“I say, boys, this may not be safe!” cried Professor Brice suddenly, when the crowd on the ice had become unusually thick. “This ice isn’t as strong as it might be.”
“Yes, and with Fatty in the crowd——” began Andy Rover. Then, of a sudden, he stopped short because an ominous crack was heard, followed by several other cracks.
“The ice is breaking!”
“Skate away, everybody, or we’ll go down!”
Instantly there was a commotion, and all of the skaters tried to break away from the spot where the crowd had congregated. The confusion was tremendous, and in the mix-up six or eight persons, including Ruth Stevenson and May Powell, were thrown down. Then came another crack, and it looked as if in another instant the ice would give way completely and precipitate the whole crowd into the cold waters of the lake.
CHAPTER II
SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS
It was a time of extreme peril, and it is doubtful if any one realized that more than did Jack Rover. He, too, had been thrown down, and across his legs was sprawled the heavy form of Fatty Hendry. It was the toppling over of the fat youth which had caused one of the cracks which were now so numerous in the ice.
“Hi! get off of me!” yelled Jack, and managed to pull one of his legs free; and with this he pushed the fat youth to one side.
“Help! help! We’re going down!” came in a scream from May Powell.
The ice had become depressed where she and Ruth Stevenson stood, and both were already in a half inch of water.
“Scatter! Everybody scatter!” cried Professor Brice, and then rushed to one side, to rescue several little boys and girls.
“Come on, Jack, we’ve got to help those girls!” cried Randy, and caught his cousin by the arm, thus assisting him to his feet. Then off the pair skated, with Andy and Fred behind them, all bent on going to the assistance of the girls from Clearwater Hall.
Now, I know quite well that to the readers of the former volumes in these two “Rover Boys Series,” all of the Rovers, both old and young, will need no introduction. But for the benefit of those who have not perused any of the previous volumes in this line, a few words concerning our characters will not be amiss.
In my first volume, entitled “The Rover Boys at School,” I told how three brothers, Dick, Tom and Sam Rover, had been sent off to Putnam Hall Military Academy, where they made a host of friends, including a manly and straightforward cadet, named Lawrence Colby. From Putnam Hall, the Rovers were sent to Brill College, and after leaving that institution of learning they went into business in Wall Street, New York City, where they organized The Rover Company, of which Dick was now president; Tom, secretary; and Sam, treasurer.
While at Putnam Hall the three Rovers had become acquainted with three charming girls, Dora Stanhope and her cousins Nellie and Grace Laning. This acquaintance had ripened into loving intimacy, and when Dick went into business he had made Dora Stanhope his life-long partner. A short while after this Tom married Nellie Laning and Sam married Grace.
When first married, Dick and his beautiful wife Dora had begun housekeeping in a small apartment, but a few years later the three brothers had purchased a plot of ground on Riverside Drive, overlooking the Hudson river, and there they had built three handsome houses, Dick living in the middle house, and Tom on one side and Sam on the other.
Before the young people had moved into the new homes, Dick and Dora became the proud parents of a little son, who was named John, after Mr. Laning. The son was followed by a daughter, Martha, so named after her Great Aunt Martha of Valley Brook Farm, where the older boys had spent many of their youthful days. Little Jack, as he was called, was a bright lad with many of the qualities which had made his father so well liked and so successful in life.
About the time Jack’s sister Martha was born, Tom and Nellie Rover came forward with twin boys, one of whom they named Anderson, after his grandfather, and the other Randolph, after Uncle Randolph, of Valley Brook Farm. Andy and Randy, as they were always called for short, were exceedingly clever and active lads, in this particular being a second edition of their father. Andy was usually saying things that were more or less funny, and Randy thought that playing some trick was the finest thing in the world.
“You can’t find fault with those kids, Tom,” Dick Rover said more than once. “They are chips off the old block.”
“Well, I suppose they are,” Tom Rover would reply, with a twinkle in his eye. “But if they never do anything that is really mean or harmful, I won’t care.”
About the same time the twins were born, Sam and Grace Rover came along with a beautiful little girl, whom they named Mary, after Mrs. Laning. Then, a year later, the girl was followed by a sturdy little boy, who was christened Fred, after Sam Rover’s old school chum, Fred Garrison.
Living so close together—the three stone mansions on Riverside Drive were connected—the younger generation of Rover boys, as well as the girls, were brought up very much like one big family. The winters were spent in New York City, while during the summer the young folks were generally bundled off to Valley Brook Farm, where their grandfather, Anderson Rover, still resided with his brother Randolph and wife Martha.
At first both the girls and the boys had been sent to private schools in the metropolis. But the boys showed such a propensity for “cutting up,” as Dick Rover expressed it, that the fathers were compelled to hold a consultation.
“The best thing we can do is to send them to some strict boarding school,” was Dick Rover’s comment, and in this the brothers agreed.
Some time before, their old school chum, Lawrence Colby, who had since become a colonel in the state militia, had opened a military academy, which he called Colby Hall. The place was gaining an enviable reputation as a first-class institution of learning, being modeled after Putnam Hall, which, in its day, had been run somewhat on the lines of West Point.
“We’ll send them to Colby Hall,” had been the decision of the older Rovers, and to that place Jack, Andy and Randy, and Fred had gone, as related in detail in the volume entitled “The Rover Boys at Colby Hall.”
The military school presided over by Colonel Colby was located about half a mile from the town of Haven Point, on Clearwater Lake, a beautiful sheet of water about two miles long and half a mile wide. At the head of the lake was the Rick Rack River, running down from the hills and woods beyond. The school consisted of a large stone building shaped somewhat in the form of a cross, the upper portion facing the river. It was three stories in height, and contained, not only the classrooms and the mess hall, but also the dormitories and private rooms for the scholars. To one side was a brick building, which at one time had been a private dwelling, but which was now occupied by Colonel Colby and his family and some of the professors. On the opposite side was a new and up-to-date gymnasium. Down at the water’s edge were a number of small buildings used as boathouses and bathhouses. Behind the Hall were a stable and a barn, and also a garage; and still further back there were a large vegetable garden and numerous farm fields.
On their arrival at Colby Hall, the Rover boys had found several of their friends awaiting them. One of these was Dick Powell, the son of Songbird Powell, a former schoolmate of their fathers, a fellow who was usually called Spouter because of his fondness for making speeches. Another lad was Gifford Garrison, usually called Gif for short, who was at the head of the school athletics. Gif was the son of Fred Garrison, after whom Fred Rover had been named.
They also made friends of a number of others, some of whom we have already met. These included Walter Baxter, the son of Dan Baxter, who in years gone by had been an enemy to the older Rovers, but who had long since reformed.
Before coming to Colby Hall Jack Rover had had a quarrel in New York with a tall, dudish youth named Napoleon Martell, and this had almost led to a fight. Nappy Martell, as he was usually called by his cronies, was a pupil at the militar
y academy, and soon he and his crony, a big, overgrown bully, named Slogwell Brown, did what they could to make life miserable for all of the Rovers. But in one of their dirty tricks they over-reached themselves, and as a consequence they had been exposed and sent away from the institution of learning for the time being.
“But they are coming back,” Walt Baxter had told the Rover boys; “and they say when they do, they will make it hot for you.”
“Well, when Slugger and Nappy return we will be ready for them,” had been Jack Rover’s reply.
“And the next time we won’t be as easy on them as we were before,” Fred had added.
All of the cadets formed a battalion of several companies, commanded by one of the older cadets, Major Ralph Mason. The Rovers took to the military drill and general exercises readily, and soon learned how to march and how to handle a gun. They enjoyed drilling very much—in fact, they enjoyed it more than they did studying, although all of them were good scholars.
As has been stated, Colby Hall was located about half a mile out of Haven Point. On the other side of the town was located Clearwater Hall, a boarding school for girls. During a panic in a moving picture theater in the town, Jack and his cousins had become acquainted with a number of these girls, including Ruth Stevenson and May Powell. After that the four boys had taken four of the girls rowing on the lake and on other outings, and through this had become quite well acquainted with a number of the Clearwater Hall pupils. Jack was particularly interested in Ruth Stevenson, and thought her a very beautiful and entertaining young lady. The others did not seem to have any particular preference, although Fred was often seen to side up to May Powell, the entertaining cousin of Spouter.
And now, having introduced these young ladies in a proper manner, let us return to them at the time when they were struggling on the ice and in the midst of the frightened crowd rushing hither and thither, striving to save itself from being immersed in the icy waters of the lake.
“Oh! oh! What shall we do?” cried May in terror, as she clung to her companion’s arm.
“Come on! We’ll have to skate away from here!” burst out Ruth. “Come! let us see if we can’t get to shore,” and she started off, her companion still clinging to her.
In the meanwhile, Jack and Randy were skating as fast as possible in the direction where they had seen the two girls. But now a crowd of cadets and town folks swept in front of them, and the next instant Randy was hurled flat on his back and went spinning across the smooth ice.
By this time one of the spots on the lake had broken through, and the water was rapidly rising all around it and covering the sinking surface. Men, women and children mingled with the cadets and hurried in all directions, but most of them toward the shore.
“Come on! We’ve got to help those girls somehow!” panted Jack, as he skated over to where Randy had been flung. He assisted his cousin to his feet just as Fred and Andy flashed up.
“The girls! Don’t you see them over there? They are going down!” yelled Fred.
“Yes, I see them! Come on!” answered Jack.
As tired as he was because of the race, the oldest Rover struck out with all the vigor he could muster. Soon he found himself sloshing through water that was several inches deep. The next moment he stood beside the two girls, who had become almost too frightened to move.
“Come on! Don’t stand here!” he called, catching Ruth by the arm.
He looked back and saw that Fred and the others were close behind him, and that Fred already had hold of May. Then he started off up the lake.
“Oh, Jack, hadn’t we better head for the shore?” gasped the frightened girl.
“No. There is too much of a crowd in that direction already,” he answered quickly. “If they don’t look out they’ll all go in. Come on! The best thing to do is to get out where there isn’t anybody.”
He skated on, allowing the girl to rest on his arm as he did so. Soon they seemed to be out of the danger zone, and then he looked back.
The sight that met his gaze filled him with new alarm. Fred had been skating with May close beside him, but their feet had caught in one of the new cracks, and both of them had gone down headlong. Andy and Randy had been close behind, and now they too went sprawling, while the ice cracked ominously, as if ready to let them down into the water at any instant!
CHAPTER III
OUT OF PERIL
“Oh look! May and Fred have both gone down!” cried Ruth.
“Yes, and there go Andy and Randy over them!” exclaimed Jack.
“And look, Jack, the ice is cracking everywhere!” continued the frightened girl. She clutched his arm and looked appealingly into his face. “Oh! what shall we do?”
“Spread out, you fellows! Spread out!” yelled the oldest Rover boy. “Spread out! Don’t keep together!”
His cry was heard, and an instant later Andy commenced to roll over on the ice in one direction while his twin rolled in another. In the meantime, Fred had managed to scramble to his feet, and now he pulled up May.
“Come on, we’ll soon be out of danger,” encouraged the youngest Rover; and, striking out, he pulled May behind him, the girl being too excited to skate.
In less than a minute the danger, so far as it concerned the Rovers and the two girls from Clearwater Hall, was past. All reached a point where the ice was perfectly firm. Here Ruth speedily gained her self-possession, but May continued to cling closely to Fred’s arm.
“I’m going to see how they are making out in front of the boathouse!” cried Randy. “Some of the skaters must have gotten in.”
“I’m with you,” returned his twin. He looked back at his cousins. “I suppose you will look after the girls?”
“Sure!” answered Jack quickly. “Go ahead.”
“I don’t suppose we can be of any assistance down there?” came from Fred.
“I don’t think so, Fred. There is too much of a crowd as it is; they will simply be in one another’s way.”
“Oh! oh! suppose some one should be drowned!” moaned May.
“Let us hope for the best,” answered Jack. He did not want to add to the girls’ fright, yet he was decidedly anxious over the outcome of the unexpected catastrophe.
They skated toward the shore at a point between Colby Hall and the town, and then they worked their way along shore up to the vicinity of the military academy. Here men and cadets were rushing hither and thither, some with planks and others with ropes.
“Six of the cadets broke through,” announced Spouter Powell, as he came up to learn if his cousin was safe.
“They are all out, aren’t they?” questioned Jack quickly.
“Yes. But there may have been others that went under the ice. Professor Brice and Mr. Crews are going to make a thorough search.” Crews was the gymnastic instructor.
The excitement continued for fully half an hour. By that time it was ascertained that every one had gotten off of the ice or out of the water in safety. Those who had gone down were rushed to shelter, so that they might not catch cold. Gradually the crowd dispersed, and then Professor Brice had danger signs placed at various points on the ice, so that there should not be a repetition of the accident.
“The thing would not have occurred had not the entire crowd happened to congregate around the winners of the skating race,” explained Professor Brice to Colonel Colby.
“You think the ice is thick enough for any ordinary crowd?” questioned the master of the school anxiously.
“Yes, sir. You can test it for yourself.”
“Well, we must be more careful in the future, Mr. Brice. We don’t want any of our cadets drowned.”
“We won’t have any such crowd again if I can avoid it,” was the reply.
“It’s all nonsense to have such races anyway. It encourages too much rowdyism,” was the comment of Asa Lemm, one of the language professors
. Lemm was the least liked of all the teachers at the Hall. He did not believe in a boy’s having any fun, but expected the cadets to spend their entire time in studying. He had once been fairly wealthy, and the loss of his money had made him sour-minded and disagreeable.
“I cannot agree with that opinion,” returned Colonel Colby coldly. “The boys must have some exercise. And to be out in the fresh air is a very good thing for them. They will study so much the better for it.”
“Maybe; but I doubt it,” answered Asa Lemm shortly. “You let a boy go out and carouse around, and the first thing you know he won’t care for anything else,” and he strode away with his chin held high in the air and his lips tightly compressed. He was a man of very positive ideas, which he tried at every opportunity to impress upon others.
“Aren’t your feet wet?” questioned Jack sud denly, as he looked down at the skating shoes worn by Ruth and May.
“Well, they are rather damp,” answered Ruth.
“Mine are both wet and cold,” said May. “I shouldn’t mind it if I could dry them off and warm them somewhere.”
“Come on up to the Hall,” went on Jack. “I’m sure they will let you dry them in front of the open fire in the big living-room.”
“Oh, Jack, we don’t want to go there in such a crowd of cadets!”
“Don’t worry about the cadets,” put in Fred.
When they arrived at the living-room of the military academy, they found it practically deserted, the great majority of the cadets being at the lake front or in the big boathouse, where a pot stove was kept going for the benefit of the skaters.
“My, but this is a cozy place!” remarked Ruth, after she had become comfortably settled in a big armchair with her feet resting close to the blaze.
“I wish I was a cadet here,” sighed May. “It’s more fun being a boy than being a girl.”
“How do you know? You never were a boy,” returned Fred, with a grin.
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