Edward Stratemeyer

“ Rockley was also down, and it looked as if it might be well-nigh impossible to budge either.
"This is a dandy tug of war," said Fred Garrison. "Neither has got an inch of advantage."
"The Rovers will beat!"
"The Rockleys will win!"
"I think it will be a tie," said another.
The strain was terrific and soon each member of the two teams was bathed in perspiration.
"Here is where you earn your rations!" cried one cadet, and this caused a general laugh.
"Watch your chances, Tom," whispered Dick, and his brother nodded to show that he understood. ”

“ William Philander Tubbs had declined to vote and Lew Flapp and Gus Pender had kept entirely out of sight while the voting was going on. The two cronies took themselves to the gymnasium and there declared their hatred of Dick Rover.
"He is responsible for this," muttered Flapp, clenching his fists and grating his teeth. "But for him I might at this minute be major of the battalion, or one of the captains. Oh, but won't I square up some day!"
"What will you do?" questioned Pender. "Remember, I'm just as down on him as you are." ”

“ Here, take this cigar and smoke up. It will brace your nerves. And you, Davis, have another glass of something to drink," went on Lew Flapp, pouring out a glassful and handing it to the one addressed.
"Thank you, Flapp, but I don't want any more," answered Joe Davis. He looked as ill at ease as did Harry Moss.
"Don't you want to be sociable?" demanded the tall boy.
"It isn't that, Flapp. I—I guess I've had enough already."
"Oh, don't be a sissy, Davis. Here, I'll drink with you, and then I'll smoke a cigar with Moss. If you are going to be men you want to start right in. Eh, Rockley?" ”

“ Sam was keeping the lead in good shape, although hard pressed by Flapp, Pigley, and Franell. His wind was good and he was running with a grace which brought forth much favorable comment.
"Whether he wins or not, he is the most graceful runner in the school," whispered George Strong to Captain Putnam. "I never saw his equal."
"You are right, Strong," answered the captain. "I'll tell you what," he added. "They are a great trio, those Rover boys. One cannot help but love them, in spite of their tricks and occasional wrong-doings." ”

“ And what is more, Dick Rover, don't you expect me to knuckle under to you. If you try that game, you'll get what you least expect," and so speaking Lew Flapp forced his way out of the crowd and left the gymnasium.
"Well, of all the idiots I ever met!" came from Tom. "He believes in meeting trouble three-quarters of the way, doesn't he?"
"I think Jasper Grinder must have stuffed him full of stories about us," said Dick. "That's the way that rascally teacher expects to get square on Captain Putnam—by ruining the reputation of the school." ”

“ How brown all of you look!"
"Tanned by the tropical sun," answered Sam. "Oh, here is Aunt Martha, and Uncle Randolph!"
"Sam!" burst out the motherly aunt, as she kissed him. "Oh, how you must have suffered on that lonely island!" And then she kissed the others.
"We've certainly had our fill of adventures," came from Dick, who was shaking hands with his Uncle Randolph. "And more than once we thought we should never see Valley Brook farm again."
"We were real Robinson Crusoes," went on Sam. "And the girls were
Robinson Crusoes, too."
"Are the girls well?" questioned Mrs. Rover. ”

“ Tom was right, Helen and Alice Staton were running along the highway at all the speed they could command. Behind them, less than fifty feet distant, was the enraged black bull, bent on doing all the mischief possible.
"Those girls will be hurt!" said Dick, running forward.
"Can't we do something?" asked Sam.
"We can try," said Tom. "Get a rock, or something," and he picked up a sharp stone which lay handy. Sam did likewise. ”

“ The apples were within easy reach, and soon each was chewing on the juicy fruit to his heart's content.
"Wonder where Flapp and his crowd went," came presently from Tom.
"If they went to Oakville they most likely visited the tavern," answered Dick.
"It's a shame!" declared Tom. "Drinking and smoking and playing cards will never do them any good."
Another bend in the road was passed and they came within sight of Isaac
Klem's farm.
"Hullo!" ejaculated Sam, pointing ahead. "What's the matter?"
"Those girls are running for all they are worth!" said Dick.
"A bull is after them!" came from Tom. ”

“ Every cadet in the room was astonished, and all leaped to their feet.
"What's up?" cried Rockley.
"They have been spying on us!" came from Jackson.
"Talk about meanness! This is the limit!" added Pender.
"I want you to leave Joe Davis and Harry Moss alone," went on Dick, as calmly as he could. "It's an outrage to get them to drink and smoke against their will."
"Are you two alone?" asked Lew Flapp, glancing nervously over the newcomers' shoulders. ”

“ I deserve no pity."
"I think he'd like to see you turn over a new leaf, too. He hates to see people on the downward path, Mr. Baxter."
"You are a good boy, Dick Rover. I am sorry that my son Dan isn't like you. Has he been caught yet?"
"I believe not."
"If he is caught, let me know," concluded Arnold Baxter, and there the talk ended.
"I imagine he really intends to turn over a new leaf," said Dick to Tom and Sam, a little later.
"Hope he does," replied Tom.
"So do I," added Sam.
Let me add a few words more and then bring this story of life in camp to a conclusion. ”

“ CHAPTER VIII A SCENE IN THE GYMNASIUM Lew Flapp spoke in such a loud, overbearing voice that a crowd began to collect in the corner where the punching apparatus was located.
"What's up?" asked more than one cadet.
"Lew Flapp and Dick Rover are going to try to beat each other at punching the bag," was the report.
"Rover will have to do his best then. Flapp is a prime one at bag punching. It's about the only thing he can do real well."
"This isn't a fair contest," put in another student. "Flapp took lessons from a man who used to do bag-punching on the vaudeville stage." ”

“ Down at the dock the boys found the Golden Star, a trim little side-wheeler, ready to take them up the lake. There were about half a hundred passengers, bound for various landings, and among them six Putnam Hall scholars, including our old-time acquaintances, Jack Powell, generally called Songbird Powell, because of his habit of composing poems and songs, and that aristocratic young gentleman who rejoiced in the name of William Philander Tubbs.
"The family is surely getting together," remarked Dick, after another handshaking had been indulged in. "Songbird, do you warble as much as ever?" ”

“ You should be sure of what you are doing, Jackson. It is not commendable to arouse the whole camp at midnight for nothing."
"Well, I thought I was sure," insisted the crestfallen cadet. He knew for a certainty that some of the cadets had been out but saw no way to prove it.
"In the future be more careful while on guard duty," said Captain
Putnam coldly; and there the subject was dropped.
"Who fired that shot?" asked Sam, on the morning following the hazing.
"Jackson," replied a cadet named Gilson, who had been one of the hazers.
"The sneak!" murmured the youngest Rover. ”

“ The first term at school had been followed by an exciting chase on the ocean, after which the boys had gone with their uncle to the jungles of Africa, in a search after Anderson Rover. After the parent was found it was learned that Arnold Baxter was trying to swindle the Rovers out of a valuable gold mine in the far West, but this plot, after some exciting adventures, was nipped in the bud.
The trip West had tired the boys, and they hailed an outing on the Great Lakes with delight. ”

“ Dick was about to step forward when Tom caught him by the arm.
"Let us keep shady, Dick."
"All right, Tom, if you say so."
Sam noticed that the faces of the two girls fell when Flapp and his cronies went past.
"Those are some of your chums, I suppose?" said Helen.
"They are some of the cadets, but no chums of ours," replied Dick.
"Oh!"
"They belong to a little crowd of their own." explained Tom. "We don't hitch very well, so that is why we let them go by unnoticed."
"We met them at the store in Oakville," said Alice. ”

“ Then Pender tried again, but failed, and Dick was declared the winner.
"This is the day for the Rovers!" cried one cadet, and a cheer for Tom and Dick followed, while the Staton girls waved their handkerchiefs wildly.
After this came several other contests, in each of which the crowd pitted against the Flapp faction won. This made Lew Flapp, Rockley, Pender, Jackson and a number of others feel very sore.
"We must win something," cried Pender fiercely. "If we don't we'll be the laughing stock of the whole academy." ”

“ Dick was doing.
"Dick, they tell me he is the best bag-puncher here," whispered Larry.
"I can't help it."
"He will crow over you if you don't do as well as he can do."
"Let him."
Dick began his punching exercise slowly, for he had not tried it for some time, and was afraid he was a little stiff. But, it may be added here, there was a punching bag in the barn at the Rovers' farm, so the youth knew exactly what he was doing.
"Oh, anybody can do that," remarked Lew Flapp presently. "That's as simple as A. B. C."
"Well, can you do this?" ”

“ They were passing some of the stores when Lew Flapp caught sight of them.
"Hullo!" cried the tall boy. "I declare! there are the three Rover brothers. What brought them to Oakville?"
"We had better not let them see us with this stuff," said Pender hurriedly. "We'll get into hot water if they do."
They lost no time in putting their purchases out of sight. Then they walked out on the street and stood leaning against the posts of a wooden awning.
"There is Flapp and his crowd now," said Tom, catching sight of the trio.
"We want nothing to do with them," said Dick. "They are not our kind at all." ”

“ Do you think you can lick me?" blustered Flapp, who felt certain he could best Tom at fisticuffs.
"I don't think so—I know it," said Tom coolly.
"Don't you fight him, Tom," said Sam, in alarm. "He only wants to get you into trouble. He'd like nothing better than to see you lose your position as lieutenant."
"He's afraid," sneered Lew Flapp. "All of you Rover boys are mere bags of wind."
"I don't think you found Dick a bag of wind, Flapp." ”

“ And then the crowd gathered around George Strong to learn the time.
"Eight seconds better than Lew Flapp!" was the cry. "And Tom Rover came in four seconds better!"
"That shows what Sam Rover would have done had Franell kept out of his way."
"The race should have gone to Sam Rover!"
So the cries kept up until Captain Putnam compelled the cadets to quiet down.
Lew Flapp and his cronies were much disgusted and left the field almost immediately.
"He's afraid to stay," declared Dick. "He doesn't want Sam to challenge him," and this was the truth. ”

“ Before the warship left the island a search was made for Dan Baxter and for those who had mutinied with him. But the bully and his evil-minded followers kept out of sight, and so they were left behind to shift for themselves.
"Do you think that we will ever see Dan Baxter again?" Sam had questioned.
"I hardly think so," had been Dick's reply. ”

“ When he was arrested, he tried to prove that he hadn't been outside of the ballroom all night, and it was by the merest accident that the authorities found out his story wasn't true."
"Tom is right; some criminals are very shrewd," said his father. "And I fancy Arnold Baxter is about as slick as any of them."
"Well, I hope we run across him some day," said Dick.
With so much to occupy their minds the days flew by swiftly, and almost before they knew it Monday was at hand, and the three boys set out to return once more to Putnam Hall. ”

“ It was decided that Fred and Powell should remain in charge of the rowboat, so that nobody might come and make off with the craft. Leaving their fishing outfits behind them the two Rover boys struck out through the bushes, and soon gained a narrow forest path running through the woods that skirted this section of Bass Lake.
"I wish we could catch Baxter," said Tom, on the way. "It would be a feather in our cap, Sam."
"We must be careful. More than likely he is armed, and he won't hesitate to shoot if he is cornered." ”

“ Sam was also doing his best, and all of this gratified Captain Putnam exceedingly.
"It shows they can work as well as play," was what the captain told himself, and he wrote Anderson Rover a long letter, in which he praised the boys for their efforts.
The boys fell into their places at the academy with a naturalness that was surprising when one considered the adventures that had but lately befallen them. Over and over again did they have to tell of their doings while on the Pacific, and as Crusoes, and some of the cadets never tired of listening to the stories. ”

“ Sam had but little to say. But he knew that both Tom and Dick expected him to win, and he resolved to "do or die" as the saying goes.
"Even if I lose they shan't say I didn't try," the youngest Rover told himself.
Out on the field William Philander Tubbs was strutting around boastfully.
"I can't help but win, don't you know," he drawled. "Running is exactly in my line."
"Oh, what a whopper!" was Fred Garrison's comment. "Tubbs is about as lazy as they make 'em."
Soon all of the contestants were ready, and George Strong explained the conditions of the race. ”