Edward Stratemeyer

“ As was usual with them, Gabe Werner and Bill Glutts growled when ordered to look to the fastenings of the tent they and their cronies occupied. But as the wind increased Glutts pulled Gabe to one side and whispered something into his ear.
“All right—I’m with you,” answered Werner promptly. “Let’s do it at once. Got your pocketknife handy?”
“Yes. Have you?”
“I have. And it’s as sharp as a razor. All we’ll have to do is to cut the ropes about half way through. The wind will do the rest,” announced Gabe gleefully. ”

“ Father and Uncle Sam have really volunteered for the war!”
It was Martha Rover who spoke. She and her brother were seated in a small summerhouse attached to Clearwater Hall. Not far away sat Mary and Fred.
“It’s the truth, Martha,” answered Jack; “and here is the telegram that was sent. We at once went to Colonel Colby and got some particulars.”
“But he may be shot down and killed!” and Martha’s face grew white as she spoke.
“That’s a chance every soldier takes when he goes to the front, Martha. But let us hope that dad will escape—and let us hope that Uncle Sam will escape, too.” ”

“ Miss Garwood was the head of the school for girls, and likewise an authority in chemistry.
The road was filled with automobiles going and coming, and Randy had all he could do to send the machine along without getting into some sort of collision. The heavy smoke continued to roll across the lake, and soon they were in the midst of this. It had a curious pungent odor to it, which set them to sneezing and coughing.
“No fun in this, I must say,” declared Jack. The girls all had their handkerchiefs to their faces, and May Powell looked as if she was getting sick. ”

“ Not to be seen by Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell, the three cadets had withdrawn to a safe distance. Now, however, all were anxious to ascertain who might be in the cabin, and so by crouching low and hiding behind one tree and another and then some rocks and low bushes, they at last came up close to the opposite side of the shelter in the forest.
“Now don’t show yourselves if you can help it,” said Randy in a whisper. “And if any one is discovered, leg it for all you are worth, and [288] keep your faces turned away so that they can’t see who you are.” ”

“ Several more explosions came now close upon the others, each explosion heavier than those which had gone before. The ground all around seemed to tremble, and those who were still in the grandstand cried out in alarm.
“The grandstand is going down! Everybody jump for his life!”
“Look! Look!” was the sudden cry from Jack Rover, and he pointed to a place on the opposite [17] shore of Clearwater Lake. A dense volume of smoke was rolling skyward. Then came another tremendous explosion, and a mass of wreckage could be seen to be lifted skyward.
“It’s the Hasley ammunition factory going up!” ”

“ Andy and Randy, crouching low at the side of the tent, had, of course, taken in all that was said and done. Each was on a broad grin as they stole back to their own quarters.
“Wasn’t it rich?” chuckled Andy. “I had the greatest desire in the world to burst out laughing.”
[206] “I could hardly keep still,” returned his twin. “When Gabe threw his own flashlight away and busted it I nearly exploded.” ”

“ There was a good deal of horseplay, but every one enjoyed himself immensely.
Following the evening meal the cadets were told they could do as they pleased until nine o’clock, but must not leave the confines of the camp. Many of the lads were too tired to do much of anything, and so sat around, taking it easy and talking over the prospects.
“Don’t forget that we have got to fix up things for Werner and Glutts,” whispered Andy to his brother, when it was almost time to retire.
“Right you are!” returned Randy. “Come on—let’s slip away while the others are not noticing.” ”

“ I don’t want you to run into any danger down at the lake shore,” said the girl, looking at him pleadingly with her big brown eyes.
“I guess we’ll be able to take care of ourselves,” he answered lightly. But it pleased him a great deal to have Ruth so full of consideration for him.
Leaving their automobiles in the school grounds, the Rovers and their chums left the place, crossed the highway, and followed the footpath leading down to the Clearwater Hall boathouse. Here they found only a few people congregated, the heavy-rolling clouds of smoke keeping a good many away. ”

“ Sunday proved rather a busy day for all of the cadets, yet the Rovers, along with a number of others, went to Haven Point where they met some of the girls. All attended services at one of the local churches. Then the young folks paired off, the boys walking with the girls to Clearwater Hall.
“Oh, Jack, you can’t think how proud I am to know they have made you a captain!” said Ruth, who was walking beside the newly-elected officer. “And I think you ought to be very proud yourself.” ”

“ The twins were likewise eager to see the government camp and their uncles, but they were somewhat depressed, and could not help but show it.
“I know what’s the matter,” whispered Martha to her brother. “They are thinking about their father. Poor Uncle Tom! What a shame it is that he couldn’t join father and Uncle Sam.”
“Well, you know how they arranged it,” answered the young captain. “Somebody had to stay at home to manage the business.”
While the Rovers and their chums were showing the girls around the camp, Gabe Werner and Bill Glutts eyed them enviously. ”

“ Knowing that the young folks were usually very hungry when they got home and that they always enjoyed home cooking, their mothers had prepared quite a spread for them. Mrs. Tom Rover had gone downtown to meet her husband, and now she came back in a flutter of excitement.
“Hello, Ma! Where is Dad?” questioned Randy, as he ran up and gave her a hug and a kiss, followed by his twin. ”

“ We feel sure that with such men as you in our army Uncle Sam is bound to help very materially in winning this World War.
[149] “And now, sir, as a token of our esteem, and also as a reminder of what we hope you will do to the enemy, allow me, sir, in the name of all the cadets of Colby Hall, to present you with this.”
As the young major concluded he drew from behind him a leather case which he sprung open as he presented it to the astonished master of the institution. ”

“ CHAPTER VI CELEBRATING THE BASEBALL VICTORY
“He was afraid to make a complaint,” was Fred’s comment.
“I can’t understand why two such fellows should act the way they do,” said Bart White. “They both come from fairly well-to-do families, and they could be really fine fellows if they wanted to.”
“Slugger Brown doesn’t come from a very good family—at least as far as his father is concerned,” answered Jack. “Mr. Brown is just as mean and dishonorable as Slugger. He was at the head of the plot to do poor Barney Stevenson out of Snowshoe Island.” ”

“ Both Captain Dale and Professor Brice seemed to be much disturbed over something that had occurred, and the bell for silence rang out sharply.
“This ballot cannot be counted!” declared Captain Dale, in a stern voice. “There are but one hundred and eleven cadets present, but one hundred and fifteen votes have been cast, showing that some person or persons voted more than once. You will immediately prepare new votes and stand in one long line, handing each vote to me as you come up.” ”

“ Werner was lazy by nature, and he did not like the idea of electioneering, any more than he did the idea of studying.
“I’ll tell you what you ought to do, Gabe,” said Bill Glutts. “You ought to give the boys a spread, or treat them to an entertainment in town. That would nail the captaincy for you.”
This idea pleased Werner, and, as a result, that night he invited all the cadets he dared to approach to the moving-picture theater at Haven Point. ”

“ Such were some of the exclamations from Werner and Glutts as they sat up and then bounced off of their cots. Then, in a rage, the ex-lieutenant and his crony began to accuse the others in the tent of having played a trick on them.
“We didn’t do anything of the sort,” growled one of the cadets.
“You fellows make me tired,” howled the other. “If you don’t shut up and settle down I’m going to ask to be put in another tent.”
“I’m going to light up and see what that confounded thing in my cot is,” growled Bill Glutts. ”

“ Brown and Mr. Martell came out of the cabin to where they had left Slugger and Nappy in the touring car. They entered the machine, which was immediately backed to the forest road, and then the whole party set off, Slugger driving the car.
“Say, listen!” cried Spouter excitedly. “I believe that German is here all alone! What do you say if we make him a prisoner?”
“No, no, don’t do that!” answered Randy quickly. “We want to bag the whole bunch. Let us get to camp just as soon as we can and notify Captain Dale. ”

“ When the boys and their visitors had returned to Camp Barlight, and the young cadets had seen the girls safely on their way in the two automobiles, they set out on a hunt for Werner and his [247] crowd. But those unworthies kept well out of sight, only showing themselves at roll call and when it was time to eat, and then disappearing as if by magic.
“They are afraid to meet us,” was Fred’s comment.
“Well, I’m just as well satisfied,” answered Jack. “If we got into a fight it might mean all sorts of trouble for us if Captain Dale or the professors heard of it.” ”

“ The next cadet to the bat was Walt Baxter. Walt was a good all-around player, but just at present he was not in the best of condition, having suffered from a touch of the grippe early in the season.
“Bang out a homer, Walt!” sang out Andy Rover.
“Never mind that, Walt. Make a safe hit and bring Jack in,” said Gif Garrison.
“I’ll do my best,” answered Walt Baxter. But it was plainly to be seen that his recent illness had rendered him somewhat nervous. He had a ball and a strike called on him, and then got another strike through a little foul that passed over one of the coaches’ heads. ”

“ What are you young gentlemen eating?”
“We’re not eatin’ this stuff!” exclaimed Glutts. “Somebody played a joke on us. They filled our mess kits with onions.”
“Ah, I see.” Professor Grawson held his nose and stepped back several feet. “Please do not come any closer. Raw onions are very healthful, so I understand, but I never cared for them.”
“We don’t want ’em either. I hate ’em!” roared Werner. “Come on—let’s go over to the water tank and wash up,” he added to his crony; and then rushed away.
By the end of three days the cadets felt quite settled at Camp Barlight. ”

“ Their thoughts were with their fathers. Would they come back from the war in safety?
“All we can do is to hope for the best,” [309] remarked Randy; and there the matter was allowed to rest.
Of course, the boys were eager for news concerning the Browns and the Martells, and also the Germans who had been captured, and they eagerly devoured every shred of information that came their way.
“Well, one thing is certain—we are well rid of Slugger and Nappy and their fathers,” remarked Jack.
“Yes, and I guess we are rid of Gabe Werner, too,” returned Fred. “He seems to have dropped out entirely.” ”

“ In a minute more they were leaving Camp Huxwell and were on their way to Camp Barlight. Martha was openly crying, and tears filled the eyes of Mary, and who could blame them? Even the boys looked mighty serious, and Ruth and the others had quite a task trying to cheer them up.
“There is no use in talking,” was the way Fred expressed himself: “Going to France is a serious business. It’s all well enough to talk about [254] shooting up the Huns, and all that sort of thing, but don’t forget that the Huns may do a little shooting on their own account.” ”

“ Hixley High had about come to an end. The cadets were disappearing in all directions, some going to their rooms and others to the library of the school, a large room which was often used as a general meeting place.
Word had been passed around to a number of others, so that a crowd of about a dozen assembled in the Rovers’ rooms to take part in the feast.
“I’ll tell you one thing we ought to do,” said Randy. “We ought to square ourselves somehow with Codfish. Otherwise he may be just mean enough to give us away.” ”

“ Without allowing themselves to be noticed, Andy and Randy kept their eyes on Asa Lemm [137] and saw him hurry over to one of the stores on the main street of the town, where a number of magazines were displayed in the window. He came out of the place, however, empty-handed, and looking more sour than ever. In the meantime Jack sauntered up to the keeper of the stand at the railroad station.
“Not a very pleasant sort of a fellow, that,” he remarked.
“Say, that fellow makes me tired!” growled the newsstand man. “I have a run-in with him nearly every time he comes here. ”