as he bowed politely to the six -boys. “Kind o’ surprised to see me, I suppose?” - -“We certainly are, Jeff,” answered Gif. - -“I’s got a few days’ work with Mr. Mumbleton, cleanin’ up around his -store and warehouse and doin’ odd jobs at the boathouse,” explained the -colored man. - -“I see,” answered Gif briefly. - -“Thought maybe you might be tired of doin’ the work ’round the house,” -went on Jeff uneasily. “Wouldn’t you like me to cook a first-class -dinner for you? I’m jest achin’ to do it.” - -“It’s only your confounded laziness, Jeff, that made us send you off,” -answered Gif. “If you could get over that you’d be all right.” - -“It wasn’t laziness, Mr. Gif. ’Twas the misery in my back. But that -misery is done gone now, and I don’t think it’ll come back. And -besides, I come here to tell you somethin’,” went on the colored man -earnestly. “I wants to tell you somethin’ about some of them boys over -to that camp yonder,” and he pointed to the eastern shore of the lake. - -“What have you got to tell us, Jeff?” questioned Randy. - -“I thought it might be of importance to you young gen’lemen. It’s about -somethin’ that happened at Colby Hall while you was there. But say, Mr. -Gif, how about it? Don’t you want me to get supper ready and clean up -around the place?” questioned the colored man eagerly. “I don’t like it -nohow down to that Mr. Mumbleton’s store. I’d ruther be workin’ for -real quality people.” - -“Well, we might give you another trial, Jeff,” answered Gif, after a -glance at his chums. “But remember, you’ve got to be right on the job. -No more going to sleep and letting a good dinner burn up.” - -“No, sir! No, sir! Nothin’ like that no more. That misery in my back is -gone, and you’ll find me wide awake,” answered Jeff earnestly. - -“Now what have you got to tell us about those fellows over in the other -camp?” asked Spouter, impatiently. - -“It’s about a fire what done took place at the Colby Hall boathouse,” -answered Jeff, much to the astonishment of all the lads. - - - - - CHAPTER XXX - - AT THE CABIN――CONCLUSION - - -“What do you know about that fire?” questioned Jack. - -“That fire was sot by three of them Longley boys,” answered Jeff. “I -done heard them talkin’ about it one night.” - -“You did!” exclaimed Fred. “Who were the boys?” - -“They was that Flanders boy and them two other fellows named Sands and -Halliday.” - -“Tell us all about this, Jeff!” cried Andy eagerly. - -Thereupon, sitting on the bungalow porch with the boys around him, the -colored man gave the particulars. He said that he had caught the three -boys behind the shed at the Willoughby camp smoking and playing cards. -They were talking about old times and did not notice him when he went -into the shed. He heard them mention a fire at the Colby Hall boathouse -and, listening, found that it had been caused by Flanders and his two -cronies. - -“I ain’t sure that they done it on purpose,” went on Jeff. “They went -there to rough-house the place, same as when they done come here and -rough-housed this bungalow. They had a lantern with ’em, and Sands said -the lantern got knocked over accidental like. But Flanders didn’t act -much like it was accidental like and Halliday didn’t neither.” - -“I guess if it was accidental they were glad it happened,” cried Jack. -“And one thing is certain, they didn’t try to put out the fire. They -just skipped out and let the place take care of itself.” - -“We ought to let Colonel Colby know about this,” said Spouter. “It’s -too serious a matter to let go by. Of course, we could accuse Flanders -and those other fellows, but what good would it do us?” - -“Let’s put it all down in writing and get Jeff to sign it,” suggested -Gif. - -This was agreed upon, and the boys lost no time in taking down the -colored man’s statement. Then they read it to him and he signed it, and -they put their names on the paper as witnesses to the signature. Then -Jeff shuffled off into the kitchen of the bungalow to get ready for -supper. - -“I’ll surprise you young gen’lemen, you see if I don’t,” said the -colored man. “And I’ll surprise that Mr. Stevenson, too.” - -“All right, Jeff,” said Gif, “you can remain here just as long as you -make good. The minute you fail in your duties you’ll have to leave.” - -It was growing dark when the boys heard the put-put of a motor-boat -coming from the lake, and soon the craft rounded a point of the shore -and glided up to the bungalow dock. - -“Hello, Mr. Stevenson! Glad to see you!” cried Jack, as he ran down to -the dock. - -“And I’m glad to get here,” answered Ruth’s father, as he leaped from -the boat and shook hands. “Great news you fellows sent me.” - -“I certainly hope it proves all right,” returned the young major. - -“I’m impatient to learn the details,” continued Frederic Stevenson. And -then he went on: “How about it, Gif? Can you take care of the man who -has the motor-boat? I thought we might be able to use that craft in -getting around the lake.” - -“Sure, we can,” answered Gif readily. “There are empty rooms galore in -this place and we have plenty on hand to eat. We can give you a real -treat to-night. We have some bear steaks.” - -“Good gracious! did you shoot a bear?” came from the man who ran the -motor-boat. - -“We sure did!” answered Fred proudly, while the others were shaking -hands with the new arrival. “A great big black bear! And we got a -wildcat, too!” he continued. - -While Jeff was preparing supper the boys gave Ruth’s father the -particulars of the interview they had overheard at the old cabin on the -other side of Big Bear Lake. Of course, the gentleman was tremendously -interested and listened to every word with close attention. - -“I believe you’ve solved the mystery of that disappearance,” said he, -after they had finished. “Now the only thing to do is to get hold of -that book of formulas.” - -“Don’t you want to catch Mr. Flanders when he tries to buy the book -from those rascals?” asked Spouter. “It seems to me a man who would be -mean enough to do that ought to be exposed.” - -“It’s just possible that Mr. Flanders may be innocent in the matter,” -suggested Mr. Stevenson. “The other men may claim that they brought the -book of formulas from Germany direct and that they have a right to it. -However, it won’t do any harm to listen to what the men have to say -when Flanders appears.” - -During the evening the boys related what had taken place during their -outing at Big Bear Lake and in return Mr. Stevenson told them something -of what Ruth and the other girls had been doing, and of how matters -were going with himself and Uncle Barney. - -“If I can only get hold of that book of formulas I’ll be all right,” -said the gentleman. “Otherwise everything will be at sixes and sevens.” - -It was an impatient crowd that went to bed that night, and they were -equally impatient after breakfast in the morning, all wanting to see -how the affair concerning the book of formulas would terminate. It was -not until about ten o’clock that they started for the other side of the -lake. They landed at the spot where the boys had been two days before -and, leaving the boatman behind, followed the same trail leading to the -cabin in the woods. - -“Now I suppose we had better hide,” said Mr. Stevenson. “If those men -catch sight of us they may run away and we may never be able to catch -them.” - -With great care they concealed themselves behind some brushwood and -there waited for a long time in silence. Some of the boys were just -about thinking that the men would never come when they heard voices in -the distance. - -“Here they are, I think,” whispered Gif. And then Mr. Stevenson put his -finger over his lips and all became silent. - -Peering through the brushwood, Jack saw that two of the men were Carl -Lemrech and Tex Norris. The third individual was short and stocky and -his face bore a strong resemblance to that of Tommy Flanders. - -“Oh, you needn’t be disturbed, Flanders,” said Carl Lemrech, in his -German accent. “We got the goods. It’s the same book that was sold to -that man Stevenson.” - -“You’d better not mention names around here, Lemrech,” grumbled Mr. -Flanders. - -“Oh, this is a very lonely place. Nobody ever comes here,” put in Tex -Norris. - -Thus talking, the three men entered the cabin, leaving the door, -however, wide open. There were two windows on one side of the building, -and these were open also. - -“I’m going forward to investigate,” whispered Mr. Stevenson. “If I give -the signal, jump out and point your guns at them. I don’t want any of -them to get away.” - -“Gee, this is getting real exciting!” murmured Randy. All the boys had -brought their weapons with them, but more for a show of arms than for -any thought of actually using them. - -Mr. Stevenson crawled up toward one of the open windows and Jack and -Fred could not resist the temptation to crawl up to the other. The -three heard the men inside talking earnestly. Lemrech had made a demand -for five thousand dollars and Flanders tried to cut this amount in half. - -“No, sir, it’s five thousand dollars or nothing,” growled Lemrech. -“Isn’t that so, Tex?” - -“It sure is! Five thousand!” answered Norris. “And we want it in cold -cash, too! No checks or anything like that!” - -“How do you know I’ve got so much cash with me?” demanded Tommy -Flanders’ father. - -“Well, I told you to bring cash,” answered Carl Lemrech. - -“Let me see the book, so that I know it’s all right,” answered Flanders. - -“You’ll pay the five thousand in cash?” - -“Yes.” - -Carl Lemrech paused for a moment and then, going to a corner of the -cabin, removed a couple of boards in the flooring. From an opening -below he took a heavy tin box. This he unlocked and brought forth a -package wrapped in a newspaper. - -“Here’s the book,” he said, as he unwrapped the package. “And I want to -tell you, Flanders, it contains the best formulas for making artists’ -paints that I ever heard of. You ought to make a fortune out of these -formulas. You can manufacture those paints for artists in that old -factory up on Flat Rock Creek and very few people will be the wiser. -You can capture the market with that sort of artists’ material.” - -The book was passed over to Flanders and he began to study it carefully. - -“Seems to be all right,” he said slowly. “Of course, I don’t―― Hello! -what’s that? Give me that book!” - -Flanders broke off abruptly, for while he had been looking into the -book of formulas it had suddenly been snatched from his grasp. Turning, -he found himself confronted by Mr. Stevenson. - -“This book is mine, Mr. Flanders,” said Ruth’s father coolly. - -“Stevenson!” muttered Carl Lemrech, and turned pale. - -“A fine piece of business you’re in,” went on Frederic Stevenson. -“About to buy a book of formulas that was stolen by those men from me!” - -“Jump him! Get the book away from him!” yelled Tex Norris, and made a -leap forward. - -But Frederic Stevenson had anticipated such a move, and as Norris came -on he backed out of the doorway, stuffing the book of formulas into -his pocket. - -“Up with your hands, every one of you!” he called sternly, as he -produced a pistol. Then, turning to the boys, he added: “Don’t let any -of them get away.” - -All of those in the cabin had come to the doorway, and now they gazed -around in bewilderment to find six young fellows in sight and each -armed with either a shotgun or a rifle. - -“I guess you understand the game is up,” said Mr. Stevenson quietly. -“All those young men attend Colby Hall Military Academy and they all -know how to shoot. You’ll be safer if you keep your hands up,” and -thereupon every hand in the cabin doorway was elevated. - -It had been a quick victory, and now that it was over Mr. Stevenson -and the boys hardly knew what to do with the three men. In the end, -however, each of them was searched and disarmed, and then each had to -submit to having his hands bound behind him. In this fashion all were -marched down to the lakeshore and made to step into the motor-boat. - -“See here, Stevenson, let us settle this matter,” said Mr. Flanders -eagerly. “It’s all a mistake, I tell you. These fellows said you were -trying to do them out of something that rightfully belonged to them. -I’ll give you a thousand dollars to drop the whole matter.” - -“Nothing doing, Flanders,” answered Mr. Stevenson briefly. “You can -tell your story to the officers of the law.” - -The three men were taken to Beldane where a complaint was lodged by -Ruth’s father. Then Lemrech and Norris were placed in jail, Flanders -being let out on bail. - -It may be mentioned here that later on Lemrech and Norris were tried -for the theft of the book of formulas and each received a long term -in prison. Then Tommy Flanders’ father was tried for his part in the -transaction, and it was only by the shrewdness of his lawyers that he -finally managed to escape imprisonment. As it was, many felt that he -was guilty and refused after that to have anything to do with him. - -In the meanwhile, Colonel Colby took up the matter concerning the -burning of the boathouse. Tommy Flanders, as well as Paul Halliday and -Billy Sands, were terror stricken when confronted with the evidence -against them. They, however, insisted that the fire had been an -accidental one――that they had simply come to the place to “rough-house” -it and perhaps to damage some of the shells. When the lantern had been -broken and the scattered oil had blazed up, they had become frightened -and run away. Their parents paid for all the damage that had been done -and there the matter rested. None of the three boys returned to the -camp on Big Bear Lake, and Maxwell, Mason and a number of the others -were glad to get rid of them. - -“They are altogether too rough for our crowd,” was Ted Maxwell’s -comment. “I wish they would leave Longley Academy.” - -After the excitement attending the capture of the three men and -the exposure of Tommy Flanders and his cronies the Rover boys and -their chums put in several weeks more boating and fishing, as well -as hunting. They brought down another wildcat, and Randy had the -satisfaction of bringing in the biggest fish ever caught in the lake. - -“Some adventures we’re having,” declared Jack. But still more stirring -times were in store for the boys, and what some of them were will be -related in another volume, to be called, “The Rover Boys Shipwrecked; -Or, A Thrilling Hunt for Pirates’ Gold.” - -During those days Jack got another letter from Ruth in which she said -she was very thankful that matters were being straightened out for her -father and her Uncle Barney. - -Then one day came a surprise for the boys. Two motor-boats came in -from Beldane and on them were all the girls, accompanied by Mrs. -Stevenson, Mrs. Dick Rover, and Mr. and Mrs. Garrison. - -“We’ve come to stay a week!” cried Martha Rover. - -“And we expect you to entertain us royally,” came from her cousin Mary. - -“We’ll do that, all right enough,” answered Jack quickly, and with his -eyes full on Ruth. - -“We’ll give you the best times ever!” exclaimed Fred. - -“When you go away you’ll say Big Bear Lake is as nice a spot as you -ever visited,” put in Randy. - -“And you’ll want to come here every year,” finished his twin. - -And here while the Rover boys and their chums are getting ready to give -the girls a glorious time, we will say good-by. - - - THE END - - - - - _This Isn’t All!_ - -Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in -this book? - -Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and -experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author? - -On the _reverse side_ of the wrapper which comes with this book, you -will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same -store where you got this book. - - - _Don’t throw away the Wrapper_ - -_Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. -But in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete -catalog._ - - - - - THE FAMOUS ROVER BOYS SERIES - - By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD - (EDWARD STRATEMEYER) - - =Beautiful Wrappers in Full Color= - - -[Illustration] - -No stories for boys ever published have attained the tremendous -popularity of this famous series. Since the publication of the first -volume, The Rover Boys at School, some years ago, over three million -copies of these books have been sold. They are well written stories -dealing with the Rover boys in a great many different kinds of -activities and adventures. Each volume holds something of interest to -every adventure loving boy. - -A complete list of titles is printed on the opposite page. - - - - - FAMOUS ROVER BOYS SERIES - - BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD - (Edward Stratemeyer) - - OVER THREE MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THIS SERIES. - - =Uniform Style of Binding. Colored Wrappers.= - =Every Volume Complete in Itself.= - - THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE - THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS - THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA - THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS - THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS - THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM - THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE - THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE - THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR - THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK - THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA - THE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESS - THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR - THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL - THE ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLAND - THE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVAS - THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT - THE ROVER BOYS IN THE LAND OF LUCK - THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG HORN RANCH - THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG BEAR LAKE - THE ROVER BOYS SHIPWRECKED - THE ROVER BOYS ON SUNSET TRAIL - THE ROVER BOYS WINNING A FORTUNE - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - - - - WESTERN STORIES FOR BOYS - - By JAMES CODY FERRIS - - =Individual Colored Wrappers and Illustrations by= - =WALTER S. ROGERS= - =Each Volume Complete in Itself.= - - -Thrilling tales of the great west, told primarily for boys but which -will be read by all who love mystery, rapid action, and adventures in -the great open spaces. - -The Manly Boys, Roy and Teddy, are the sons of an old ranchman, the -owner of many thousands of heads of cattle. The lads know how to ride, -how to shoot, and how to take care of themselves under any and all -circumstances. - -The cowboys of the X Bar X Ranch are real cowboys, on the job when -required but full of fun and daring――a bunch any reader will be -delighted to know. - - THE X BAR X BOYS ON THE RANCH - THE X BAR X BOYS IN THUNDER CANYON - THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER - THE X BAR X BOYS ON BIG BISON TRAIL - THE X BAR X BOYS AT THE ROUND-UP - THE X BAR X BOYS AT NUGGET CAMP - THE X BAR X BOYS AT RUSTLER’S GAP - THE X BAR X BOYS AT GRIZZLY PASS - THE X BAR X BOYS LOST IN THE ROCKIES - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_); text in - bold by “equal” signs (=bold=). - - ――Printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently - corrected. - - ――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - ――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG BEAR -LAKE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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