“Yes, but Dad! you must remember how Mr. Brown tried to treat old Barney Stevenson,” broke in Randy.
“Yes, I remember that,” answered his father. “And I have heard that Brown is no more reliable than is Martell. But to know a fact is one thing, to prove it in a court of law is another.”
“And those two strangers were certainly Germans,” said Andy.
“I’ll look into this a little further as soon as I get time,” said Tom Rover, after a moment of thought. “And perhaps I’ll speak to one of the Secret Service men about it. It certainly will do no harm to have these men watched for a few days.”
A little later Tom Rover was through with his labors at his office, and then he and the boys returned to the homes on Riverside Drive. The father of the twins had to go out in the evening, and the boys spent the time at home with their mothers and the girls.
“We can’t go straight through to Haven Point this morning,” announced Jack, on the following day, when they had arrived at the railroad terminal. “They are shipping some soldiers and some naval supplies, and the road is somewhat balled up. The gateman told me we should have to make two changes.”
All of the mothers had come down to see the young folks off. Jack and Fred, as well as their sisters, felt particularly sorry for their parents, now left entirely alone so far as their own families were concerned.
“But never mind, Ma,” said Martha. “The term at Clearwater Hall will soon be at an end, and then we’ll be home again.”
“And don’t forget that we are to pay a visit to Camp Huxwell if the authorities will permit it and dad is still there,” added Mary to her parent.
“Sure! we’ll all go,” cried Fred.
Owing to war conditions, there was no parlor car on the train, but the boys and girls managed to get seats together, for which they were thankful. They made themselves as comfortable as possible, and then settled down to read their newspapers and magazines, or gaze out of the window at the scenes which were flashing by.
There was no dining car on this train, but from the conductor the young folks learned that they would have to change at a place called Raymonton, and they would there have half an hour in which to get lunch.
“I can get all I want in less time than that, provided it’s to be had,” said Fred. “We can go to the lunch room just as soon as the train gets in.”
Raymonton was nothing but an overgrown village containing but a handful of stores, a church, a garage, and a canning factory, with the houses occupying half a dozen straggly-looking streets. There was only a small and not an altogether inviting-looking lunch room, and here the bill-of-fare was decidedly meagre.
A tall, angular Irish girl waited on them. She was pleasant enough, and smiled broadly at the twins’ jokes. She served them with sandwiches, cake, pie, and hot chocolate, and they also purchased from her a bag of grapes and pears.
“I told you we’d have plenty of time,” remarked Fred, looking at a clock on the wall. “We have still ten minutes to spare.”
“I think I’ll get a shoe-shine,” said Jack. “I saw a bootblack outside roaming around doing nothing. If I give him work it may keep him out of mischief.”
At the end of the railroad platform was a stand devoted to the sale of newspapers and periodicals, chewing gum and candy. There was also a rack with postcards, and the girls busied themselves at this, picking out such cards as they desired. Not far from where the stand was located stood a long auto-stage, marked “Raymonton to Clappville. Fare 10 Cents.” On the seat of the stage sat an elderly driver, smoking, and the bus contained one or two men and several women and children, evidently waiting for the stage to start on its journey.
Jack had just finished having his shoes polished when he and the other boys noticed a man at the newsstand talking to the proprietor. Both men appeared to be out of sorts.
“Sorry, Sir, but you can’t have that magazine!” they heard the stand keeper exclaim.
“I’d like to know why not!” demanded the would-be customer. “I am ready to pay for it.”
“That’s all right—but you can’t have it! I get only two copies of that magazine, and one is for the hotel and the other for Doctor Johnson’s daughter. They both take it regular.”
“Humph! I guess you don’t want any customers,” growled the other man savagely. “Well, if you don’t want to sell me any of your old magazines you can keep them! I guess I can get all the magazines I want elsewhere.” And the man stalked off in haughty anger.
The boys had watched this scene and listened to the talk with much interest. They had recognized in the would-be customer Asa Lemm, the professor who previous to his discharge from that institution had made life so miserable for them at Colby Hall.
“I’m glad the fellow didn’t let him have the magazine,” said Fred.
“Gee, I wish we could put one over on old Lemm!” whispered Andy.
“I wonder what he is doing in this town?” queried Randy.
“I think I can answer that,” replied Jack. “I once heard that he had some relative—a brother I think—living at Clappville. Maybe he came from there, or is going over to that town in the stage.”
Without allowing themselves to be noticed, Andy and Randy kept their eyes on Asa Lemm and saw him hurry over to one of the stores on the main street of the town, where a number of magazines were displayed in the window. He came out of the place, however, empty-handed, and looking more sour than ever. In the meantime Jack sauntered up to the keeper of the stand at the railroad station.
“Not a very pleasant sort of a fellow, that,” he remarked.
“Say, that fellow makes me tired!” growled the newsstand man. “I have a run-in with him nearly every time he comes here. The last time it was over a plugged ten-cent piece he tried to pass on me. When I handed it back to him and told him I wanted a good one, he was as peppery as sin.”
A minute or two later the driver of the auto-stage tooted his horn to show that he was about ready to start on the trip. At once several men and women came running from various directions and began to enter the stage. The last man to arrive was Asa Lemm. He had picked up a valise and a bundle from somewhere, and he had to stand in the rear, waiting for those ahead to enter the stage.
“I suppose there won’t be any seat for me by the time I get aboard,”he grumbled to the driver.
“Ain’t my fault,” answered the stage driver calmly. “If you don’t want to stand, you can wait until the next trip.”
“I haven’t time to wait. I’ll crowd in somehow,” grumbled Asa Lemm.
While this was going on, Andy and Randy had come up close behind the professor. Both were wondering if they could not play some sort of trick on him before he departed.
The newsstand was similar to many of that kind, and on two sides of it were long rows of periodicals, fastened by clips to a wire held in place by small hooks. Watching his chance, Andy unfastened the end of one of these wires, and motioned to his twin to unhook the other end.
“Now I guess we’ll fix Mr. Asa Lemm!” muttered Andy, and with a quick move he came up behind the former teacher of Colby Hall and twisted one end of the wire around a back button of Asa Lemm’s cutaway coat.
By this time all of the others had gotten into the stage, and, being somewhat in a hurry, the driver made a move as if to start away.
“Hi there! Wait till I get in!” shouted Asa Lemm and threw his bags and his bundle into the stage. Then he got on to the stage step and the driver started off.
“Hello, look at that!”
“Say, what is that fellow dragging behind him?”
“Hi, Mr. Gasaway! That fellow is running away with your magazines!”
“Talk about the tail of a kite—this beats any kite tail I ever saw!”
Such were some of the cries that rent the air as the stage started away from the depot. On the step, clutchi
ng the handrails, was Asa Lemm, and streaming out behind him was the wire, loaded with magazines and picture papers.
“Hi you! Come back here!” roared the stand keeper in bewilderment.“What do you mean by running off with my stuff? Come back, I say!”and, throwing up a flap of the counter, he ran out of his stand and after the auto-stage.
Asa Lemm did not know what to make of the hullaballoo. People were rushing toward the stage from all directions, and many were pointing their fingers at him. He felt a tug in the rear, but could not put his hand back to the button on which the wire was fastened for fear of falling from the stage step.
“Stop that stage! Stop that stage, I tell you!” bawled the newsstand keeper. “He’s running off with my magazines!”
And then the crowd set up a roar of laughter.
“I ain’t got no time to waste. I’m behind time already!” yelled back the auto-stage driver. “What do you want, anyway?”
“Oh, my! did you ever?” screamed Martha, dropping several of the postcards she had purchased.
“Just look at all those magazines dangling after that man!” screamed Mary. And then, as she caught sight of Andy and Randy, both doubled up with laughter, she continued: “I’m sure those twins must have done it!”
Jack and Fred had also come up, and both were on a broad grin. In the meanwhile the stage moved on with Asa Lemm still dragging the wire and the periodicals attached to it behind him.
“Hurrah! he believes in loading up on information!” cried Andy gaily.
“He’s what you can call a real live wire!” added his twin.
“Come back with those magazines, I tell you!” bawled the stand keeper, shaking his fist at Asa Lemm. “Come back, I say!” And then he set off on a run after the stage.
He could not catch up to the vehicle, but he did catch up to the end of the wire, and as he stepped on this there was a tearing sound from beyond, and away came the button from Asa Lemm’s coat, bringing with it a strip of cloth.
“Hurrah, he’s got his magazines back!” exclaimed Randy.
“And a souvenir of Asa Lemm’s coat to remember him by!” added his brother.
Just as Andy said this a train came rolling into the station.
“I hope that is our train,” cried Fred.
The boys ran around to the other side of the station and found out from the conductor that the train which had come in was that for which they had been waiting. They at once called to the girls; and all lost no time in hurrying on board.
“Wait! I want to see the end of this!” cried Andy, and threw up a window. He stuck out his head, and as the train rolled away from Raymonton he was just in time to see Asa Lemm pulled from the step of the auto-stage by the irate man from the newsstand. Then the former Hall professor was tripped up and sent flat on his back in the dust of the road.
CHAPTER XIV
BACK TO COLBY HALL
“Well, that is where we got back at Asa Lemm!” cried Randy, after all of the Rovers had gazed out of the car windows as long as the scene near the auto-stage remained in view.
“I’ll wager that stand keeper is mad,” said Jack.
“And what a beautiful coat old Lemm has, with the tail torn to ribbons!” Fred added.
“Oh, I think you boys are simply dreadful!” cried Mary, but she smiled as she spoke.
“Don’t you think you were rather hard on the professor?” questioned Martha dubiously.
“No, I don’t!” answered Andy promptly. “He treated us as mean as dirt while he was at Colby Hall. He was more than stern—he was thoroughly unreasonable! That’s why Colonel Colby discharged him.”
“And please to remember how he backed up Slugger Brown’s father on Snowshoe Island,” added Randy. “He was perfectly willing to swindle old Barney Stevenson out of his property. He deserves no sympathy.”
The remainder of the journey to Haven Point passed without special incident. The boys and the girls had sent word ahead that they were coming, and when they reached the town they found Bob Nixon there with one of the Colby Hall turnouts, and also a driver with a stage from the girls’ school.
“Well, here is where we part and get back to the grind,” said Fred, after he and Jack had placed their sisters’ baggage in the proper car.
“Good luck to both of you girls!” cried Jack.
The girls were soon started off in one direction, and then the boys started off in the other. The latter were still some distance from Colby Hall when they saw Spouter Powell and Gif Garrison approaching on foot.
“Glad to see you back!” cried Spouter, as he climbed into the machine.
“We’ve got great news,” announced Gif, his eyes beaming.
“Our fathers have volunteered for the war!” broke out Spouter.
“Really?” came from the Rover boys.
All were much interested, although Andy and Randy looked a trifle disturbed. The fact that their own father would have to remain behind while all of the others were going to the front was continually in the minds of the twins. They felt much disappointed.
“When did you get the news?” questioned Jack.
“It came in by the first mail this morning,” returned Spouter. “I got a letter, and so did Gif. My father and Mr. Garrison are both going to do their best to join the crowd from Putnam Hall and Brill College.”
Of course the Rovers wanted to know more particulars, and they were given so far as Spouter and Gif knew them.
“And we’ve got more news, too,” announced Gif. “They’ve finally settled on the place where we are to have our annual encampment.”
“And where will that be?” asked Randy eagerly.
“We’re to go to Barlight Bay on the Atlantic coast. It’s quite a distance from here.”
“Barlight Bay!” exclaimed Jack. And then he looked inquiringly at Fred. “Isn’t that in the vicinity of Camp Huxwell?”
“Sure it is!” answered Fred. “They are almost side by side.”
“I asked about that,” said Spouter; “and Captain Dale told me that our camp and the government camp will be not very far apart. There is a thick belt of timber and some rocky land between.”
“Why then, we’ll be close to our fathers!” cried Fred joyfully. “This suits me right down to the ground!” and his face showed his delight.
“Gee, I wish we were going under canvas to-morrow!” sighed Jack.
The next day found the Rovers deep in their studies. The examinations previous to the annual encampment were now close at hand, and all were anxious to make a good showing.
“Because, you see, it’s this way,” said Jack to his cousins, and especially to the fun-loving twins. “We didn’t come here merely to cut up and have a good time. Our folks sent us to Colby Hall so that we would settle down and get good educations. If we don’t make a good showing, you know how disappointed every one of them will be.”
“Oh, I’m going to study like an Indian,” answered Andy quickly. “I’m going to cut out every bit of horseplay until after the examinations are over.”
“And so am I,” added Randy.
And, strange as it may seem, the twins kept their word, and as a result, when the examinations were held for the term, both came through with markings which were exceedingly gratifying.
Jack and Fred likewise did very well, for which they were thankful. They telephoned the results to their sisters, and got back word from Clearwater Hall that Martha and Mary were also coming through finely.
“And what about Ruth and May?” questioned Jack, who was on the ’phone, with Fred beside him.
“Ruth is at the head of the class,” announced Martha, over the telephone. “May will stand third or fourth.”
“Then give them both our congratulations,” said Jack.
“And also our best regards,” added Fred, crowding his cousin to one side.
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“Hold the wire a minute and you can talk to them yourselves,” said Martha. And a minute later Jack was talking to Ruth and later still Fred managed to get in a few words with May.
Following the examinations, Colonel Colby called the entire school together, and then announced that he was going to take his departure for Camp Huxwell and would leave the scholars in charge of Captain Dale and Professors Grawson and Brice.
“I am sorry to leave you,” announced the colonel, “but I have accepted the call of our country and shall go to the training camp without further delay. But you all know Captain Dale very well, and I feel sure that you will be glad to learn that he will have charge during the annual encampment. He will be assisted by the professors and some others, and all arrangements have been perfected for making this outing a great success.
“With talk of war filling the air, we shall try to show what Colby Hall can do in the way of first-class military training. Captain Dale will see to it that you are given an opportunity to show what you can do at target and bayonet practice, and in marching and other camp activities. There will, of course, be the usual athletic contests, and as you are going down to the coast, you will likewise have an opportunity to make use of the water.”
Here the colonel paused, and there was a faint handclapping, quickly followed by a generous round of applause.
“Evidently you all like the idea of going in camp near the water,”said Colonel Colby, smiling.
“It’s dandy!” called out Andy, and at this there was a general laugh.
“Before you depart for Camp Barlight, as the place will be called, Captain Dale will hold the annual election of officers. As the old cadets here know, no cadet who has not been at this school for at least six months can hold any office in the battalion. Apart from that rule, the cadets can make up their tickets to suit themselves. You will first vote for a major, then for three captains, one each for Companies A, B, and C, and then for two lieutenants for each company. The other officers, including the quartermaster, will be selected by Captain Dale and the professors.
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 374