“The sleighs ran into each other,” answered Nellie. “Can you stop the horses, father?” she called out.
“Yes, but the sleigh is a goner,” answered Mr. Laning, and then some sharp words passed between himself and the livery-stable driver. There was no doubt, however, but that the blinding storm was largely responsible for the accident.
An examination proved that both sleighs would have to be abandoned, and then the two parties sought shelter at a near-by farmhouse, while Mr. Laning went off on one horse, and the livery-stable driver on another, each to borrow a sleigh elsewhere.
This left the boys in the company of the girls for over an hour, and during that time Dick, Tom and Sam asked a great many questions, especially about Mrs. Stanhope and Dora.
“Yes, the marriage is to come off next week, Thursday, unless something prevents it,” said Nellie. “Dora is fairly sick over the prospect. What Aunt Lucy can see in Mr. Crabtree is more than any of us can understand.”
“He must have hypnotized her,” observed, Dick. “It’s a shame! I wish old Crabtree was in Jericho!”
“So do all of us!” laughed Grace, and then Sam took her off for a quiet chat, while Tom, monopolized Nellie.
“Those Rover boys think a great deal of the Lanings and Stanhopes,” observed Larry to Fred. “Well, it’s all right—they are awfully nice girls, every one of ‘em!”
CHAPTER XXIII
BALLOTING FOR A SECOND LIEUTENANT
“Back to Putnam Hall at last! How home-like the place looks!” Sam uttered the words as he leaped from the sleigh and ran for the main entrance, where Captain Putnam stood to receive them. He had heard of the accident, and was fearful that one or another of his pupils might have been hurt.
“Thank Providence that no one was killed or seriously injured!” he observed, as he wrung each by the hand. “Welcome, lads, and I trust you have all had happy holidays.”
“The same to you, Captain Putnam!” cried one after another, and then they passed in to be greeted by George Strong and the new assistant.
Cadets kept coming back for three days, on the following Monday the regular school opened, to end in July. Soon the boys were as deep in their studies as ever before.
In the meantime Dick had concocted a scheme for sending Josiah Crabtree on a goose chase to Chicago. Tom had a friend in that city, and he was requested to mail without delay a certain letter which Tom enclosed with his own.
This letter was composed by Dick. It was written on a large letter-head upon which Dick printed the advertisement of the “Mid-West National College, Incorporated,” doing the work on a small printing press used by some of the boys in getting out a school monthly. To make the letter even more imposing, Dick printed the body of it on a typewriter which was used by one of the classes taking a business course. The letter ran as follows:
“JOSIAH CRABTREE, A. M., Cedarville, N., Y.
“CHICAOO, January 1, 189-.
“Dear Sir:
“You have been recommended to us by a New York scholastic employment agency as a first-class teacher in mathematics, history, and other branches. We are in immediate need at the opening of this term of such a teacher, and will pay two thousand dollars per year. Will you come on at once, at our expense, with a view to closing with us? Our institution is a new one, but we already have eighty pupils, of the best families of the Middle West, and are certain to have fifty more before the end of the year. We understand that you are a bachelor, which state just suits our wants. Kindly wire us and come on before Thursday the 10th, if possible. The two thousand per year is, of course, exclusive of board and suite of rooms, which, we provide for all of our instructors.
“Yours truly,
“ANDREW N. BLUFF, LL.D., President.”
“If that doesn’t make old Crabtree hustle then I miss my guess,” said Tom after reading the communication. “He loves money too well to let that two thousand slide—marriage or no marriage. Even if he wants to wed, he’ll go West to try and fix it up to hold the position anyway.”
The letter was posted to the friend in Chicago that very night. On the letter to Josiah Crabtree was placed an address in Cedarville which was certain to catch him.
On the following day Captain Putnam, announced an election for second lieutenant of Company A. “Lieutenant Darman will not be here any longer, as his family have moved to England,” he said. “I trust you elect the best cadet possible to the office. The election takes place next Wednesday at noon.”
At once a lively discussion took place. There were half a dozen pupils who wanted the position, and among them were Dick, Fred, and Mumps.
“I ought to have that place,” said Mumps, and on the quiet he started to buy up votes where he could not influence them in any other way. This move succeeded among the smaller lads, but the big boys turned from him with scorn.
It must be confessed that Dick was exceedingly anxious when the time for balloting arrived. Would he succeed or fail?
Just before dinner Captain Putnam brought out a square box into which ballots might be cast.
“The cadets will stand up in a row to be counted,” he said. “Major Conners, will you will kindly count your command.”
“Eighty-seven, including myself,” announced the youthful major, after he had gone down the line and back with care.
“Are any cadets absent?”
“No, sir.”
“Very well then, we will proceed to vote by having each cadet come up and cast a slip of paper with his favorite’s name on it in the box. The line will march in single file, one pace from man to man. Forward!”
The captain stood by the ballot box, and up came the file, Major Conners first and Captain Blossom following. In a few minutes all of the eighty-seven ballots were in the box, and then began the sorting out.
“I will now read the result of the first ballot,” announced Captain Putnam, holding up a paper with the figures, and amid a dead silence he began:
Whole number of votes cast: 87
Necessary to a choice: 44
Fred Garrison has: 32
Richard Rover has: 8
George Granbury has: 15
John Fenwick has: 12
“Consequently, nobody is elected. Another vote will be taken immediately after dinner,” and then the companies were re-formed and marched into the mess hall.
“Fred Garrison is ahead!” came in a whisper from every side. “Good for you, Fred!”
“Mumps only got a dozen votes,” came from one of the little boys. “He won’t get my vote next time.”
“Nor mine,” chimed in his chum.
“Don’t worry, Dick,” whispered Tom. “The final result isn’t reached yet. Somebody has got to drop out first.”
The dinner finished, the boys gathered in knots to talk the question over. Soon the line was re-formed for a second ballot.
At that moment Fred Garrison stepped forward.
“Fellow students!” he cried. “One word before you vote. I wish to withdraw from the contest, doing so in favor of two of my friends, Dick Rover and George Granbury. I thank those who voted for me before from the bottom of my heart.”
“Hurrah for Fred!” came from a score of throats, and a cheer rent the air. “We won’t forget you next time, old man!”
Soon the second ballot was cast, and amid another silence Captain Putnam read it off:
Number of votes cast: 87
Necessary to a choice: 44
John Fenwick has: 7
George Granbury has: 23
Richard Rover has: 57
“Richard Rover is declared elected second lieutenant of Company A for the balance of this term.”
A cheer broke forth, and many of the cadets came up to shake Dick by the hand. Among the number were Fred and George Granbury. “You beat me fairly, Rover,” said Granbury, a wh
ole-souled fellow. “I am satisfied—so long—as such a cad as Mumps doesn’t get an office.”
“Mumps was badly left,” put in Tom. “See, he is sneaking off to his room. I rather guess he wishes he hadn’t run.”
“I thank you all very much,” said Dick, his face glowing. “I shall try to do my best as second lieutenant. Three cheers for all of the cadets of Putnam Hall!”
And the cheers broke forth with renewed vigor.
“Dick, you must do the square thing tonight,” said Frank some time later.
“What do you mean?” asked the elder Rover.
“When a fellow is elected to an office he is supposed to treat his friends. All of the cadets will be sneaking up to your dormitory some time between ten and twelve o’clock tonight.”
“Indeed!” Dick mused for a moment.
“All right—I’ll be ready for them, Frank; but mum is the word.”
“You will treat?”
“I’ll treat every cadet who shows himself and doesn’t make any noise.”
“Good for you! Then I can spread the word that it is all right?”
“Yes—but, Frank…”
“Well?”
“Beware of Mumps. If he heard of what is going on I think he would try to spoil our game.”
“I’ll be careful,” answered Frank, and hurried off in one direction, while Dick hurried off in another.
Both had scarcely disappeared than Mumps came forth from behind a hall rack which stood close at hand.
“How lucky to overhear their talk,” said the sneak. “Will I spoil their game? Well, just wait and see, that’s all!”
CHAPTER XXIV
PREPARING FOR A MID-NIGHT FEAST
Dick was in a quandary as to how he was to treat all of his friends, and called Sam and Tom to him for consultation.
“I’ve got a dollar and a quarter,” said Sam, “you can use that, and welcome.”
“And here is a dollar and ten,” added Tom, passing over the amount in ten cent pieces and nickels. “Haven’t you any money of your Own?”
“I have two dollars and thirty cents,” answered Dick.
“That makes four dollars and sixty-five cents,” said Tom, summing up. “That’s enough for a pretty fair blow-out.”
“So it is, Tom, but where is the stuff to come from? Mrs. Green won’t sell it to me.”
“That’s true.”
“And she has her pantries all locked up.”
“Oh, pshaw! You don’t want to treat the boys on school stuff,” said Sam. “Get ‘em something from Cedarville—some bottled soda, candies, nuts, and things like that.”
“That’s the talk, Dick. Let us sneak out after dark and go to Cedarville!” cried Tom. “That would just suit me.”
“I’ll think it over,” answered his big brother slowly.
After supper found most of the cadets indoors, for the night promised to be cold. About half of the boys remained in the library, while the others betook themselves to their rooms.
“Well?” queried Tom, as he approached Dick on the stairs.
“I’m ready, Tom,” answered his brother.
“But be careful, or we’ll be spotted.”
Like a pair of ghosts they glided up the front stairs, along the broad hallway, and down the stairs in the rear. The door was unlocked, and they passed into the yard.
“Let us take Peleg Snuggers into our confidence,” whispered Tom. “For a quarter I am certain he’ll let us have one of the captain’s nags.”
“You can test him if you wish,” answered Dick, who was doubtful.
Peleg Snuggers was found in the harness room shining up some buckles by the aid of a stable lantern.
“Hullo, Peleg—working rather late,” was Tom’s greeting.
“Yes, sir—got behind,” answered the utility man. “What brought you here?”
“I want a horse, Peleg. Which one can I have?”
“A horse! Did the captain send you?”
Instead of replying Tom held out a silver quarter. “Don’t ask questions, Peleg, but just let me take a horse for an hour or two, that’s a good man.”
“Can’t do it, Master Rover—against orders, sir.”
“Oh, yes, you can. We won’t hurt the beast. We are bound to get to Cedarville and back before ten o’clock. Do you want us to drop on the road from exhaustion and be frozen to death?” and Tom put the question in all seriousness.
“No, no, certainly not!”
“Then bring out a horse. That black will do. Here, take the quarter, Peleg, and much obliged to you. Hurry up.”
“Was there ever such a boy!” grumbled the man; but, nevertheless, he arose and got the black horse ready for them, hooking the animal to a small cutter.
“Remember, if the captain learns of this, I don’t know nothing about it…,” he called out, as the two boys drove off by a back way, out of sight of the main building of the institution.
“Peleg is all right, if you know how to handle him,” said Tom, as he took the reins from Dick.
“I’ll let him out a bit, and we’ll drive to Cedarville in a jiffy.”
“Tom, you’re getting more cheeky every day,” was Dick’s comment, yet he was far from displeased over what his brother had accomplished.
Away went the cutter, the roads being now in an excellent condition. Soon Putnam Hall was left far behind, and they came within sight of the Stanhope homestead.
“I’d like to stop for just a minute,” said Dick, but Tom shook his head.
“We want to get to Cedarville before the shops close,” said the younger brother. “We can stop on the way back—if we have time,” and they continued on their way.
Both knew Cedarville “like a book,” as Tom expressed it, having been there so many times before. They drove straight to the largest confectionery in the village.
“A pound of chocolates, a pound of marshmallows, a pound of iced fruits, and five pounds of best mixed candies,” said Dick, and the articles were quickly put up for him.
“How much?”
“A dollar and thirty cents, please.”
The bill was paid, and they hurried to another store, where they purchased two dozen bottles of soda water, a dozen bottles of root beer, and five pounds of mixed nuts. Tom wanted to buy some cigarettes for such of the cadets as might wish to smoke, but Dick shook his head at this.
“No, that’s going too far,” he said. “We’ll have a respectable spread, and that’s enough.”
Inside of half an hour they had started on the return, the various articles purchased stowed safely away in the back of the cutter.
“We’ll have at least fifteen minutes to spare,” said Dick, and waited as patiently as possible until the Stanhope homestead again appeared. As soon as they gained the entrance to the garden, Dick hopped out, ran up the path to the porch, and rang the bell. Dora Stanhope answered his summons.
“Oh, Dick, is that you?” she cried. “Come in.”
“I can’t stay but a few minutes, Dora,” he answered as he entered the hall. “I must get back to the academy. I thought I would just stop to see how you are getting on.”
“Oh, everything is the same, Dick.”
“I heard the marriage was to take place this week.”
“Yes.”
“Let me tell you something,” went on the boy, and told her of the letter to be sent from Chicago to Josiah Crabtree.
“Oh, I hope he gets it and goes!” exclaimed Dora quickly, and her face brightened a bit.
“Send me word if he does,” said Dick.
He remained for ten minutes longer, but what was said and done need not be mentioned here. When he left his heart was all aglow, while Dora was blushing deeply. “Best girl in the world,” he murmured. “What an awfully nice young fellow,” was Dora’s th
ought.
“Hurry up!” cried Tom from the sleigh, when his big brother put in an appearance again. “I’m most frozen stiff!” And on went the cutter, the horse feeling quite fresh after his rest.
“I’ll go ahead and see if the coast is clear,” said Dick, when they reached the vicinity of the stable, and he leaped into the snow. It did not take long to walk to the barn. He was gone but a few minutes, and came back on a run.
“We are in for it!” he cried. “Mr. Strong is down at the stable talking to Peleg Snuggers.”
“Great Caesar! What’s to do?”
“Get the stuff out of the sleigh first and hide it near the Hall in the snow,” answered Dick. “Be quick!”
His advice was followed, Tom carrying the soda water and root beer and Dick the other things. All were hidden in a snow bank—directly under the dormitory window.
This accomplished, Dick led the horse up to the back of the stable and unhitched him. He could hear George Strong and the utility man talking less than twenty feet away.
“Very well, Snuggers, I’ll be back shortly,” he heard, coming from the head assistant, and Strong walked from the stable toward the Hall.
In a twinkle Dick ran around the stable corner. “Quick, Peleg, here is the horse, all unhooked. Put him in his stall. The cutter is back there, out of sight,” and as the hired man took possession of the animal, the youth ran off, to join his brother at the entrance to Putnam Hall.
“The door is locked!” groaned Tom.
“Something is wrong.”
Without replying, Dick ran around to a spot under the dormitory window. Making a soft snowball, he threw it against the glass, and followed this by several others. Presently the window was thrown up, and Sam, Fred, and Larry showed their heads.
“Say, you fellows, help us up!” cried Dick softly. “There is a wash line in the closet—the one my Aunt Martha insisted on tying around my trunk when we came here last summer.”
There was a scramble in the room, and presently the end of the line was thrown out. It was new and strong, and quite capable of supporting either of the lads’ weight.
“You go first, Tom but be quick!” said Dick softly, and his brother caught hold and went up with ease, bracing one foot after another against the rough stonework and projecting bricks. Then the rope came down a second time and Dick ascended.
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 14