Ned soon departed with the ice-cream and cake, and then the others passed around the food which had been provided. They had brought along some paper dishes and paper drinking cups, and likewise a few tin spoons, and the boys made themselves comfortable on various chairs and on the beds.
“It’s all right,” said Ned, when he returned. “Codfish was sitting by the window in his room wondering what he was going to do. He was suspicious at first, thinking there was some trick about the ice-cream or the cake, but when he found it was all right he felt better, and he has promised to keep quiet. But just the same, we’ll have to keep quiet ourselves in here, or we’ll get into trouble. I just heard the professors going around giving orders that the celebration was now over and everybody would have to turn in.”
With such healthy appetites as all of the cadets possessed, the good things to eat and drink disappeared as if by magic. Some of the boys wanted to sing, but this had to be tabooed. Spouter, however, was called on to make a little speech, much to his delight.
“It’s a grand occasion,” he began. “A grand and glorious occasion, and one which will live long in the memory of those attending this school. In years to come we can point with great pride to our baseball association and how, in spite of the fact that our opponents possessed a pitcher whose renown had traveled for many miles, and an outfield which was classed as second to none in this district, yet our invincible heroes——”
“Hurrah! Hurrah! That’s the stuff, Spouter!” interrupted Andy.
“Did you say invisible heroes?” queried Randy.
“I did not,” snorted Spouter. “I said our invincible heroes. And as I was about to further remark, our invincible heroes covered themselves with a glory which will ever remain as a bright guiding star to this glorious school, and when in days to come——”
“How do you know the days are to come?” questioned Andy. “Maybe the days will go.”
“Stop your interrupting!” cried the young speechmaker. “And in the days to come——” he repeated, “and in the days to come—er—we shall, in the days to come——”
“Great Cæsar, Spouter! how long are those days coming?” queried Randy.
“Say, how can a fellow make a speech if you’re going to interrupt him all the time?” cried Spouter. “If you want to listen to what I’ve got to say——”
At this moment came another interruption, but not from any of the others present. There was a loud knock on the door, something which brought all of the cadets to their feet in alarm.
CHAPTER IX
A TELEGRAM FROM HOME
“I’ll bet it’s one of the professors!” whispered Fred.
“Just our confounded luck!” grumbled Andy.
“And when we were having such a dandy time!” added his twin.
“Say, you fellows get that stuff out of sight, and be quick about it!”commanded Jack in a low tone of voice. “Take everything into the other rooms.”
With alacrity the cadets removed all traces of the spread, placing the empty soda-water bottles and ginger-ale bottles and other things in a closet and in the adjoining rooms.
“Now you outside fellows get into the other rooms, and hide in the closets if necessary,” said Jack. “I’ll stay here with my cousins.”
The knock on the door had been repeated several times, and Jack had answered in a sleepy voice that he was coming. Then, when all was ready, he threw the door open—to find himself confronted, not by one of the professors, as he had expected, but by Bob Nixon, a fellow who was employed as a chauffeur and a general man of all work around the school.
“You must sleep pretty sound,” announced Nixon good-naturedly. “I thought I’d have to knock the door down to make you hear.”
“I told you I was coming, Nixon,” answered Jack. “What do you want?”
“Got a telegram for you,” answered the man curtly. “Professor Brice asked me to bring it up to you. Say, you fellows certainly did trim up Hixley High to-day, didn’t you?” the chauffeur went on, grinning.
“You’re right we did!” answered Jack. He was immensely relieved to think it was not one of the professors come to spoil their feast.“Where is the telegram?”
“Here you are,” and Nixon held it forth.
“Any charges?”
“No; it’s a prepaid telegram. It was delivered with another one for Colonel Colby. He signed for it, thinking you might be asleep. I hope you haven’t got any bad news.”
“I hope so myself,” answered Jack. His heart had given a little jump on first receiving the news, thinking that possibly something had happened at home. He lost no time in opening the envelope, and while he did this Fred and the twins crowded around him.
The telegram was from Jack’s father, and read as follows:
“Your Uncle Sam and I have volunteered for the army. We have both received commissions. Tell Fred of this and break the news gently to Mary and Martha. Uncle Tom will manage business and remain head of Liberty Loan Committee. Colonel Colby will tell you more.
“RICHARD ROVER.”
“What is it?” queried Fred.
“It’s great news, Fred; especially for you and for me,” answered Jack, whose eyes had traveled swiftly over the telegram.
Then he read the message aloud. Bob Nixon had retired, and Randy had closed the door after him.
“Well, what do you know about that!” ejaculated Fred. “My father in the army! Good for him!”
“And to think my father is going, too!” remarked the oldest of the Rover boys. “And he also has a commission.” He looked at Andy and Randy and wanted to go on, but somehow could not.
“And they are going to make our father remain at home and take care of the business,” remarked Randy soberly. “That’s what I call tough luck!”
“It sure is!” declared his twin emphatically. “I’ll wager he wanted to go to the front just as much as anybody.”
“Why, of course he did,” answered Jack readily.
“Uncle Tom is just as brave as anybody! We all know that!” burst out Fred. “It was only that somebody had to stay in New York and take care of The Rover Company.”
“Of course our dad was never as much of a soldier as your fathers,”continued Randy. “He never became an officer at Putnam Hall. Just the same, I’ll wager he’d like to have a chance to put one over on the Huns.”
By this time the other cadets had come from their various hiding places and were listening with much interest to what was being said.
“It certainly is great news!” declared Gif Garrison. “I wonder if my dad will want to go, too?” He knew that his parent and the older Rovers had been great chums.
“They leave us to break the news to Mary and Martha,” said Fred. “That isn’t going to be a very nice job. I’m afraid the poor girls will be all broke up.”
“I can’t see it that way,” answered Jack. “They ought to feel proud to think our fathers are brave enough to volunteer.”
“The telegram says that Colonel Colby will tell you more about this,”said Randy. “Why don’t you go over and interview him?”
“Maybe he has gone to bed,” suggested Spouter.
“I don’t think so—not if he was up to receive that telegram Nixon mentioned,” said Jack. “Anyhow, I’m going down and find out. Do you want to come along, Fred?”
“Sure!” was the instant response.
“Find out if the colonel knows anything about my father,” said Randy. And then he added to his brother: “We can stay here and get rid of the remains of this feast.”
“All right,” was Andy’s answer. And then he added in a low tone. “Just the same, I can’t understand why dad didn’t volunteer along with Uncle Dick and Uncle Sam,” and his face wore anything but a pleasant expression.
Leaving the others to dispose of what remained of the feast as they saw fit
, Jack and Fred brushed up a bit, and then lost no time in hurrying downstairs and to the main entrance of Colby Hall. Here they found a night watchman on guard.
“You can’t go out this time of night,” said the watchman, following orders.
“We have just received this telegram,” answered Jack, showing the yellow slip; “and we must confer with Colonel Colby at once. The telegram states that he can give us some information we want.”
“Oh, all right, if that’s the case,” said the watchman, and allowed them to pass.
As stated before, the colonel and his family, along with a number of the professors, lived in a building some distance away from the Hall proper. Crossing the campus, the boys noted a light in the colonel’s library, and presented themselves at the door of this place, and knocked.
“Come in,” called out Colonel Colby.
They found the head of Colby Hall seated at his desk, looking over a number of private papers and accounts. He looked up questioningly, and then smiled as he recognized his visitors.
“Got your news from home, I suppose,” he said, after motioning them to seats. “I knew it was coming.”
“It’s great news, Colonel Colby!” cried Jack, his eyes shining. “Here is the telegram. You see it says you will give us more information. Of course, both Fred and I are curious to know all the particulars.”
“I’ll be glad to tell you all I can, boys,” answered Colonel Colby.“And first of all let me say that I have also volunteered, and I, too, have been commissioned.”
“Isn’t that fine!” exclaimed Fred. “Are you going with our fathers?”
“Yes. And I may as well tell you a little secret. Quite a crowd of us, all former pupils of Putnam Hall, have volunteered, and we hope to go into the war together.”
“May I ask what sort of commission my father obtained?” questioned Jack.
“He has been made a captain and your Uncle Sam has been made a lieutenant.”
“A lieutenant!” said Fred. “Well, that’s something anyhow!”
“And what about you, if I may ask?” continued Jack.
“I, too, have been made a captain.”
“Who of the others of the Old Guard are going?” asked Fred.
“Oh, there are quite a number, including Harry Blossom, Bart Conners, Dave Kearney, and Hans Mueller.”
“For gracious sake! you don’t mean that Hans Mueller is going?”queried Jack. He had often heard of this German-American who had been a school chum of his father. Mueller had never learned to use the English language correctly, and had been intensely German in many of his ways.
“Yes, Hans Mueller has volunteered,” answered Colonel Colby. “But he is going into the heavy artillery, so I’m afraid your fathers and I won’t see very much of him. In spite of his German blood, Hans Mueller is very patriotic, and that counts for a good deal.”
“I should say it did!” said Fred.
“And what about Mr. Powell and Mr. Garrison?” questioned Jack.
“We have been corresponding with those two gentlemen, but up to to-day have not heard what they have decided to do. We are hoping that they will go with us if they can leave their business. And that puts me in mind. You will probably want to know about your Uncle Tom, and I presume the twins would like to know, too.”
“Yes, indeed!”
“Well, when the question of going to the front came up, your Uncle Tom was just as eager to go as anybody, even though he was never an officer during his days at Putnam Hall Military Academy. But it was realized that some one must remain behind to take charge of The Rover Company. More than this, your Uncle Tom is at the head of one of the most important committees connected with the sale of Liberty Bonds, and he is also at the head of one of the Red Cross committees, and doing splendid work in both positions. The matter was talked over a number of times, and finally, much, however, against his will, he consented to withdraw in favor of your fathers. It is understood that he is not only to look after the business, but that he will likewise look after all of you young folks, including your sisters.”
“And how soon do all of you expect to leave, if I may ask?” questioned Jack.
“That will depend somewhat on circumstances. As soon as I receive any word, I’ll let you know. In the meanwhile, however, you may get some word from home.”
The two cadets continued to talk the matter over with Colonel Colby for several minutes longer, and then, realizing that he was a very busy man, they withdrew and hurried back to their own rooms.
“Now tell us all about it,” said Andy. All of the outsiders except Spouter and Gif had gone to their own quarters.
“Tell it straight,” said Randy.
Sitting down, Jack and Fred did so, the others listening closely to every word that was said. As they proceeded the twins showed their satisfaction over the news.
“I knew dad would want to go just as much as anybody,” declared Randy.
“So did I,” added his twin. “As it is, I guess he’ll have as much to do as anybody.”
“He’ll certainly have his hands full, running The Rover Company and being on those two committees, as well as looking after all of us young folks.”
“Just as if we couldn’t look after ourselves!” exclaimed Fred.
“Oh, well, you know what I mean!”
“This gets me!” said Spouter. “I’d like to know what my father is going to do. If he is going into the army, I’d like to know it.”
“And I’d like to know what my father is going to do, too,” said Gif.“I don’t believe he cares much for military matters, but just the same, he is intensely patriotic, and I know he would like to get a chance at those Boches.”
“I suppose we’ll get more news in a day or two,” said Jack. “This telegram was sent more to break the ice than anything else. It puts it up to us to let Mary and Martha know,” and he looked at Fred as he spoke.
“We’ll go over to-morrow and see them,” was Fred’s reply. “I don’t think I care to telephone news like this. No, we’ll take them off by themselves and let them know.”
A little later Spouter and Gif retired. The four Rover boys sat up for fully an hour longer, discussing the subject from every possible point of view. To Jack and Fred the entrance of their fathers into the army of the United States meant a great deal. The great war was on in all its fury, and they knew that sooner or later their fathers would be sent to France to face the enemy.
“It’s all well enough to talk about going to the front and covering oneself with glory,” was the way Fred expressed himself. “But some of those who go to the front never come back.”
“That is true, Fred,” answered Jack soberly. “But a good citizen has got to be ready to do his duty, no matter what the cost.”
“Oh, I know that! Just the same, this going to the front is a serious business. Even if a person isn’t killed, he may come back minus an arm or a leg, or something like that.”
“Well, don’t you go to talking like that to Mary and Martha.”
“I don’t intend to. Just the same, what I said is true.”
“I know it.”
CHAPTER X
ON THE WAY HOME
“Oh, Jack, you don’t mean it! Father and Uncle Sam have really volunteered for the war!”
It was Martha Rover who spoke. She and her brother were seated in a small summerhouse attached to Clearwater Hall. Not far away sat Mary and Fred.
“It’s the truth, Martha,” answered Jack; “and here is the telegram that was sent. We at once went to Colonel Colby and got some particulars.”
“But he may be shot down and killed!” and Martha’s face grew white as she spoke.
“That’s a chance every soldier takes when he goes to the front, Martha. But let us hope that dad will escape—and let us hope that Uncle Sam will escape, too.”
Ja
ck and Fred had come over early in the morning and had asked permission of Miss Garwood to see the girls on an important errand. They had left the school building under the curious eyes of Ruth and a number of their other chums.
“Well, in one way, I’m glad of this,” declared Mary, her pride showing in her face. “It’s exactly what I thought dad would do the minute we got into the war. I knew he wouldn’t want to be thought a slacker.”
“But, Mary! suppose they got killed—or even wounded?” murmured Martha.
“Martha Rover! do you want your father to hang back when he thinks it’s his duty to go to the front?” demanded Mary, her eyes snapping questioningly.
“No, no!” answered her cousin quickly. “I know it’s the right thing to do. Just the same, it worries me a great deal; and I know it will worry mamma, too.”
“You mustn’t say anything about being a slacker,” admonished Jack. “If it should get to the ears of Uncle Tom, it might make him feel very bad.”
“Oh, I don’t put Uncle Tom down as a slacker,” returned Mary quickly.“I think he is making a great sacrifice, by staying behind to keep the business together, and to serve on that Loan Committee and the Red Cross Committee.”
The young folks talked it over for some time, and decided to wait until they got further word from home. Then the two girls went back into the school to tell Miss Garwood and their chums the news, while the boys hurried to Colby Hall, arriving there during the morning recess.
“Say, but we’ve had some fun since you went away!” cried Andy gaily, when they appeared. “Pud Hicks, the janitor’s assistant, got the surprise of his life.”
“How is that?” questioned Fred.
“Why, Pud was using a vacuum cleaner in the upper hall when he saw something in a dark corner that he couldn’t quite make out. The thing got stuck in the cleaner, and he put down his hand to see what it was. The next minute he let out a yell like a wild Indian and came flying down the corridor, scared stiff.”
“What was it—the snapping turtle?” asked Jack.
“You’ve struck it. The turtle must have crawled into the corner, and when he felt Pud’s hand on him he took a good solid hold on Pud’s little finger.
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