Edward Stratemeyer

“ If I held that office Colonel Colby would expect me to toe the mark all the time just as an example to the others. Even as it was, he didn’t like to have me as a captain and Fred as a lieutenant mixed up in that snowball affair.”
“Oh, but, Jack! think of the honor of being major of the battalion,” cried the girl. “I’m sure Martha and your folks will be very proud of you.”
“Would you be proud, Ruth, if I should win the position?” he asked in a low tone.
“Why, of course—we all would,” returned the girl, her face flushing slightly. “I always like to see my friends make something of themselves.” ”

“ During the days which followed at Big Horn Ranch the Rover boys and their chums asked Joe Jackson if he knew Bud Haddon and the other men who had been with him.
“Yes, I know Haddon,” answered the foreman of the ranch. “He used to work for Bimbel on a ranch on the other side of the river; but I think he left there several months ago.”
“Well, if he did, I rather think he’s going back,” answered Jack. “Can you tell us anything about him?”
“Oh, I imagine he’s as good as the average fellow around Bimbel’s place,” answered Joe Jackson. “You see, none of our crowd have much to do with that outfit. ”

“ Jack Rover could see that Brassy Bangs was laboring under great excitement. The youth who loved to dress in such a showy manner was red of face and his eyes glittered in a manner calculated to make any one quail before him.
But the young captain of Company C was not going to quail, and he stood his ground and looked the other youth squarely in the face. ”

“ The four Rovers had just come out in the corridor and been joined by Gif, Phil, and Spouter when they found themselves suddenly confronted by Professor Duke, with Professor Grawson and poor Codfish directly behind him.
“So this is your work, is it?” demanded Snopper Duke, glaring angrily at Jack and Fred in turn.
“To what do you refer, Professor?” asked Jack, as calmly as he could.
“You know well enough, Captain Rover. It is useless for you to deny it,” stormed the angry teacher. “You and your cousins here are responsible for bringing those big snowballs into the school.” ”

“ And that fall he had joined the crowd at the military academy and soon made for himself a host of friends.
“Gee, I never thought going to school could be so nice,” declared Phil Franklin to the Rover boys one day. “I always considered going to school a hardship. But this is bang-up in every way.”
“I guess you haven’t made any enemies yet, Phil,” remarked Fred. “Don’t forget that Nappy Martell, Slugger Brown, and Gabe Werner all hailed from here.”
“I’ve met only one fellow that I don’t like,” returned Phil Franklin. ”

“ Then one of the cadets telephoned to Felix Falstein, the owner of the Haven Point moving picture theater.
“Falstein always hangs out his flags for us,” said this cadet. “And he’ll do it this time, I’m sure.”
Colby Hall now boasted of a drum and fife corps of twelve pieces, and they made merry music as the battalion marched away in the direction of Haven Point. All but three or four of the cadets were in the best of spirits.
“I think marching over to Clearwater Hall is punk,” declared Brassy Bangs, with a snarl. ”

“ It was a clear day, the air just bracing enough to put the cadets of Colby Hall in good spirits. When the time came for the contest nearly all of them hurried to the range.
“Now then, Lest, show ’em what you can do!” cried Paul Halliday.
“The Rovers won’t have a look-in!” broke out Billy Sands. “It will be a regular walk-away for Lest.”
“Don’t be so sure of that,” answered Gif.
“Brassy may be all right enough with a pistol; but don’t forget that Jack and Fred know how to handle a rifle,” added Spouter. ”

“ The catcher made a dive for it while the pitcher came to the plate to stop the runners. But it was too late, and before the sphere could be sent in both runs had been scored.
“Zip! Boom! Two more runs for Longley!”
“That’s the way to do it, boys! Let’s snow ’em under!”
“Take Halliday out!” was the angry cry of fully a dozen cadets. “Take him out! He has no business on the team!”
And thereupon amid shouts of derision Paul Halliday was compelled to quit the field and one of the substitutes went to take his place. ”

“ But I think Professor Grawson will have something to say too,” said Jack. “And he has always been a very fair-minded man.”
“I don’t see why Colonel Colby took on such a 40 man as Snopper Duke,” declared Spouter. “He’s every bit as bad as Asa Lemm was.”
“But you’ve got to hand it to him for being a very well educated man,” said Jack. “And he certainly knows how to teach when he’s in the humor for it.”
“I don’t think a man who is as harsh-minded as he is ought to be a teacher,” was Gif’s comment. “He can’t get a cadet to do his best if he’s forever nagging at him. ”

“ The talk concerning Brassy Bangs wanting to run for the office of major was true, and the cadet was much disgusted when he found that the regulations of the Hall forbade this.
“I can beat any one of them at shooting,” he grumbled to Paul Halliday, one of his particular cronies and the fellow who had aided in trying to get up the sleighing party.
“Of course you can,” was Halliday’s quick reply. Then he went on: “Say, Lest, why don’t you challenge Jack Rover and his cousin Fred to shoot against you? You can show ’em up in great shape. It would be better than fighting them.” ”

“ And now the lads who were listening could see that their fellow-cadet was very much upset. “I’m not guilty, and I never have been guilty of any wrongdoing!”
“You tell that to the police and see what they have to say about it,” sneered Haddon, “You know well enough that you set fire to John Calder’s barn and burnt up horses that was worth thousands of dollars.”
“And I always said it was some cowboys or tramps that did it!” stormed Brassy.
“Not much! You did it! I know it, and so do Jillson and Dusenbury! We’ve got the goods on you.” ”

“ Many of the cadets were running around indulging 128 in all sorts of horseplay while others were dancing around the bonfires singing the songs they had learned in the school and while at the encampments. Several of the boys, including Andy, were in clowns’ costume with big slapsticks which they used vigorously on everybody who came within their reach.
“Hurrah, boys, let her flicker!” cried Fred, as he rushed forward. “Everybody join in!” he added, and then boomed out with this well-known Hall refrain:
“That’s the stuff!” ”

“ Following the parade to Clearwater Hall the cadets settled down to the usual routine of drills and studies. But soon there came a call for aspirants 161 to the baseball team, and then talk of the coming matches with Columbus Academy, Hixley High, and Longley Academy filled the air.
“Gee! it makes my hands tingle to think about baseball,” sighed Fred, when talking the matter over with Jack.
“I feel the same way,” answered the young major. “But remember, Fred, we can’t have everything in this world, and I’d rather be major of the school battalion—at least, for one term.” ”

“ But so far this demonstration had had little effect.
“Oh, Jack! do you think they’ll be run down?” gasped Randy.
“I hope not.”
“They’re on a pair of good horses; they ought to be able to outrun the cattle,” came from Gif.
“Don’t be so sure of that,” cried Spouter. “A mad steer can go some, believe me.”
“Who ever thought they would start off like that?” went on Randy.
“It was firing at those rattlesnakes did it,” declared Jack. “Of course, I can’t blame the cowboys for doing that.”
Andy and Fred found the rocks anything but easy to ascend. ”

“ It was soon noised around the school that Brassy Bangs and his cronies were doing their best for Harkness, while another crowd, led by Bart White, were rooting in rather a lively fashion for Captain Glasby.
“We’ve got to get busy for Jack,” said Gif to Spouter. “Come on! Let’s sound out all the fellows in the Hall we think we can influence.” And thereupon he and Spouter and a number of others set to work to electioneer for Jack as hard as they could.
Several days before the election Andy and Randy obtained permission to go to Haven Point on an errand. ”

“ But then, of a sudden, Jack let out a yell.
“Boys, what do you know about this! Do you recognize that man?”
“It’s Hans Mueller!” ejaculated Fred.
“Uncle Hans!”
“Who would have thought he was coming to the ranch?”
“Hans Mueller!” murmured Andy. “I’ll be 252 glad to see him. He’s as full of fun as a stray dog is of fleas!”
Hans Mueller was a man who in his boyhood days had been a boon companion of the Rover boys’ fathers. When he had gone to Putnam Hall with the Rovers he had spoken very broken English, and his improvement in speech had been slow and painful. ”

“ Some of the cowboys proved to be remarkable shots both with the rifle and the pistol. But here the boys, especially Fred and Jack, felt at home, and they, too, showed what they could do.
“Rattlesnakes and tarantulas!” exclaimed one of the cowboys, Hank Minno, the fellow who was supposed to be so bashful. “You kids sure kin shoot some. I s’pose you learned it at that there military school you’ve been goin’ to.”
“Yes,” answered Fred. “Although we sometimes do a little practicing when we’re at home. Down in the long cellar of our house.” ”

“ You went to her and some of the other girls and told them that my chums and I were no good, and that the sleighride party we and some other fellows were getting up was going to be the wildest thing that ever took place at Haven Point.”
“You’re entirely mistaken, Bangs. And the sooner you get out of here the better it will please me.”
“Do you dare deny that you hauled us over the coals with those girls at Clearwater Hall?”
“I decline to discuss the matter any further with you,” answered the young captain.
“See here, Rover! you can’t ride any high horse like that with me,” blustered Brassy. ”

“ Close to the automobile stood a number of horses, all saddled. On one sat a bronzed cowboy, who grinned broadly at the boys and tipped his hat rather awkwardly to Mrs. Rover and the girls.
“This is my foreman, Joe Jackson,” said Songbird Powell. “Joe, this is Mr. and Mrs. Rover, and these are the Rover boys and their sisters, and this is my son and another of his chums. I guess you’ll get better acquainted a little later on,” and he smiled broadly.
“Who’s to ride on horseback?” questioned 200 Andy quickly, “We can’t all get into that machine.” ”

“ Big Horn Ranch is located out in Montana, and it comprises a thousand acres or more—how large I don’t exactly know. To get there you journey by rail to a little jumping-off place called Four Rocks, and then you have to ride or drive to the ranch, which is four or five miles away. The nearest town of any size is Arrow Junction, which is quite a distance off.”
“How is it your dad bought a place like that?” broke in Gif. “I didn’t know he was interested in ranches.”
“Oh, he has always liked outdoor life—you all know that. And this ranch came to him in rather an unexpected way. ”

“ As was their custom, the young folks drifted from the theater to a nearby candy and ice-cream establishment. Here they split up into various groups at some tables in the rear. Of course, the boys insisted on treating the girls, and there was quite a discussion over what each would have. Martha and Mary had paired off with Gif and Spouter, and Fred and the twins were with some of the other girls, and this left Ruth and Jack by themselves. ”

“ It’s only when they’re cornered or when they’re needing food that they are really combative.”
The mountain lion was skinned and the pelt taken away by the ranch foreman to be cured, and then Fred and Andy took it easy for the rest of the day.
“Isn’t it queer that Brassy Bangs has never showed himself around this place?” remarked Spouter that evening. “Wouldn’t you think he’d at least ride over to see what sort of an outfit we had here?”
“More than likely he’s afraid of his welcome,” said Jack. “He knows that none of us care for him.” ”

“ If you don’t—well, look out, that’s all!” And with this threat the tall man rode out of the cave.
The Rovers and their chums had listened to every word that had been spoken. They were 291 both mystified and amazed by what had been said.
“That fellow Haddon is surely a first-class rascal,” whispered Spouter to Jack.
“Do you know what I think we had better do?” returned the young major. “Let’s stop Brassy and have a straight talk with him. I don’t think he’s quite as bad as we thought he might be.”
“Yes, let us stop Brassy by all means,” came in a low tone from Fred. ”

“ But other strenuous times were still in store for the lads, and what some of these were will be related in the next volume, to be entitled, “The Rover Boys at Big Bear Lake; or, The Camps of the Rival Cadets.”
“Big Horn Ranch is a delightful place,” said Ruth. “I never thought a spot where they raised cattle could be so interesting.”
“Is your father going to stay out here and become a regular ranchman, Spouter?” questioned Fred.
“I don’t know about that,” answered the ranch owner’s son. “He’ll stay here for a while, anyway. He likes it better and better every day.” ”

“ Colonel Colby has an idea that not enough cadets have filled these various places in the past. He wants to give every fellow a chance if possible.”
“Well, you can’t blame him for that.”
“Not at all, Martha. I’m quite content to step aside so far as baseball is concerned, and so is Fred. We want to do our best as officers and also do our best with our studies. You know the folks at home are expecting us to make real records in the classrooms.”
“I know that only too well, Jack. Mary and I are working day and night on our lessons here. ”

“ The note received by Fred was on lines similar 152 to the communication sent to Jack. He sent word to May clearing up the situation.
“It was a mean thing for Bangs and Halliday to do,” declared the newly-elected captain of Company C. “We ought to pitch into them.”
“We can’t afford to do it, Fred, now that I’m a major and you’re a captain,” was Jack’s reply. “Remember what Colonel Colby said: We must be models for the other cadets.”
“Great Scott! does that mean we can’t stick up for our rights?” demanded the youngest Rover indignantly. ”

“ Ned Lowe, who was also a good singer, was willing, and at once ran off into the school to get the musical instrument mentioned. When he came out he tuned up hastily and then played while Si Crews sang one or two old-time songs. Then Ned gave the crowd one or two funny songs and a dozen or more of the cadets joined in the chorus.
“Here’s a chance to get square with Codfish!” cried Fred, as the sneak of the school showed himself in the crowd.
“Oh, we might as well let Codfish drop,” answered Jack. ”

“ While in the moving picture theater Jack sat with Ruth beside him. They occasionally spoke about the scenes presented to them and also about school matters in general, but not one word was said by either about the party Martha had mentioned.
“Mr. Falstein certainly gets good pictures,” remarked the girl, when the performance had come to an end and the crowd of young people was moving out of the theater. “They’re just as good as one can see in the big cities.” ”