Lew Flapp

“ 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?" ”

“ Now, though Lew Flapp was much larger than most of the others, he was in the same class as Sam, and he had also entered this race, which boasted of ten contestants, including William Philander Tubbs.
"You have got to win this, Lew," said Rockley. "It ought to be easy for you, with such long legs."
"I mean to win and leave that Rover boy so far behind he'll feel sick," answered Flapp.
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. ”

“ 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." ”

“ The boy at the punching bag was a tall, big-boned youth, named Lew Flapp. He was a new comer at Putnam Hall, but though he had been there but three weeks he acted as if half of the place already belonged to him. At the start, he had made a few friends, principally on account of the money he had to spend, but these were gradually deserting him. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Jackson was certainly swimming well, although the terrific strain was beginning to tell upon him.
"Go it, Jackson," roared Lew Flapp. "Go it, old Moneybags!"
"Moneybags" was a signal among many of the cadets, signifying that the speaker had bet money on the result. Betting at the academy was strictly prohibited, but wagers were often made on the sly.
Hearing this cry, Jackson renewed his struggles and for a few seconds held his lead.
But now Dick Rover was crawling up inch by inch. He had passed Tom, who was left hopelessly in the rear, and now he was pressing Larry. ”

“ Mike Sherry's resort were put out and every door and window was locked.
"He wants to steer clear of trouble," said Powell.
"I put the blame on Lew Flapp," answered Dick. "To my mind he is about as mean as any boy around here."
"Of course we can't report him, Dick."
"No, I'm no tale-bearer, Songbird. But he ought to be punished."
"He'll make a fine major, if he's elected," went on Powell, as he and
Dick started for the road leading to the academy.
"He shall never be elected, if I can help it."
"I am with you on that."
They found Harry Moss and Joe Davis walking slowly toward Putnam Hall. ”

“ If they say they found us at Mike Sherry's we can say that we found them there, too. For all we know they were drinking below before they came up."
"That's it!" interrupted Lew Flapp, thinking he saw a way of implicating Dick and Powell. "Mike Sherry never lets anybody in his saloon without they drink something."
"It's as plain as day," came from Rockley. "They had all the liquor they wanted before they came up, and now they want to stop our sport."
"Your story might be believed were it not for one thing," said Dick, trying to keep calm. "Come on, Harry, come, Joe." ”

“ Up! Pull, pull! pull! Down!"
Up and down went the team twice, the second time hauling the rope forward over a foot. Then they went down once more and anchored as firmly as ever.
"Good!" shouted Sam enthusiastically. "You're doing it, boys! Keep it up!"
"Are they?" sneered Lew Flapp. "Just you wait and see."
He had a little roll of paper in his hand, and watching his opportunity he blew the contents into the air, directly over the team led by Tom Rover. The paper contained pepper and it set several of Tom's men to sneezing. ”

“ THE ELECTION FOR OFFICERS
On the following morning all of the cadets but Harry Moss appeared in the messroom.
"Joe Davis says Harry is quite sick," said Powell to Dick.
"That's too bad. Have they sent for a doctor?"
"I don't know."
When Lew Flapp heard that Harry was sick he grew pale, and during the morning session could scarcely fix his mind on his studies.
"I hope the little fool don't blab on us," was his thought. "If he does there is no telling what the captain will do. He's altogether too strict for comfort in some things." ”

“ In a manner not to be easily explained, the camp divided itself into two factions, one led by Dick and Major Larry, and the other led by Lew Flapp and Pender. To the former belonged the Rovers and their numerous chums, and to the latter Rockley, Ben Hurdy, and boys of a similar turn. Each crowd had one or more followers entered for every event and, as before, numerous wagers were made as to which person and which crowd would win.
Dick had entered for die high jump, Tom for the hammer throwing, and Sam for a half mile race for cadets of his own class. ”

“ Startled at the interruption Lew Flapp turned. When he saw both Tom and Sam his face fell.
"What do you want here?" he asked sulkily.
"I want you to leave Harry Moss alone," answered Tom.
"Oh, Rover, please make him stop," pleaded Harry. "He's trying to kill me!"
"No, I ain't," retorted Flapp. "I'm only giving him a whipping that he deserves."
"It's an outrage to strike anybody with that chain," said Sam.
"You needn't put your oar in, Sam Rover!"
"But he just will, and so will I," said Tom. "Give me that chain," and he tried to pull it from Lew Flapp's hand. ”

“ Larson, who belonged to the Flapp crowd, was looked on as the probable winner, for he handled the hammer exceedingly well. But Jackson could also throw, as the others well knew. Nothing was known about the skill of Tom or Powell in this direction.
The contest began with a throw by Powell. It was not very good and
Jackson outdistanced him by three feet.
"That's the style, Jackson!" cried Lew Flapp. "Show 'em what you can do."
"This is the day our crowd comes out on top," put in Pender.
"Crowing rather early, seems to me," came from Fred Garrison dryly. ”

“ Lew Flapp was much pleased over the fact that he headed the list of those who had passed, and nobody could blame him for this. But he immediately made himself more obnoxious than ever by going around among the cadets and declaring that he was the only one to be elected to the office of major.
"It's mine by right," he said. "It wouldn't be fair to elect anybody else."
"But Dick Rover and Larry Colby stand almost as high," said one of the cadets. "Captain Putnam said your average was 96 per cent., while Rover's average was 95 per cent., and Larry Colby's was 94 per cent. ”

“ 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." ”

“ Seven cadets were present, including Lew Flapp, Ben Hurdy, and their particular cronies Jackson, Pender, and Rockley. The others were two young cadets named Joe Davis and Harry Moss.
On the table in the center of the room stood a platter of chicken sandwiches and also several bottles containing beer and wine, and a box of cigars. Evidently all of the crowd had been eating and drinking, and now several were filling the apartment with tobacco smoke.
"Come, smoke up, Moss," cried Lew Flapp, shoving the box of cigars toward one of the younger cadets. "Don't be afraid. It won't kill you." ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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." ”

“ Dick Rover said but little on the subject, but he meant to win if he possibly could, and so did Tom. Sam felt he was as yet too young to become anything but a sergeant, so he did not enter the competition with much vigor.
Lew Flapp was not a particularly bright pupil, but there was one thing, outside of bag punching, that he could do well, and that was to drill. He took to military tactics naturally, and knew nearly every rule that the book of instructions contained.
"It's going to be an easy matter to get into the chosen twenty," the tall boy told himself. ”

“ A minute later came another yell from Lew Flapp. He and his tent-mates had tried in vain to hold down their canvas. Now it went up with a rush. One of the peg ropes caught around Flapp's leg and he was dragged over the wet ground, with his head splashing into every pool of water that he passed.
"Help me! I'll be killed!" roared the tall youth.
The tent was blowing along the company street and half a dozen cadets ran to the rescue, Tom with them. Some leaped on the canvas, while others held Flapp. Then the rope was cut with a knife. ”

“ Strong that Arnold Baxter should be removed to the camp on a stretcher, and four boys, including Sam and Tom, volunteered for the service. In the meantime Dick went to camp, to attend to his hurts, and a cadet was sent to Oakville for a doctor.
"Hullo, here comes Rover!" whispered Lew Flapp to Pender, as Dick appeared. "Wonder what sort of a story he will have to tell?"
"One thing is certain, we made a mess of our plans," muttered Pender. ”

“ Again Jackson did his best. The finish of the race was now but twenty yards off.
"Go in and win, Dick," came from Larry Colby. "I'm about used up," and he let Dick go ahead.
Dick was almost as fresh as at the start and slowly but surely he kept gaining upon Jackson until the two were not over two yards apart.
"Hurrah, Captain Rover is crawling up!"
"Don't give up, Jackson, you can win out yet!" screamed Lew Flapp.
"Go it, Dick!" yelled Sam. "Go it, I say! The race is yours!"
Cheered by the last cry Dick increased his stroke and in a second more he was alongside of Jackson. ”

“ Well, after we have him here we can get him to drink something by hook or by crook, and when he falls asleep we can put an empty bottle in his hand and then somebody can bring Captain Putnam to the spot. That will wipe out Dick Rover's record as a model pupil all in a minute."
"Good!" almost shouted Rockley. "We can dose him easily. You just leave that for me."
"Wish we could get his brothers into it, too," came from Pender.
"Oh, we can serve them out some other way," answered Lew Flapp. "At the start, we don't want to bite off more than we can chew," he added slangily. ”

“ Tom Rover wins!" was the cry, and many rushed forward to congratulate him, while Larson and Jackson retired as quickly as they could and in great disgust.
The next contest was a dash of two hundred yards and was won by a boy named Bird.
"He's a bird!" sang out Tom loudly, and at this the crowd laughed heartily.
Then came a race of a quarter of a mile for the little cadets and this was won by Harry Moss, with Joe Davis a close second. Lew Flapp had backed up Ben Hurdy, but cigarettes had done their work on Hurdy and his wind gave out long before the race came to a finish. ”

“ Laning. With Mrs. Stanhope was her only daughter Dora, whom Dick Rover considered the sweetest girl in the whole world, and Mrs. Laning had with her two daughters, Grace and Nellie, especial friends of Sam and Dick.
The trip on the houseboat proved a long and eventful one, and during that time the boys and their company fell in with Dan Baxter, Lew Flapp and several other enemies. On the Mississippi the craft was damaged, and while it was being repaired the party took a trip inland, as related in "The Rover Boys on the Plains." ”