CHAPTER XXI MARCHING TO CAMP
For the victory they had won our friends were warmly congratulated. Manycame up and patted them on the back.
"It was a dandy catch, Pepper," said Joe Nelson. "I never saw a better."
"That was a fine rap of Emerald," said Pepper. "That set the balla-rolling for us."
Dan Baxter felt thoroughly disgusted at the result and so did ReffRitter and the others of the Medals.
"We might have won the game if you hadn't gone to pieces," grumbledRitter to the bully.
"Huh!" answered Baxter. "I hadn't any support," and then he hurried forthe Hall and out of sight.
"Baxter certainly pitched well for eight innings," said Jack. "One mustgive him credit."
As soon as they could get away from their friends, Jack and his chumswalked over to where Mr. Ford had stationed his automobile.
"Oh, it was lovely!" cried Laura. "I never enjoyed a game more."
"I was so afraid you were going to lose at first I hardly knew what todo," came from Flossie. "The winning out was grand!"
"You must come over to the Lodge, now we are settled down for thesummer," said Mrs. Ford, and the cadets promised to pay them a visit ifthey could manage to get off for that purpose.
"They are fine people," remarked Andy, as they watched the departure ofthe automobile. "And the girls are----"
"Peaches," finished Pepper, and then all of the boys laughed.
During the next two weeks came several more ball-matches. The Brownsplayed with four other nines, winning two games and losing two. TheMedals played six games, of which they won only two.
"Hurrah! I've got news for you fellows!" shouted Jack, as he burst intothe gymnasium one afternoon after a long talk with Captain Putnam. "Weare to go into camp for three days, starting the middle of next week."
"Good!" shouted Dale. "That suits me to a T!"
"Me too," put in Stuffer. "No more hard lessons in algebra, andlanguage----"
"And plenty to eat, eh, Stuffer?" put in Pepper. "You got more thanhardtack when we were out before, didn't you?"
"You just bet I did,--and I had a dandy time, too," answered Singleton.
"Where are we to go?" questioned Dale.
"That hasn't been decided on just yet. If he can arrange it, CaptainPutnam is going to let us go to a spot called Bear Island."
"Great Caesar, I don't want to hunt bears!" cried Harry Blossom.
"I don't think there are any bears on the island now, although there mayhave been years ago," answered the young major.
The news soon spread throughout the school that they were to go intocamp, and all of the students were correspondingly happy and began toplan what they would do when on the pleasure trip. It may be explainedhere that Captain Putnam took the cadets out to camp several times ayear, just to give them a taste of army life.
"There will be fun in camp," said Pepper.
"Right you are," answered Andy, with a wink that meant a great deal.
Andy and Dale were coming through the lower hall that afternoon whenthey ran into Mumps. The toady was almost as white as a sheet andtrembling from head to foot.
"Oh! I--I'm so glad I've met somebody!" gasped Mumps.
"What's the matters, Mumps?" asked Dale.
"A--a burglar!"
"A burglar?" cried Andy, and now he was all attention.
"Yes, a real burglar. I--I just saw him!"
"Where?"
"Up in the dormitories. He was in Number 3, and then he went intoNumbers 6 and 7. He--he was packing up all the--the things!" Mumps wasshaking so he could scarcely speak.
"Why didn't you tell the captain?"
"I was going to, but--but I was afraid the burglar would--would----"
"Catch you?" asked Dale, and the toady nodded.
"We'll have to report this," said Andy. "Was there only one?"
"I--I--guess so, but I--I am not sure. Oh, isn't it awful!"
"Let us see for ourselves," said Dale. "I am not afraid of a burglar."
"Oh, he may shoot you!" gasped Mumps.
"I'll risk that. Come, show us where he is."
"That's the talk," broke in Andy. "We'll catch him red-handed and turnhim over to the captain."
"I--I don't want to go back," pleaded the toady. "Bet--better callCaptain Putnam."
"Not yet, Mumps. Where was the fellow last?"
"In dormitory Number 7."
"We'll soon root him out!" cried Dale, and leaped up the stairs withAndy at his heels. "Come on!" And Mumps followed, but at a safe distancebehind.
Dale and Andy approached dormitory Number 7 with caution. It was emptyand all of the rugs from the floor were gone.
A noise in the next room reached them. They looked in and saw a mankneeling on the floor, tying half a dozen small rugs into a bundle.
"Is this the man?" asked Andy, stepping back to Mumps.
"Ye--yes," stammered the toady. "Do--don't let him shoot you!"
"Mumps, you are the most cowardly fellow I ever saw in my life," went onthe acrobatic youth.
"I don't care, some burglars are desperate characters," whined Mumps."I've read of them shooting people who tried to catch 'em."
"This man isn't a burglar."
"How do you know?" and now the toady's eyes opened widely.
"He is the man the captain hired to clean all the rugs and the carpetsin the Hall. While we are in camp the school is to have a generalcleaning."
"Well, I never!" murmured Mumps.
"You're a fine burglar hunter," said Dale, and began to laugh. "Mumps,you ought to become a detective."
"Oh, you needn't make fun of me," whined the toady, and ran off with avery red face.
The story was too good to keep, and soon many of the students knew howBaxter's toady had thought to trap a burglar, and Mumps was plaguedunmercifully. The man to do the cleaning also heard of it and laughed asloudly as anybody.
On the following Wednesday morning bright and early the cadets leftPutnam Hall for the brief encampment. They took with them three wagons,loaded with tents, cooking utensils, and provisions.
The battalion certainly presented a fine appearance when it started off.Every cadet was looking his best, in a well-brushed uniform with shiningbuttons. Each gun and sword was polished to perfection. Major Jack wasat the head, and he was filled with pardonable pride when he gave theorder to march.
Tap! tap! tap, tap, tap! went the drums, and then the fifers struck up ashrill and lively air, and off they moved down the road in the directionof Lake Smalley, in the center of which was located Bear Island. Thedistance to be traveled was seventeen miles, and they calculated tocover it before sundown with ease.
The first few miles were over a smooth road, and good progress was made.Then they struck a hill, with rather a rough highway beyond, and thecadets were ordered to take the route step--that is, walk as you please.The way was past many farms and through some small communities, and manyfolks came out, to wave handkerchiefs and give them a cheer. One oldlady who was on her front porch sweeping shook her broom at them, butdid it so pleasantly the cadets had to laugh.
"Ye march well!" shouted one old farmer. "Good! Some day ye can all goto war, maybe, like I did years ago!" And he waved a red bandana atthem.
At noon they stopped at a cross-roads hotel for dinner. Their coming hadbeen arranged for by Captain Putnam, and they partook of a good meal ofvegetables and rhubarb pie. A rest of an hour followed, and during thattime some of the boys strolled to the cross-roads general store and madea few purchases.
By two o'clock the battalion was again on the march. They now passedthrough a patch of timber and then came to a turn in the road, beyondwhich were some fields of wheat and corn.
"Hullo, look there!" shouted one of the cadets, and pointed upward. Allgazed in the direction and saw coming toward them a big balloon. It wassettling rapidly, and before the cadets could get out of the way it camedown directly over the entire batt
alion.
The Putnam Hall Rivals; or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore Page 22