“This is undoubtedly from Professor Lemm,” announced Jack, as he allowed his cousins and their chums to read the letter.
“He’s certainly a sweet-natured man,” was Andy’s comment. “He’s real charitable and kind, isn’t he?” and this brought forth a smile from the others.
“What do you think he’ll do?” questioned Fred.
“I don’t believe he’ll do anything,” answered Jack. “Fellows who write such anonymous communications are usually cowards. Old Lemon belongs in the class with Slugger, Nappy & Company.”
The heavy snowstorm cleared away as rapidly as it had come, and the wind blew the snow from large sections of the lake, so that the cadets could once more enjoy themselves skating.
“Let’s skate up to Clearwater Hall and see the girls,” suggested Jack at the first opportunity; and this was agreed to readily by all of the crowd.
They found the girls of Clearwater Hall on the ice, watching out for them, and soon the cadets and the girls were enjoying themselves thoroughly.
“You must tell me all about the fire and about how Professor Lemm happened to leave the Hall,” said Ruth, as she skated away with Jack.
“I’ll do that,” he answered. “But you must keep a good part of what I’m going to tell you a secret—at least for the present,” he added, and then gave the particulars of the joke which had been played on the disliked teacher. Then he told of what had occurred at the gymnasium.
“Oh, Jack! do you really think Slugger and Nappy and that little Codfish set the gymnasium on fire?” cried the girl.
“I think they did, Ruth—although, of course, it was by accident.”
“What dreadful boys they must be getting to be,” sighed the girl.
She had quite a few things to tell about happenings at the Hall, and also mentioned what she intended to do during the Christmas holidays.
“I wish you were coming down to New York,” said Jack. “I’d like first rate to have you meet my Sister Martha and my Cousin Mary.”
“Perhaps I shall get down there some time, Jack. Are you going to stay at home during all of the holidays?”
“No. We have been planning to stay at home about a week, and then, if we can arrange it, we want to visit Snowshoe Island and do a little hunting before school opens again.”
“Then you’re going to accept old Uncle Barney’s invitation!”
“That’s the idea, Ruth. You don’t mind, do you?” and the oldest Rover boy looked anxiously at his companion.
“Not at all. In fact, I’m rather glad to hear of your going to the island. It may give you a chance to talk to old Uncle Barney about my folks. And if you get any such chance, I hope you’ll impress it upon him that we want to be friends.”
When the cadets returned to Colby Hall, both Jack and Fred were in unusual good humor, for, not only had Ruth said she would try to get down to New York during the holidays, but May had told Fred that if Spouter came down to the metropolis she would try to accompany her cousin.
Several days slipped by, and the Rover boys applied themselves closely to their lessons, for they wished to make as good a showing as possible during the coming examinations. During that time, they saw Slugger, Nappy and Codfish a number of times, but all of those unworthies seemed to give them a wide berth.
Although Colonel Colby had not given the Rovers any of the particulars of what he proposed to do, he had not forgotten what Randy and Fred had told him. He had had a conference on the subject with Professor Brice, Silas Crews, and Bob Nixon, the chauffeur, and Nixon and Crews were detailed to watch every movement made by the bully and his cronies.
It was on the following Tuesday, the day previous to the examinations, that Silas Crews came hurrying to the master of the Hall, who had just entered the school library in search of a certain book.
“I think Brown and Martell are at it,” he announced in a low tone of voice. “Martell just sneaked a quart bottle of ink from the storeroom, while Brown picked up some of the cans of vegetables which were cast aside by the cook as unfit to eat. Now they have both gone down into the boiler-room, evidently after those ashes.”
“Continue to watch them, Crews, and tell Nixon to watch them, too. I will notify Professor Brice, and also Captain Dale.” Captain Dale was the military instructor of the Academy.
Silas Crews hurried off, and Colonel Colby lost no time in notifying the others of what was taking place. As a result, a guard was established, which took cognizance of every move made by Slugger and Nappy. Why it was that Codfish was not with them, nobody knew. The fact was, the poor little sneak had been so terrified at the mere mention of doing anything further that he had burst out crying and locked himself in his room, stating that he was too sick to act.
Having obtained the bottle of ink and several cans of spoiled tomatoes, Slugger and Nappy watched their chance and visited the boiler-room under the school. Here they found a dozen large cans of ashes, and also an old empty soap-box.
“We’ll fill the soap box half full of ashes,” said Slugger, “and then we can place the opened-up cans of tomatoes and the opened-up bottle of ink on top. When we get the stuff over to Colonel Colby’s rooms, we can spread half of every thing around where it will make the best showing, then we can skip over to the offices and do the same thing, and after that we’ll rush back and leave a little trail of ashes and some ink leading into the Rovers’ rooms, and place the empty ink bottle and the empty cans in their closets and put the ash-box under one of the beds.”
“Dandy!” replied Nappy. “Come on!”
Not knowing that Bob Nixon was watching them from a corner of the boiler-room, they soon had the box of ashes and other stuff ready. Then, watching their chance to see that the coast was clear, they sneaked up out of the boiler-room and then out of the school by a side door. Here a path led to the nearby building where Colonel Colby had his private suite of rooms.
“Now then, hurry up!” cried Nappy, who was beginning to show signs of nervousness.
They found the door to the main room unlocked, and both entered and set the box of stuff on one of the easy chairs. Then one took up the ink and the other an opened can of the decayed tomatoes.
“Now make a fine job of it,” whispered Slugger.
Both took a step forward to start their nefarious work, when each was almost paralyzed by hearing Colonel Colby’s voice.
“Stop!” commanded the master of the school, and stepped out from behind a screen which stood near a corner of the apartment.
“Oh!” ejaculated Nappy. “We’re discovered!” and, dropping the bottle of ink in his hands, he started to run.
“Not so quick, Martell!” came from the doorway, and then both of the youths were startled to see themselves confronted by Bob Nixon. Behind the chauffeur stood Captain Dale, while in another doorway appeared the form of Professor Brice.
“Wa—wa—what does this mean?” stammered Slugger. He knew not what to say or do.
“It means that I have found you out,” answered Colonel Colby sternly. “You will both march over to my office at once.”
CHAPTER XVIII
HOME AGAIN
“Good riddance to bad rubbish!”
“You told the truth that time, Andy. We’re certainly well rid of Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell.”
“Say! I’d like to know some of the particulars of the interview Slugger and Nappy had with Colonel Colby. It must have been a pippin,” remarked Fred.
“One thing is certain—Colonel Colby must have laid down the law pretty severely to them; otherwise they would never have gotten out of this school in such a hurry,” came from Jack.
“I’m mighty glad I got that one crack in on Martell,” remarked Fred. “Some day I’ll give that fellow a licking, big as he is,” continued the youngest of the Rover boys.
“The only fellow I’m sorry for is Codfish,” came
from Randy. “That poor little rat looks about as miserable as any kid could look.”
“He ought to be thankful that he wasn’t kicked out with the others,” said Spouter. “He certainly deserved it.”
“He did,” agreed Jack. “Just the same, now that Slugger and Nappy are gone, if Codfish wants to turn over a new leaf and make a man of himself, I’m not going to stand in his way.”
Twenty-four hours had passed since the events recorded in the previous chapter. They had been filled with both mystery and excitement for the Rover boys and their chums. Only a little of what had taken place in Colonel Colby’s office had filtered out to the cadets, but it was enough to show them that the master of the Hall had dealt severely with Slugger and Nappy. Those two unworthies had come forth looking both cowed and excited, and they had rushed up to their rooms to pack their belongings without delay.
In the meanwhile, Codfish had come forth sobbing, and had been allowed to go to his room, where he locked himself in and denied himself even to Mrs. Crews, the matron who looked after the younger scholars.
“I—I don’t want to see no—nobody!” Codfish had cried out. “Go away and leave me alone! I—I didn’t mean to do anything! It was Brown and Martell made me do it!” and then he had burst into another fit of weeping.
Both the Rover boys and their chums had wanted to see how the bully and his crony would act after their interview with Colonel Colby. They met Slugger and Nappy in the hall as they were on the point of leaving the school, and some sharp words had passed. Nappy had threatened Fred, and made a savage pass at him with his fist. In return, the youngest Rover had landed on the other’s chin, and sent Nappy staggering up against the wall.
In the meanwhile, there had been a set-to between Slugger and Jack, and although the oldest Rover boy was struck on the shoulder, he had had the satisfaction of making the bully measure his length on his back. Then the approach of Professor Brice, backed up by Captain Dale and Bob Nixon, had brought the brief contests to a close, and Slugger and Nappy had lost no time in hurrying below, where the auto-stage was already in waiting to take them and their baggage to Haven Point. Many of the cadets assembled had jeered at the departing youths, and they, in their rage, had shaken their fists at those left behind as the auto-stage departed.
“I hope we never see those fellows again,” remarked Randy. But this wish was doomed to disappointment—the Rovers were to see a good deal more of Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell.
The boys had now to apply themselves to their examinations, and they went at this with a will, resolved to make the best showing possible.
“We’ve got to do it,” was the way Jack expressed himself. “We want the folks at home to know that we are keeping at our studies. Then, if they happen to hear of some of the jokes we play, they will know that we’re doing something else here besides having fun.”
The lads had already written home regarding the Christmas holidays and what they would like to do. In return, they received word that they could have Gif and Spouter down for the week between Christmas and New Year’s if they so desired. And Jack’s mother also sent a letter to Spouter inviting him to bring along his Cousin May and her friend, Ruth.
“All of us, including Martha and Mary, will be glad to become acquainted with your cousin and her school chum,” wrote Mrs. Dick Rover. “The girls are very anxious to learn more about Clearwater Hall, and it is just possible that we may send them to that school later on.”
“Hurrah! that’s fine!” cried Jack, when Spouter showed him the letter. “If only May and Ruth go to New York, I’m sure they’ll be able to persuade Martha and Mary that there is no better girls’ school on earth than Clearwater Hall.”
“You leave that to me, Jack,” answered Spouter. “I’ll tell May just what to do.”
Of course the Rover boys were all very anxious after the examinations were over to find out how they had fared. On the following Friday afternoon Colonel Colby read the results. Fred and Randy had received ninety-four per cent., Jack had gotten ninety-two, and Andy had reached eighty-eight. As seventy per cent. was the passing mark, it can be seen that the boys had passed with considerable to spare.
“My, that’s a relief!” sighed Andy. “Somehow, at the last minute, I was afraid I had fallen down completely. There were a few examples in algebra that were regular stickers for me.”
“Physiology was what got me,” observed Jack grimly. “How do I know how many bones I’ve got in my body? I never saw them,” and at this there was a general smile.
After the examinations there was but little to do at the school apart from the drills. There was an entertainment given by the boys in which both Jack and Andy took part. Then, almost before they knew it, the session came to an end, and the cadets had packed up and were on their way home.
“After all, I’ll be glad to see little old New York once more,” remarked Randy, when they and their friends were seated on the train.
“Right you are!” cried Fred. “I think, after the semi-country life at Haven Point, a big city will look mighty good to us.”
“Say, fellows, do you remember when we came up to the school, how we fell in with Asa Lemm?” remarked Andy.
“I haven’t forgotten it!” cried his twin, and then he added quickly: “I wonder if old Lemon wrote to our folks.”
“I don’t think so,” answered Jack. “If he had, I think we would have heard of it.”
When the boys arrived at the Grand Central Terminal, they found Martha and Mary and Tom Rover awaiting them.
“Glad to see you back, boys!” cried the father of the twins, as he greeted them warmly, and then greeted the others.
“Oh, Jack, I declare you’re growing awfully tall!” burst out his sister Martha, as she embraced him.
“Well, I guess Fred is growing tall, too,” put in Mary Rover.
“Well, you wouldn’t expect any of us to grow shorter, would you?” queried Andy gaily, and this made both of the girls laugh.
With greetings all around finished, the whole party pushed its way through the crowd to the Forty-second Street entrance of the Terminal, where two of the Rover limousines were in waiting.
“This looks something like!” remarked Jack, when the automobiles were on their way through the busy streets to Riverside Drive. “I haven’t seen so many people since I left.”
“And how do you like Colby Hall?” questioned his sister eagerly.
“Dandy, Martha! It couldn’t be beat! I can tell you, we boys are mighty glad that our dads picked out such a bully good school for us,” and his face showed his satisfaction.
“And what about Clearwater Hall?”
“That’s a dandy place, too,—at least, the girls who go there say it is. If May Powell comes down with Spouter, she’ll tell you all about it.”
The home-coming of the Rover boys was a gala occasion. Dick Rover and his brother Sam had just come up home from the offices in Wall Street, and they and their wives, as well as the twins’ mother, greeted the lads affectionately.
“It’s been kind of lonely since you went away,” said Mrs. Tom Rover, as she caught each of the twins around the waist.
“I suppose you missed our tricks, Ma,” returned Andy slyly.
“Maybe I did, Andy. But I wouldn’t mind the tricks so much if only you were here,” and she gave a little sigh.
“Well, we’re going to be here for a week, anyway,” put in Randy, and then both of the twins gave their mother such a hug as she had not received for a long time.
Jack was already telling his father and his two uncles something about Colby Hall. All of the men listened with close attention and considerable satisfaction.
“I guess Larry has patterned it pretty closely after Putnam Hall and West Point,” remarked Sam Rover. “And that’s as it should be, to my way of thinking.”
“He’d have to go a long way to do better,
” answered Tom Rover. “Everybody knows that West Point is an ideal school, and dear old Putnam Hall was a close second to it.”
“I hope you lads haven’t been playing too many tricks,” went on Dick Rover, as he gazed from one face to another before him.
“Well, Uncle Dick, we had to play some tricks,” answered Andy, a bit lamely.
“You couldn’t expect us to just sit still and hold our hands,” added Randy.
“We might as well own up to one thing,” said Jack boldly. “We did play a trick on one of the teachers—a fellow named Asa Lemm. Nobody liked Lemm, and when Colonel Colby had a rumpus with him and made him resign, all of us felt better.”
Fortunately for the boys, an interruption came just at that moment in the way of an announcement that dinner was ready. This was served in the Dick Rover home, and was participated in by all of the members of the Rover family. It made quite a table full.
“Gee! but it’s nice to be here once more!” exclaimed Andy, while he was eating.
“Beats a meal in the mess-room at the Hall all hollow, doesn’t it?” returned his twin.
“And yet you talk about going away on a hunting trip,” broke in their father quizzically.
“Oh, yes! But Uncle Tom, we are going to spend a whole week in New York before that!” broke in Fred.
“I want to know a little more about this trip you’re planning to Snowshoe Island,” remarked Dick Rover. “I want to make sure that it’s a perfectly safe place for you to visit.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s safe enough,” answered Jack; and thereupon he and the others told what they knew about the island and Barney Stevenson.
“That old lumberman must be quite a character,” was Dick Rover’s comment. “Well, we’ll see about this trip later,” and there, for the time being, the matter was dropped.
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