“Then you’d better take a look inside and see if your duds are all right,” advised Andy.
The youngest Rover quickly unstrapped the suitcase and threw back the catch. Then, as Randy sent the rays of the flashlight into the bag, he, as well as the others, uttered various exclamations.
“The mean fellow!”
“Fred, you ought to get after him for this!”
For a quick look inside the suitcase had revealed the fact that Nappy Martell had opened the bag and thrown handfuls of dirt amid the pieces of clothing and the various other articles Fred had packed therein.
“You’ll have to have all that laundered stuff done over again before you can wear it,” declared Jack. “And you’ll have to have those neckties cleaned, too, I am afraid. Say! this is a shame!”
“Just wait! I think I’ll be able to get square with Nappy Martell,” muttered the youngest Rover.
“He ought to be reported for this,” broke in Walt Baxter. “This isn’t a joke. It’s a low-down, dirty trick.”
At this remark all of the other Rover boys looked at Fred, and he looked at his cousins in return.
“I don’t know about reporting this,” he answered slowly. “I rather think I prefer to settle with Martell myself.”
“That’s the talk!” cried Andy. “If you reported this, some of the fellows might put you down for a softy and a sneak. I’d rather watch my chance and give Martell as good as he sent.”
“And with interest,” added his twin.
“If you fellows are anything like your fathers were before you, I reckon you’ll know how to get square with Nappy,” remarked Walt Baxter. “I’ve heard that the Rovers never took a back seat for anybody.”
“I’ll figure out what I’m going to do after I get settled here,” returned Fred. He suddenly began to smile. “Say! things have been happening since we left home, haven’t they?”
“I should say yes!” answered Andy.
With Jack assisting his cousin in carrying the suitcase, the whole crowd returned to Colby Hall, and here the Rovers started to separate from Walt Baxter, first requesting him to remain silent regarding the finding of the handbaggage.
“If we don’t say a word about it, maybe Nappy will get worried,” said Fred; “and that is what I want him to do.”
“He may go down to the cornfield to see if the bag is still there.”
“Hold on!” burst out Randy, suddenly. “I’ve got an idea!” and then in a few words he explained what had occurred to him. The others listened with interest, and even Walt Baxter had to laugh outright over what he proposed.
“I’ll do it!” declared the son of Dan Baxter, readily. “I’ll do it the first chance I get. And, believe me, I’ll fix it so Nappy Martell gets into hot water!”
“I’d like to see what effect the story has on Martell,” said Andy, grinning broadly. “Can’t you fix it so we can be around at the time?”
“Sure! When I get the chance, I’ll drop you a hint.”
“And now I must get this bag to my room without anyone seeing me,” said Fred.
“Better let Spouter or Fatty carry it up,” advised Jack. “Then, if Martell sees it, he won’t know that it is your suitcase.”
It was an easy matter to get Spouter to do what was required, although he insisted upon knowing what was in the wind. When he was told, he, too, laughed heartily.
“It will serve Martell right,” he said. “I hope it worries him to death.”
As soon as the suitcase was safe in Fred’s room, he sought out Professor Brice, who was busy arranging the order of some classes.
“I wish to report that I’ve got my suitcase back, Professor,” said the youth.
“Ah, indeed!” was the teacher’s reply, and his face showed his relief. “I’m glad to know it. Did you—er—have any trouble?”
“Nothing that I care to mention—at least at this time,” answered Fred. “If you don’t mind, Professor, we’ll drop the matter.”
“Oh, very well, Rover. Just as you please.” The young professor looked at Fred rather knowingly. “Of course, if there is anything wrong, you can report it later,” he added hesitatingly.
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” answered the youth, and then bowed himself out of the office. In the hallway he was joined by Andy.
“Did he make you squeal?” questioned the cousin quickly.
“Not much!” was the reply. “He’s a good sport. I guess he’s been through the mill himself.”
Fred spent some time over the contents of the suitcase, brushing the dirt from some of the articles and sorting the rest out to be cleaned or laundered.
“It’s going to cost two or three dollars to fix this up,” he declared to Randy. “I really ought to send the bill to Martell.”
“Well, just wait first and see if we get any fun out of this,” answered the joke-loving cousin.
As was to be expected, there was far from a full night’s sleep coming to the Rover boys that night. The quarters were strange to them, and there was more or less noise throughout the school building, a bunch of scholars coming in on a late train and not getting settled down until after midnight. There was also something of horseplay, although the majority of the cadets were too tired from their journeys to be very active.
“I suppose we’ll have to stand some hazing and all that sort of thing later on,” remarked Jack before retiring.
About one o’clock the school seemed to settle down, and then one after another the Rover boys fell asleep, not to awaken until the autumn sun was showing well above the hills beyond Clearwater Lake.
“This certainly is a splendid location,” remarked Jack, as he went to the open window, stretched himself, and filled his lungs with the fresh morning air.
“I don’t wonder Colonel Colby picked this place out for a school,” answered Andy, who had come in. “He couldn’t have done better.”
Not being accustomed to their surroundings, it took the Rovers a little longer than usual to get washed and dressed. They were just finishing their toilets when there came a light knock on Randy’s door. He opened it to find Walt Baxter standing there.
“Nappy Martell just went downstairs, and I’ve fixed that matter up with Ned Lowe,” said Walt. “Come on down if you want to see what takes place.”
He led the way, and all of the Rover boys followed at a safe distance. They saw Walt enter one of the big living-rooms of the Hall, to one end of which was attached the school library. Nappy Martell was at one of the library tables glancing carelessly over a magazine. In the living-room Walt was joined by Ned Lowe, and the pair walked up behind Nappy.
“Why, yes, it was the strangest thing I ever saw,” said Walt to Ned in a loud voice so that Nappy Martell could not help but hear. “The fellow seemed to come from a stack of cornstalks down in the cornfield.”
“It wasn’t one of the cadets, was it?” questioned Ned, innocently.
“Oh, no. I think this fellow was some kind of a tramp—maybe some fellow who had been sleeping under the stack all night. But what he was doing with such a fine suitcase gets me.”
“That’s right. Tramps don’t generally have suitcases,” returned the other boy. “Did he come toward the school?”
“No. He dug out the other way just as fast as he could go.”
“Poor fellow! maybe he was afraid if he came towards the school he would be arrested. If he had a suitcase he couldn’t have been just an ordinary tramp. Maybe he was some working man looking for a job and without the price of a night’s lodging.”
“Perhaps, Ned. At the same time, I don’t think Colonel Colby wants his cornstalks used for a hotel,” returned Walt; and then he and Ned walked through the library and went outside on the campus.
During this conversation the Rover boys, hidden behind some open doors, had watched Nappy Martell closely. They had seen
that he had caught what was being said and had immediately lost all interest in the magazine he was perusing. His face took on a worried look, and he glanced inquiringly after Walt and Ned. Then he threw down his magazine and started to leave the room.
“Come on, let us watch him,” whispered Jack.
“Yes. But keep out of his sight,” returned Randy. “We don’t want this joke spoiled.”
Keeping well in the background, they saw Nappy Martell ascend the stairs to his room. A moment later he came forth with his hat in his hand.
“I bet an oyster against a soda cracker he’s going down to that cornfield!” cried Andy.
“Right you are!” answered Fred. “Come on, let’s follow him;” and rushing up to their own rooms the Rover boys donned their caps and sweaters, for the day was unusually cool.
Nappy Martell left the Hall by a rear door, and the Rovers followed. They saw the loudly dressed youth hurry toward the stable and then disappear to the rear. Soon he was on the highway leading to the cornfield.
“There is no use of our following him, for he might see us and that would spoil everything,” said Randy. “Let’s wait here at the stable until he comes back.”
It did not take Nappy Martell long to reach the cornfield; and from a distance the Rovers saw him rush around, first to one stack of cornstalks and then to another. He was gone fully a quarter of an hour, and came back looking decidedly worried.
“He thinks some tramp got that suitcase and went off with it,” said Fred, grinning. “Randy, that certainly was one great joke.”
“Don’t say a word,” answered Randy. “Just let him keep on worrying for a while. Maybe it will do him good.”
As Martell passed the stable, the Rover boys stepped out of sight in the building. They saw him re-enter the Hall, and then they took a roundabout course which soon brought them to the campus, where they joined Fatty and Ned.
“It’s certainly a good joke,” was Fatty’s comment. “And any fellow who would be mean enough to dirty a fellow’s clothing like that ought to suffer for it. Gee! I’ll bet he’s worried!”
Of course, such a joke could not be kept entirely secret, and before long it was spread among a good many of the cadets. But great care was taken to keep it from Slugger Brown, Codfish and all the others belonging to the Martell crowd.
“And now to pay Martell back for his meanness!” said Fred a little later. “This joke of Randy’s is all right as far as it goes, but I think I’m going to go him one better—that is, if I can get into Martell’s room.”
“All right, Fred. Anything you say goes,” added Andy, quickly. “Isn’t that so, Randy?”
“Sure thing!”
“Look here! You don’t want to get into trouble,” warned Jack.
“There won’t be much trouble about this,” answered Fred. “I am only going to give Nappy Martell something to think about.”
CHAPTER XII
LEARNING TO DRILL
While the Rover boys were talking matters over among themselves, Nappy Martell had returned to his room, which was connected by a door with that occupied by Slugger Brown.
“What in thunder made you run off in such a hurry, Nappy?” demanded the other cadet somewhat surlily. “You didn’t answer that question I put to you at all.”
“I had something else to think about,” was the reply. “It looks to me as if I’m in hot water.”
“How’s that?”
“Do you remember I told you that I placed that Fred Rover’s suitcase down under a stack in the cornfield?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I heard Walt Baxter telling Ned Lowe that he had seen a tramp down in the cornfield running away from one of the stacks with a suitcase in his hand; so I went down to the cornfield to find out if the suitcase was still where I had hidden it. It was gone.”
“Whew!” Slugger Brown gave a prolonged whistle. “That certainly does look bad. Did Baxter say where the tramp went?”
“He told Lowe that he had not come towards the Hall, but had gone off in the opposite direction.”
“Then that looks as if the suitcase was gone for good.”
“So it does. And I don’t know what I’m going to do about it,” answered Nappy Martell, gloomily. “Of course, I didn’t think the suitcase would be stolen.”
“And the worst part of it is, the Rovers suspect you of having taken it,” was the comment of Slugger.
“Yes. But they can’t prove it,” cried Nappy, quickly. “That is, they won’t be able to do it unless you or Codfish give me away.”
“You know me well enough to know I won’t say a word, Nappy. And as for Codfish, just give him to understand if he opens his trap you’ll fix him for it.”
A little while later Martell and Brown went below. In the lower hallway they met Fred and some of the others.
“Well, Martell, when are you going to return that suitcase?” demanded the youngest Rover.
“I told you I haven’t got your suitcase and don’t know anything about it,” cried the loudly dressed youth. But at the same time his face grew flushed and he could not look Fred in the eyes.
“You took that suitcase, and if you don’t return it pretty quick you’ll see what will happen,” warned Fred; and then he walked away with his cousins, leaving Nappy Martell gazing at Slugger Brown, questioningly. The pair conversed in a low tone, and passed on out of the hall on to the campus.
“Now’s your time, Fred, if you’re going to do as you said,” whispered Randy.
“Right you are!” was the quick reply. “Come on;” and Fred led the way upstairs again, his cousins following.
When they reached Nappy Martell’s room, they found the door locked. But the door to Slugger Brown’s apartment was unfastened, and they quickly entered this and passed into the room beyond.
“Say, Jack, won’t you stand on guard?” questioned Fred. “They might come back while we’re at work.”
“All right, boys. But be careful what you do. You don’t want to spoil anything. A joke is a joke, but it loses its flavor if it is carried too far.”
With Jack standing in the hallway on guard, Fred and the twins took possession of Nappy Martell’s room. The boy who loved to dress so loudly was rather methodical in his habits, and had arranged all of his clothing and other articles with great nicety in his chiffonier and his closet.
“The bed first,” whispered Fred; and in a trice the boys had taken off the bed clothing and turned up the mattress. On the springs they placed one of the bedsheets and on the top of this they distributed all of Nappy’s choice neckties and also his fancy-colored socks. Then to this they added his cuffs, his fancy underwear, and all of his loose jewelry. The articles were spread over the bed with care, so that they rested as flat as possible.
“Now, we’ll put the mattress back and then make up the bed as nicely as possible,” said Randy, who, of course, in a joke of this sort directed operations.
“Gee! I don’t believe he’ll find those articles in a hurry,” chuckled Fred.
“They’ll never find them until they come to turn the mattress over,” vouchsafed Andy. “Some joke, believe me!”
“I was thinking about that clothing in the closet. I wonder if we can’t fix that up some way,” mused Randy. Then he began to grin. “Just the thing!” he continued, and walked to the chiffonier, from a drawer in which he brought out a package of safety pins.
“What are you going to do with those?” questioned Fred.
“We’ll pin up all the ends of the sleeves and the trouser legs, from the inside,” was the quick reply. “Come, hurry up!” and then the three boys lost no time in doing as Randy had suggested. This done, they left the room, leaving it, so far as looks in general went, just as when they had entered it.
“There’ll be some fun when Nappy wants one of those neckties or a pair of those fancy s
ocks,” laughed Andy. “I wish I could be on hand to see him.”
“Don’t you worry—we’ll hear about it,” returned Fred. “He’ll suspect me on account of that suitcase affair.”
While it was true that the regular school term had not yet opened, the new arrivals had been informed that they must be on hand to be measured for their uniforms and also to be instructed by some of the seniors who were present in drilling. The measurements of the boys were taken down in the gymnasium under the directions of Mr. Silas Crews, who was the gymnasium instructor and also the husband of Mrs. Crews, the matron for the younger cadets.
“I hope they’ve got a suit on hand that fits me,” was Jack’s comment, as he and his cousins walked to the gymnasium. “I’d like to see how it feels to be in a uniform.”
His wish was gratified, for a little later he was given an entire outfit, which consisted of both a fulldress uniform and a fatigue suit, as well as belt, shoulder straps, cap, and hat, and several other things. Uniforms were also found for the others, and the entire crowd lost no time in hurrying back to their rooms to dress up. In this they were aided by Spouter, who had donned his uniform immediately upon his arrival.
“Some brass buttons, believe me!” was Andy’s comment, as he strode around the rooms.
“Say! you put me in mind of a peacock,” said the twin. “My, just see how he swells up!” and Randy himself raised his chest as high as possible.
“What are you going to be, Jack—fifth corporal or first admiral of the rear guard?” questioned Fred.
“I’m going to be head soup-carrier for the bayonet squad,” returned his cousin gaily.
As soon as they had donned their uniforms, the boys returned to the gymnasium, where they were placed in what was called an awkward squad, and which was under the direction of Dan Soppinger. Here they quickly learned how to stand erect with their toes on a chalk mark, and how to hold their hands properly. Then they were given directions how to cast their eyes “To the right,” “To the left,” and “Front.” Then they learned the meaning of “Right face,” “Left face,” and “About face.”
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 334