Edward Stratemeyer

“ Andy led the way out of the cabin, and the four boys had almost reached the place used by the old lumberman when suddenly Fred gave a cry.
"Here come two men from the lake!"
"Maybe it's Uncle Barney coming back with one of his friends," said Andy.
"No; neither of the men walks like the old lumberman," announced his twin.
"One of those men looks familiar to me," burst out Jack. He gazed intently at the advancing pair.
"There are two others behind them," broke in Fred. "Young fellows, I think."
"One of those men is Professor Lemm!" cried Jack. ”

“ But now a crowd of cadets and town folks swept in front of them, and the next instant Randy was hurled flat on his back and went spinning across the smooth ice.
By this time one of the spots on the lake had broken through, and the water was rapidly rising all around it and covering the sinking surface. Men, women and children mingled with the cadets and hurried in all directions, but most of them toward the shore.
"Come on! We've got to help those girls somehow!" panted Jack, as he skated over to where Randy had been flung. He assisted his cousin to his feet just as Fred and Andy flashed up. ”

“ Then, with a snarl, he whirled around, leaped into the snow behind some hemlocks, and in a moment more had disappeared from view.
"Well, what do you know about that!" cried Fred faintly.
"And to think we weren't ready to shoot!" groaned Randy.
"We're a fine bunch of hunters, we are!" scoffed Andy.
"Well, we didn't expect to find a wolf in possession of this hut," remarked Jack. "Just the same, I wish we had been able to get a shot at him," he added wistfully.
"I should have carried my gun," remarked Uncle Barney. "It was a mistake to put it on the sled. That's just my luck, confound it! ”

“ Among those to enter the contest were Jack Rover and his three cousins, Fred, Andy and Randy. All were provided with hockey skates, and each felt confident of making a good record for himself. Yet they all knew that the school boasted of some fine skaters, one lad in particular, Dan Soppinger, having won several contests on the ice in years gone by.
"We've got our work cut out for us!" cried Fred Rover, as he skated beside Jack. ”

“ It was an easy matter to follow the trail through the snow. It led up to the vicinity of some rough rocks, and here turned southward.
"I guess they reasoned that they couldn't get over those rocks," remarked Uncle Barney. "Maybe they were afraid of a bad tumble. I wish they had gone over them and broken their necks!" he added bitterly.
"If only they had dropped the treasure box in the snow!" murmured Fred.
"No such luck for us, Fred," responded Jack. "I'm afraid that box and its precious contents are far away by this time." ”

“ Hunting is a good deal like fishing—you can have lots of fun even if you don't get anything," and he chuckled. Nevertheless, his face looked as if he was somewhat worried.
"I'll wager he's thinking about Ruth's father and that meeting they may have," said Randy, when the Rovers were alone and preparing to go out on the hunt.
"Either that, Randy, or else he is brooding over the trouble Professor Lemm and Mr. Brown are making for him."
"There's one thing I can't understand about this," put in Andy. "Why should those men be so anxious to obtain possession of an island like this? ”

“ The three wolves that remained began to snap and snarl and show their teeth.
"Gracious! they are certainly hungry-looking beggars!" was Randy's comment.
"Come on, let's shoot them!" exclaimed Jack.
"They're no good for game," interposed Randy.
"I know that, Randy. But we don't want them on the island, and neither does Uncle Barney."
"I thought he said there weren't very many wolves left. Maybe——"
Fred, who was speaking, got no further, for at that moment the three hungry-looking wolves crouched low, and then sprang straight in the direction of the four young hunters! ”

“ The boys had brought along the old lumberman's game bag and shotgun.
Bill Hobson wanted to know the particulars of the affair, and the Rover boys related how they had come up into the woods to hunt and heard Barney Stevenson's cries for assistance, and how they had liberated him and brought him along on the litter.
"I'm very thankful indeed to you," said Barney Stevenson, and his face showed his gratitude. "If I can ever do you boys a good turn, believe me, I'll do it."
"Didn't you say you lived on Snowshoe Island?" queried Jack. ”

“ Soon the happy young folks were singing one familiar song after another and shouting and tooting the tin horns in great glee. In the meanwhile the turnout had left the vicinity of Haven Point, and was moving swiftly along in the direction of one of the neighboring towns.
"Oh, isn't this too lovely for anything!" exclaimed May, as one of the songs came to an end. "I never felt better in my life."
"If I felt any better, I'd have to call in the doctor," announced Andy with a sudden sober look on his face, and at this little sally all the girls giggled. ”

“ Who of you can tell me the names of the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth presidents of our country?"
"Oh, baby!" wailed Andy, throwing up his hands in comic despair. "Dan is worse than either Spouter or Ned."
"I thought you were going to put a padlock on that question box of yours, Dan," remarked Fred.
"I'll bet there isn't one of you can answer my question," retorted Dan Soppinger.
"Sure! I can answer it!" returned Andy readily. "What was that question? Who was the first laundryman in Chicago?" ”

“ Here Ruth speedily gained her self-possession, but May continued to cling closely to Fred's arm.
"I'm going to see how they are making out in front of the boathouse!" cried Randy. "Some of the skaters must have gotten in."
"I'm with you," returned his twin. He looked back at his cousins. "I suppose you will look after the girls?"
"Sure!" answered Jack quickly. "Go ahead."
"I don't suppose we can be of any assistance down there?" came from Fred.
"I don't think so, Fred. There is too much of a crowd as it is; they will simply be in one another's way." ”

“ The two cousins hurried to a corner of the gymnasium, and then Fred led the way up a narrow stairway, which opened up on the second floor of the building, a place which was heated, but seldom used by the majority of the cadets. It was used more as a storeroom, and contained a lot of disused gymnasium paraphernalia and boxes and barrels.
"What's going on up here?" questioned Randy, when his cousin placed a hand over his mouth.
"I just saw Slugger and Nappy come up here with Codfish," whispered Fred. ”

“ Once more they started forward, and in a minute more the boys found themselves struggling through snow which was several feet deep.
"Gee! a fellow ought to have snowshoes instead of skates!" panted Fred, when in the midst of the drift. "This is the worst ever!"
"The drift isn't very wide, Fred," announced Jack, who was ahead of his cousin, flashing one of the lights around. "Here we come to the clear ice again," and a few seconds later they found themselves skating along as easily as before. ”

“ In this line of books there is revealed the whole workings of a great American railroad system. There are adventures in abundance—railroad wrecks, dashes through forest fires, the pursuit of a "wildcat" locomotive, the disappearance of a pay car with a large sum of money on board—but there is much more than this—the intense rivalry among railroads and railroad men, the working out of running schedules, the getting through "on time" in spite of all obstacles, and the manipulation of railroad securities by evil men who wish to rule or ruin. ”

“ Here they managed to stir up more game, and Andy had the pleasure of bringing down the second rabbit, while the others laid low several squirrels.
"This is pretty rough ground around here," remarked Jack, after they had wound in and out around some exceedingly rough rocks and through some thick underbrush.
"We had better keep close to this stream," was Randy's suggestion. "If we don't, we may become hopelessly lost in these woods."
"Huh! I guess we could find our way out sooner or later," retorted his twin. To Andy, getting lost in the woods would seem nothing more than a big joke. ”

“ He probably remembers how Dan Baxter acted toward our fathers and the colonel himself, as well as their chums, and how Baxter afterwards reformed."
"Yes, that may be true. But when one fellow like Walt Baxter's father reforms, a dozen others remain as bad as ever, or grow worse. To my mind, there isn't much in the way of reform in Slugger Brown's make-up, or in Nappy Martell either."
"Oh, I agree with you there. Slugger Brown is nothing short of a brute, and Nappy Martell is as sly and vicious as any fellow I ever ran up against. We'll certainly have to watch them when they get back here." ”

“ He shook his head dismally.
"I guess you had better let us carry you out of the woods," said Jack. "You can't walk, and you certainly can't stay here alone."
"Do you know where the nearest house is located?" questioned Randy.
"Let me see——" The man mused for a moment, shutting his eyes while he did so. "Unless I'm greatly mistaken, Bill Hobson lives on the edge of the woods just to the north of this spot."
"Is he a farmer?" questioned Fred.
"No, he's a lumberman, like myself," was the reply. The man looked from one to another of the youths. "May I ask who you are?" ”

“ Then one of them threw a big rock, and that is all I can remember. As soon as I became unconscious they must have grabbed the box and run away with it."
"It must have been either Asa Lemm and Mr. Brown, or else Slugger and Nappy," said Randy.
"I don't know what I'm going to do, now those deeds are gone—not to say anything about my wife's jewelry and all that gold!" groaned the old lumberman.
"Just you take it easy, Uncle Barney. You mustn't excite yourself now," said Jack kindly. "We'll do what we can toward getting the box back." ”

“ You are nothing but a set of imps and hoodlums, and sooner or later Colby will learn the truth."
"This is undoubtedly from Professor Lemm," announced Jack, as he allowed his cousins and their chums to read the letter.
"He's certainly a sweet-natured man," was Andy's comment. "He's real charitable and kind, isn't he?" and this brought forth a smile from the others.
"What do you think he'll do?" questioned Fred.
"I don't believe he'll do anything," answered Jack. "Fellows who write such anonymous communications are usually cowards. ”

“ We don't want any of our cadets drowned."
"We won't have any such crowd again if I can avoid it," was the reply.
"It's all nonsense to have such races anyway. It encourages too much rowdyism," was the comment of Asa Lemm, one of the language professors. Lemm was the least liked of all the teachers at the Hall. He did not believe in a boy's having any fun, but expected the cadets to spend their entire time in studying. He had once been fairly wealthy, and the loss of his money had made him sour-minded and disagreeable.
"I cannot agree with that opinion," returned Colonel Colby coldly. ”

“ They caught only a brief glance at the game, but felt certain that it was close at hand.
"Wild turkeys are a good sight better than rabbits or squirrels, or even pheasants," said Fred. "They'll make dandy eating."
"Don't eat them until after you have shot them, Fred," remarked Andy dryly.
"Hush," warned Jack. "Now, make as little noise as possible, and each of you hold his gun ready for use."
They had not stopped to take off their skates, but this was unnecessary, for the snow was deep and the skates merely kept them from slipping. ”

“ They talked over what had happened while their visitors had been with them, and presently commenced to discuss the expected hunting on and around Snowshoe Island.
"We ought to have a dandy two weeks," was Fred's comment. "Just think of it! For fourteen days we'll be able to do exactly as we please!"
"Yum-yum!" added Randy. "Sleep as long as you please, eat when you please and as much as you please, and shoot all the game you want to! What more could a fellow want?"
"And cut all the firewood you want to! And wash all the dirty dishes you want to! ”

“ Fine race!" was Fatty Hendry's comment. "Just the same, none of you would have been in it for a minute if I had entered," and at this joke there was a general laugh.
"Say, Fatty, you should have gone into it just to lose flesh," was Andy's dry comment. "If you tried real hard, you might lose a pound a mile," and at this there was another laugh.
The crowd began to gather around Jack and Randy and the others who had won the race, and many wanted to shake hands with the oldest Rover boy. Even some of the town folks skated up, and they were followed by some of the girls from Clearwater Hall. ”

“ Jack and his cousins had already sent a letter to Barney Stevenson, completing the arrangements for going up to Snowshoe Island. Now came a brief communication from the old lumberman, stating that he would be on the look-out for them, and would do all he could to make their outing enjoyable.
"What a nice letter for him to write!" exclaimed Ruth, when Jack showed her the communication. "Oh, I do hope you'll be able to fix up this difference between old Uncle Barney and my folks! It's dreadful to have him on the outs with our family."
"As I said before, Ruth, I'll do what I can," Jack replied. ”

“ Some of the girls attending Clearwater Hall had stated that they wished to do a little shopping in Haven Point before going on the ride, and so all had promised to meet the boys in front of the moving picture theater, which was a resort well-known to all of them.
"Now if the weather only remains good, we ought to have a peach of a time," announced Randy, after all the arrangements had been settled.
The weather remained good, and promptly on time the liveryman drove up to the entrance of the Hall with his big box-sled, which he had filled with straw and robes. ”

“ It was a Saturday afternoon in early winter, and the cadets of Colby Hall Military Academy were out in force to enjoy themselves on the smooth ice of the lake, near which the school was located. The cadets had been amusing themselves in various ways, playing tag and hockey, and in "snapping the whip," as it is called, when Gif Garrison, at the head of the athletic association, had suggested a race.
"We might as well find out who is the best skater in the school," Gif had said.
"Right you are," had come from his particular chum, Spouter Powell. "Let us get up a race by all means." ”