“Oh, you can’t joke me no more!” returned the utility man.
“But just look!” pleaded Sam. “Isn’t that a good picture of you? If you don’t say so yourself I’ll give you five dollars.”
He handed the tin over again, this time with the opposite side toward Snuggers. He had just breathed on it heavily.
“Now blow on it,” he continued, and Snuggers did as directed. The moisture cleared away, revealing the face of the utility man in a bit of looking-glass!
“Oh, you’re tremendously smart, you are!” muttered Snuggers, and walked off. But he was not half as angry as he had been a few minutes before.
CHAPTER XII
DICK VISITS DORA STANHOPE
“Battalion, fall in. Attention! Carry arms!”
It was several days later, and the cadets were out for their first parade around the grounds. Dick still retained his position as second lieutenant of Company A, having been re-elected the term previous. Tom was first sergeant of Company B, while Sam was still “a high private in the rear rank,” as the saying goes.
The day was an ideal one in the early autumn, and Captain Putnam and George Strong were both on hand to watch the drilling. Major Bart Conners had graduated the year before, and his place was now filled by Harry Blossom, formerly captain of Company A.
“Shoulder arms!” came the next order. “Battalion, forward march!”
Tap! tap! tap, tap, tap! went the drums, and then the bass drum joined in, and the two companies moved off. Soon the fifers struck up a lively air, and away went the cadets, down the road, around grounds, and to the mess hall for supper.
The boys felt good to be in the ranks once more, and Captain Putnam congratulated them on their soldierly appearance.
“It does me good to see that you have not forgotten your former instructions in drilling and marching,” he said. “I trust that during the present term we shall see even better results, so that the work done here may compare favorably with that done at West Point.”
The school had now begun to settle down, and inside of a few days everything was working smoothly.
“What a difference it makes to have Dan Baxter and Mumps absent!” observed Tom to Dick. “We don’t have any of the old-fashion rows any more.”
“I’d like to know what Mumps and Josiah Crabtree were up to,” put in the elder Rover. “It’s queer we didn’t hear any more of them. I’m going to get off soon and try and see Dora Stanhope. Perhaps she knows what Crabtree is doing.”
On that day Frank Harrington received a letter from his father, in which the senator stated that nothing more had been heard of the men who had looted Rush & Wilder’s safe. “I fancy they have left the State, if not the country,” was Mr. Harrington’s comment.
The three Rover boys got off the next day and took a walk past the cottages where resided the Lanings and the Stanhopes. At the Lanings’ place Nellie and Grace came out to greet them.
“So you are back!” cried Nellie, blushing sweetly. “Father said you were. He saw you come in at Cedarville.”
“Yes, back again, and glad to meet you,” answered Tom, and gave the girl’s hand a tight squeeze, while Sam and Dick also shook hands with both girls.
“And how do you feel?” asked Grace of Dick. “Wasn’t that dreadful the way Mr. Baxter treated you on that train?”
“Well, he got the worst of it,” answered Dick.
“Oh, I know that! And now they suspect him of a robbery in Albany. Papa was reading it in one of the Ithaca papers.”
“Yes, and I guess he’s guilty, Grace. But tell me, does Josiah Crabtree worry Mrs. Stanhope any more?” continued the boy seriously.
“Why to be sure he does! And, oh, let me tell you something! Dora told me that he was terribly angry over having been sent to Chicago on a wild-goose chase.”
“I wish he had remained out there.”
“So do all of us,” said Nellie Laning. “He seems bound to marry aunty, in spite of our opposition and Dora’s.”
“How is your aunt now?”
“She is not very well. Do you know, I think Mr. Crabtree exercises some sort of a strange influence over her.”
“I think that myself. If he could do it, I think he would hypnotize her into marrying him. He is just rascal enough. Of course he is after the money Mrs. Stanhope is holding in trust for Dora.”
“He can’t touch that.”
“He can—if he can get hold of it. I don’t think Josiah Crabtree cares much for the law. Is Dora home now?”
“I believe she is. She was this morning, I know.”
“I’m going over to see her,” went on Dick. “I promised to do all I could for her in this matter of standing Crabtree off, and I’m going to keep my word.”
As Sam and Tom wished to converse with the Laning girls a bit longer, Dick went on ahead, telling them to follow him when they chose.
It did not take Dick long to reach the Stanhope homestead. As he approached he heard loud talking on the front piazza.
“I want nothing to do with you, Dan Baxter, and I am astonished that you should come here to see me,” came in Dora Stanhope’s voice.
“That’s all right, Dora; don’t get ugly,” was the reply from the former bully of Putnam Hall. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I want you to go away and leave my mother and me alone.”
“Will you come and see Mr. Crabtree, as he wanted?”
“No. If, Mr. Crabtree wants to see me let him come here.”
“But you told him you didn’t want him here,” said Dan Baxter.
“Neither I do—to see mamma. But I won’t go to see him; so there! Now please leave me.”
“You’re a strong-minded miss, you are,” sneered Dan Baxter. “You want taking down.”
“What’s that you say?” demanded Dick, as he strode up. “Baxter, you deserve to be knocked down for insulting this young lady.”
“Oh, Dick, is that you?” burst out Dora, her pretty face brightening instantly. “I’m glad you came.”
“Dick Rover!” muttered the bully, and his face fell. “What brought you here?”
“That is my business, Baxter, So Josiah Crabtree sent you to annoy Miss Stanhope.”
“It’s none of your affair if he did.”
“I say it is my affair.”
“Do you want to get into another row with me, Dick Rover?” And Dan Baxter clenched his fists.
“If we fought, the battle would end as it did before—you would be knocked out,” answered Dick. “You have no right to come here if these people want you to stay away, and you had better take yourself off.”
“I’ll go when I please. You can’t make me go—nor the Stanhopes neither,” growled Dan Baxter.
At these words Dick grew white. Dora, as old readers know, was his dearest friend, and he could not stand having her spoken of so rudely. For a moment the two boys glared at each, other; then Baxter aimed a blow at Dick’s face.
The elder Rover ducked and hit out in return, landing upon Baxter’s neck. Dora gave a scream.
“Oh, Dick! Don’t fight with him!”
“I won’t—I’ll run him out!” panted Dick, and leaping behind the bully, he caught him by the collar and the back. “Out you go, you brute!” he added, and began to run Baxter toward the open gateway. In vain the bully tried to resist. Dick’s blood was up, and he did not release his hold or relinquish his efforts until the bully had been pushed along the road for a distance of fifty yards.
“Now you dare to come back!” said Dick, shaking his fist at the fellow. “If you come, I’ll have you locked up.”
“We’ll see about it, Dick Rover,” snarled Dan Baxter. He paused for an instant. “He laughs best who laughs last,” he muttered, and strode off as fast as his long legs would carry him, in the direction of the lake.
&n
bsp; When Dick returned to Dora he found that the girl had sunk down on the piazza steps nearly overcome.
“Don’t be afraid, Dora; he’s gone,” he said kindly.
“Oh, Dick, I’m so afraid of him!” she gasped.
“Was he here long before I came up?”
“About ten minutes. He brought a message from Mr. Crabtree, who wants to see me in Cedarville. I told him I wouldn’t go—and I won’t.”
“I shouldn’t either, Dora. Perhaps Crabtree only wants to get you away from the house so that he can come here and see your mother.”
“I never thought of that.”
“Where is your mother now?”
“Lying down with a headache. She is getting more nervous every day. I wish Mr. Crabtree was—was—”
“In Halifax, I suppose,” finished Dick.
“Yes, or some other place as far off. Every time he comes near mamma she has the strangest spells.”
“He is a bad man—no doubt of it, Dora. I almost wish we had him back to the Hall. Then I could keep my eye on him.”
“I’m glad you are back, Dick,” said the girl softly. “If there is any trouble, you’ll let me call on you, won’t you?”
“I shall expect you to call on me, Dora—the very first thing,” he returned promptly. “I wouldn’t have anything happen to you or your mother for anything in the world.”
By this time Sam and Tom were coming up, and they had to be told about Dan Baxter.
“He and his father are a team,” said Sam.
“I wonder if he knows what his father has done. If I meet him I’ll ask him.”
Dick had expected to pay his respects to Mrs. Stanhope, but now thought best not to disturb her. All the boys had a short chat with Dora, and then set out on the return to school.
On the way the three boys discussed the situation, but could get little satisfaction out of their talk.
“Something is in the wind,” was Dick’s comment. “But what it is time alone will reveal.”
And he was right, as events in the near future proved.
CHAPTER XIII
THE FIRE AT THE HALL
Sam had been right when he said that Dan Baxter was like his father. Parent and son were thoroughly bad, but how bad the Rover boys and their friends were still to learn.
On Saturday the cadets had a half-holiday, and some of them went over to the lake to fish, Sam and Tom accompanying the party.
While the boys were waiting for bites they espied a large sail-boat skimming along the lake shore. As it came closer Tom and Sam were much astonished to see that the boat contained Dan Baxter, Josiah Crabtree, and Mumps.
“By jinks, there is Mumps’ yacht!” ejaculated Tom. “How in the world did he get her up here?”
“Brought her by way of the canal and the river, I suppose,” answered Sam.
“Hullo there!” called out Larry Colby, who was in the crowd. “Mumps, you might be in better company.”
“You keep your mouth shut!” retorted Fenwick.
“If you talk to me, I’ll come ashore and give you a thrashing,” put in Baxter.
“I dare you to come ashore!” burst out Tom. “You’ll stay where you are if you know when you are well off.”
No more was said, and presently the boat sped out of sight around a bend of the lake shore. Fishing proved to be good, and in the excitement of the sport Baxter and the others were, for the time being, forgotten.
It was late when the boys packed up. Sam had six fish, Tom as many more, and all of the others a fair catch.
“We’ll have fish tomorrow for breakfast, sure,” said Larry. “Hurry up, or we’ll be late.”
The party started off, but had only gone a short distance when Sam remembered that he had left his knife sticking in the stump of a tree, and ran back to get it, in the meantime turning his fish over to Tom.
The fishing place was behind a grove of trees, and when Sam reached it again he was much surprised to see Dan Baxter on shore, he having just left the yacht, which was cruising some distance away.
“Hullo! so you came back to have it out with me, eh?” cried Baxter, and before Sam could say a word, he was hurled flat and the bully came down on top of him.
Sam fought bravely, but was no match for the big fellow, who began to hammer him unmercifully. Realizing how matters were turning, the youngest Rover began to cry for help.
“You shut up!” stormed Dan Baxter. “Shut up, or I’ll give it to you worse than ever!”
But Sam had no intention of taking such a drubbing quietly, and he yelled louder than ever. His cries reached Tom, who had dropped behind to allow his brother to catch up.
“Something is wrong,” he muttered, and hanging the fish on a bush, he ran back at the top of his speed.
Dan Baxter heard him coming and tried to get away, but as Tom called out, Sam’s courage rose, and he grabbed the bully by the foot and held him.
“Let go!” roared Dan Baxter, but Sam would not, and in a second more Tom was at hand and hit the bully such a stinging blow in the face that Baxter went down in a heap.
A rough-and-tumble scrimmage ensued, and it must be said that the bully got by far the worst of it. Tom hit him again and again, and Sam also, and when at last he staggered to his feet, one eye was almost closed and his nose was bleeding profusely.
“Now I guess you won’t tackle any of us again,” said Tom.
“I’ll get even—mark my words!” roared Baxter, and ran down the lake shore in the direction the Falcon had taken.
When Baxter reached the yacht he was so weak he could scarcely stand. It was a long while before he could stop his nose from bleeding, and his eye stung with a pain that was maddening.
“Did little Sam Rover do that?” asked Mumps, while Josiah Crabtree looked on in curious silence.
“Sam Rover?” snorted Baxter. “Not much! Why, the whole crowd piled on me six or seven of them at a time. They tried to kill me!”
“Didn’t you defend yourself, Daniel?” asked Crabtree.
“Of course I did. I knocked two of them down and another fellow had two of his teeth broken. But I couldn’t fight all six single handed.”
“Oh, I presume not—especially such brutes as Captain Putnam is now raising.”
“It’s a pity we can’t get square with them,” said Mumps.
“Oh, I’ll get square! You just wait,” answered the bully cunningly. “I’m not done with them yet by any means.”
“What will you do?”
“Just you wait and see.”
“I don’t wish to have you interfere with our plans,” put in Josiah Crabtree.
“I won’t interfere with the other plans. But I am going to get square.”
“We’ve had delay enough,” continued Josiah Crabtree.
“Well, that wasn’t my fault. Mumps got sick, and that’s all there is to it,” growled Dan Baxter, and then went to dressing his swollen eye once more.
In the meantime Sam and Tom had rejoined their fellows and told their story. All of the others were indignant at Baxter’s doing and glad to learn he had been given a sound drubbing.
“I don’t see why he hangs in this neighborhood,” said Larry. “It’s a wonder he doesn’t try to join his father.”
“They are probably on the outs since Dan took that two hundred dollars,” answered Tom.
The boys were all tired that night, and the occupants of Dormitory No. 6 retired early in consequence.
It was a little after midnight that Dick awoke with a cough. He sat up in bed and opened his eyes to find the room almost filled with smoke.
“For gracious sake!” he muttered. “What’s the matter here? Sam! Tom!”
“What’s this?” came from Larry Colby. “Is the house on fire?” He leaped from his bed, and so did Dick. By this time the smok
e in the dormitory was getting thicker and thicker. It was coming through the door, which stood partly open.
“Wake up, boys; the Hall is on fire!”
“Fire! Fire! Fire!” came from all parts of the building.
One after another the cadets roused up. Some were completely bewildered and did not know what to do.
“We had better get out as soon as we can!” exclaimed Dick, as he slipped into his trousers. “Come, Tom! come, Sam!”
He ran for the hallway, to find it so thick with smoke that escape in that direction seemed cut off.
“We can’t go down that way!” came from Frank. “We’d be smothered to death.”
“Let’s jump from the windows,” put in Larry, who was more frightened than any of the others.
“No, no; don’t jump yet!” cried Tom “You’ll break a leg, and maybe your neck.”
“But I don’t want to be burnt up,” returned Larry, his teeth chattering.
“Hold on, we have that rope we used when we had the feast last summer,” said Sam. “Let us tie that to the window and get down on it.”
Sam ran to the closet and found the rope just where it had been left, on a hook in the corner. Soon they had it out and fastened to a bed-slat braced across the window frame.
“Down you go, Larry!” said Dick. “Be careful; I reckon we have plenty of time.”
Larry slid down in a jiffy, and one after another the others came after him, Dick being the last. As the youth turned around on the window sill he saw the fire creeping in at the door. Their escape had taken place none too soon.
Down on the parade ground they found a motley collection of half-dressed cadets, instructors, servants, and others who had been sleeping in the burning Hall.
In the midst of the group was Captain Putnam, pale but comparatively cool, considering the excitement under which he was laboring.
“Are all the boys out?” he asked of George Strong. “Line them up and call the roll.”
The roll-call was put through in double-quick order. Only two lads were missing, a boy named Harrison and another named Leeks.
“Here comes Harrison!” cried Harry Blossom, and the boy limped forth from the opposite side of the burning building.
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