During their cadet days at Putnam Hall the three Rovers had become acquainted with a number of charming girls, including Dora Stanhope and her cousins, Nellie and Grace Laning. When Dick went into business he made Dora Stanhope his life partner, and a short while after this Tom married Nellie Laning and Sam married Grace. The three brothers purchased a fine plot of ground on Riverside Drive overlooking the Hudson River, and there they built three connecting houses, Dick and his wife living in the middle house, with Tom on one side and Sam on the other.
About a year after their marriage Dick and his wife became the proud parents of a little son, who was named John after Mr. Laning. This son was followed by a daughter, named Martha, after her Great-aunt Martha, of Valley Brook Farm. Little Jack, as he was commonly called, was a manly lad with many of the qualities which made his father so successful in life.
It was about this time that Tom and Nellie Rover sprang a great surprise on all the others. This surprise was in the shape of a pair of very lively boy twins, one christened Anderson, after his grandfather, and the other Randolph, after his Great-uncle Randolph of Valley Brook Farm. Andy and Randy, as the twins were always called, were decidedly active lads, taking after their father, “who was never still a minute,” to quote Grandpa Rover.
Shortly after the twins were born, Sam and Grace Rover came along with a beautiful girl, named Mary, after Mrs. Laning. Then, a year later, the girl was followed by a sturdy boy, who was called Fred, in honor of Sam Rover’s old and well known school chum, Fred Garrison.
Residing so close together, the younger generation of Rovers were brought up very much like one big family. They usually spent their winters in New York City, and during the summers often went out to Valley Brook Farm, where their grandfather, Anderson Rover, still resided with Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha.
When the boys and girls grew old enough they were at first sent to private schools in the Metropolis. But soon the lads, led by Andy and Randy, showed a propensity for “cutting loose” that their parents were compelled to hold a consultation.
“We’ll have to send them to some strict boarding school—some military academy,” said Dick Rover; and so it was decided.
Lawrence Colby, their old Putnam Hall chum, had since that time become a colonel in the state militia and had then opened a military academy called Colby Hall. To this institution, Jack, Fred and the twins were sent, as related in detail in the first volume of my second series, entitled “The Rover Boys at Colby Hall.”
This military school was located about half a mile from the town of Haven Point on Clearwater Lake, a beautiful sheet of water about two miles long. The school consisted of a large stone building facing the lake. It was a three-storied structure and contained the classrooms and the mess hall, and also dormitories and private rooms for the students. Besides the main building, there was a smaller structure occupied by Colonel Colby and his family and some of the professors, and also an up-to-date gymnasium and boathouses and bathing pavilions.
On arriving at the academy the younger Rovers found several of their friends awaiting them, one of these being Dick Powell, the son of Songbird Powell, a former schoolmate of their fathers. Dick was always called Spouter because of a fondness for long speeches. Another cadet was Gif Garrison, a son of Fred Garrison, after whom Fred Rover had been named. There was also Walter Baxter, a son of Dan Baxter, who, years previous, had been an enemy of the older Rovers, but who had since reformed and who was doing well.
As mentioned, Colby Hall was situated about half a mile from Haven Point. On the opposite side of the town was located Clearwater Hall, a boarding school for girls. During a panic in a moving picture theatre Jack and his cousins became acquainted with a number of these school girls, including Ruth Stevenson, May Powell, Alice Strobell and Annie Larkins. They soon found out that May was Spouter Powell’s cousin, and the whole crowd of young people became friends. Later on Mary and Martha Rover became pupils at Clearwater Hall.
Ruth Stevenson had an old Uncle Barney, who in times past had had a bitter quarrel with Ruth’s parents. The Rover boys, while out hunting one day, had occasion to save the old man’s life. For this the old fellow was exceedingly grateful, and as a result he invited them to spend their winter holidays with him, which they did, as related in “The Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island.”
On this island the lads met two of their former enemies, Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown, as well as Asa Lemm, a discharged teacher of Colby Hall. The boys exposed a plot against old Uncle Barney, and in the end caused the old fellow’s enemies to leave in disgust.
“I guess we haven’t seen the last of Nappy and Slugger,” said Jack when he and his cousins had left Snowshoe Island.
And he was right. Nappy and Slugger turned up once more, as related in the volume previous to this, entitled “The Rover Boys Under Canvas.” In that volume I told how the cadets went into their annual encampment, this being after a spirited election for officers in which Jack Rover had been elected captain of Company C and Fred had been elected first lieutenant of the same command.
Among the cadets who wished to become a captain was one named Gabe Werner, a great chum at that time of Bill Glutts. Having failed of election, Werner did all he could to make things uncomfortable for the Rovers, and in his actions he was seconded by Glutts. But in the end Werner and Glutts were discovered in some of their nefarious doings, and, becoming alarmed, Gabe Werner left the school camp early in the morning and did not return. Glutts was brought before Captain Dale, the teacher in charge of the camp, and received a stern lecture and was deprived of many liberties he might otherwise have enjoyed. He laid his troubles at the door of the Rovers and vowed that sooner or later he would pay them back for the way he had been treated.
While the Rover boys were at Colby Hall the great war in Europe had opened and our country was now overrun with German spies and sympathizers. During their time at the encampment the boys made several surprising discoveries, and in the end helped the Secret Service officers to capture a hidden German submarine. They also rounded up the fathers of Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown. Mr. Brown and Mr. Martell were sent to prison, while Slugger and Nappy were marched off to a detention camp in the South, and that, for the time being, was the last the Rovers heard of them.
“Well, one thing is certain—we’re well rid of Slugger and Nappy and their fathers,” remarked Jack, as this news was brought to them.
“Yes, and I guess we’re rid of Gabe Werner too,” said Fred. “He seems to have dropped out completely.” But in his remark concerning Werner the young lieutenant was mistaken. Gabe Werner was destined to turn up in their path unexpectedly and cause them not a little trouble.
When the call for volunteers came, Dick Rover and Sam had lost no time in enlisting. At first Tom Rover had been unable to get away. But now the business in New York City had been left in reliable hands, and all three fathers of the boys were in the trenches in Europe doing their bit for Uncle Sam. They had been in several small engagements, and so far had come through unwounded.
“But there is no telling if they will come through every time,” was the way Fred expressed himself anxiously.
“Right you are,” answered Jack. “Do you know, I dread to look at the lists of the killed and wounded in the newspapers for fear I’ll see one of their names.”
“Oh, if only this awful war was over!” put in Randy.
CHAPTER III
NEWS OF IMPORTANCE
“Battalion attention! Shoulder arms! Forward march!”
Boom! Boom! Boom, boom, boom! The drums beat, and away marched the three companies forming the Colby Hall battalion. They marched around the school building, as was the custom, and then marched into the place, put away their rifles, and entered the mess hall.
The roll call and brief drill and march took place less than half an hour after the encounter on the hill following the finish of the bobsled race. Captain
Jack and Lieutenant Fred had lost no time in hurrying back to the school, and their chums had gone with them. Bill Glutts and his cronies had gone ahead, as already stated. And they did not show themselves until the call came to appear on the parade ground.
As captain and lieutenant, Jack and Fred were in rather a delicate position when it came to quarreling with the other cadets. In the past Colonel Colby had laid down the rule that there should be no fighting at the Hall, and this rule was particularly enforced when it came to officers. Now that the master of the military academy had joined the army and gone with the older Rovers to Europe, Captain Dale, who was in general command, was enforcing this rule with more strictness than ever before.
The afternoon spent coasting had given the Rovers and their chums good appetites, and they fell to with gusto over the ample supper provided for them. Unlike many boarding schools, the table at Colby Hall was always a bountiful one, and it is needless to say that the growing cadets always did full justice to everything that was set before them.
“What are you going to do about Bill Glutts, Jack?” questioned Fred, after the meal was over and the two were on their way to get several reference books from the school library.
“I don’t know yet,” was the young captain’s answer. “He ought to have a thrashing, but you know how matters stand.”
“Of course. And Jack, we can’t think of that with the end of the term so near. You don’t want to spoil your record, and neither do I.”
“It’s a confounded shame that Glutts didn’t leave when Gabe Werner went,” continued the oldest Rover boy. “They were two of a kind.”
“Did you hear what Andy said—that he thought Glutts had a lot of German blood in him?”
“That might be. His face looks it, and the name sounds a little that way too.”
“Andy and Randy both want to pitch into him,” continued the young lieutenant.
“You warn them not to do it—at least, not until this term comes to an end,” warned Jack. “They have been cutting up so much since last September that their averages are none too high as it is. They’d be mighty sorry if Captain Dale sent home a bad report about them. It would just about break Aunt Nellie’s heart, I’m sure.”
Having procured the reference books, the two made their way upstairs to the rooms occupied by them. The Rovers had a suite of four rooms, one of which was used as a sitting room and for studying. As they walked through the upper hallway they passed Nick Carncross and Bill Glutts. Glutts looked sourly at them but did not say a word, and they refused to notice the pair.
“I guess you’ve got their goat, Bill,” remarked Carncross, as they passed on. “That race really belonged to you, and they know it.”
“Of course it belonged to me,” returned Glutts. “If they hadn’t got in my way I’d have won with ease. There isn’t a bobsled anywhere around that can beat the Yellow Streak.”
“I’m glad you shoved him over in the snow, even if he is a captain,” continued Carncross. “He’s got too big an opinion of himself.”
“He only got to be captain by a fluke, Nick. Gabe Werner should have had that office,” continued Glutts.
“Is that why Werner left?” questioned Carncross curiously.
“Oh, no. He left because he got sick of the discipline around here. He said there was no chance for any fun,” answered Glutts.
“Where is he now? Did his folks approve of his leaving school?”
“Oh, I guess they didn’t care one way or the other. Old man Werner is pretty rich, and he didn’t get his money by being educated either. So I guess he doesn’t care much for education.”
“Does he let Gabe have much spending money?”
“Quite a little—but, of course, not as much as Gabe would like to have. You know Gabe is a good deal of a sport.” Bill Glutts’ face lit up with satisfaction. “I expect we are going to have a bang-up time together during the holidays.”
“Then you expect to see him?”
“Yes; we’re planning a trip together.”
“Gee! I’ll envy you,” returned Carncross.
Andy and Randy had not yet come upstairs. Neither could resist the temptation to have a little fun, and after supper they had gone outside and begun to snowball Shout Plunger, the school janitor, and Bob Nixon, the chauffeur.
“It’s all in fun, you know,” explained Andy, as he let fly a snowball at the old janitor, who was always called Shout because he was so deaf.
“Hi there! you stop that!” roared Shout. And then, when they continued to snowball him, he came after them with a wooden snow-shovel.
“Look out! Here comes the enemy!” cried Randy gayly, and let fly a snowball which struck the upraised snow-shovel and sent a shower of loose snow into the janitor’s face.
“You young rascals!” roared Plunger, and then lost his footing on some ice. In endeavoring to keep his balance he sent the snow-shovel whirling through the air. It landed at Andy’s feet, catching that fun-loving youth in the shins and sending him flat on his face.
“Hurrah! One down!” came from Bob Nixon good-naturedly, and then the chauffeur picked up a large chunk of snow and threw it high in the air, to land directly on Randy’s shoulder.
“Great pyramids of Egypt!” gasped Randy. “Is that a snowslide?” For some of the snow had filled his ear and gone down his neck.
“Oh, we didn’t begin this, you know,” cried the chauffeur gleefully. “Come on, Shout; let’s show ‘em what the older generation can do.” And then he picked up another chunk of snow and hurled it at Andy, nearly burying that youth while he was endeavoring to regain his feet.
“Hi! Hi you!” spluttered Andy. “We went in for snowballing. We didn’t go in for avalanches.”
“When you start something, always be sure you can finish it,” admonished Bob Nixon. And then he picked up a third chunk of snow; but before he could make use of it the Rover twins had dived out of sight around a corner of the school building.
“I guess that’s the time we got the worst of it,” remarked Andy ruefully.
“And maybe we deserved it,” was Randy’s ready response. “Come on and snowball some of the other cadets.”
A number were willing, and an impromptu snowballing battle took place which lasted the best part of a quarter of an hour. Then one of the teachers came out and ordered the youths upstairs, for this was the study hour.
On Sundays such of the cadets as desired to do so were permitted to attend one or another of the churches in Haven Point. All of the Rovers went to church, and there met, not only Mary and Martha, but also Ruth Stevenson, May Powell, and some of the other girls.
“Well, Jack, I suppose this snowy weather puts you in mind of the time you went to my Uncle Barney’s place on Snowshoe Island,” remarked Ruth Stevenson, with a bright smile at the young captain, who, of course, was dressed in his best uniform.
“That’s what it does, Ruth,” he answered. “And, my, what a good time we did have! How is your uncle getting along?”
“Very well indeed. He is a changed man since he stopped quarreling with my folks and since it has been proved that Snowshoe Island is really and truly his property.”
“I’m glad we were able to help the old man.”
“Have you decided on what you intend to do during the coming holidays?” continued the girl from Clearwater Hall.
“Not exactly, Ruth. More than likely we’ll go home with the girls and spend some time with our mothers. They probably feel pretty lonely now that our dads have gone to Europe.”
“Yes, I can imagine how that must be.”
“You girls ought to come down with Mary and Martha.”
“We’re talking of doing that,” put in May Powell. “You see, we wanted them to come up to my house first, and then Ruth wanted them. But as their mothers are now all alone in New York they thought it best that we should spend the ti
me down there. We could have something of a house party, and that would help cheer the older folks up.”
“A good idea!” came from Fred. “Do it by all means!”
“Yes, you girls can have a fine time in New York during the winter holidays,” added Randy.
“I suppose you boys will want to go off hunting,” said May, pouting a little. “I wish I was a boy and could do that!”
“Gee! I wish we could go off hunting, like we did that time at Snowshoe Island,” cried Randy wistfully. “Such an outing would suit me right down to the ground.”
“Gif Garrison said something a few days ago about going off on a hunt,” remarked Fred. “He says his father some years ago bought a place known as Cedar Lodge. He didn’t tell me very much about it. In fact, he acted quite mysteriously.”
“I suppose he didn’t want to hurt your feelings, Fred,” returned Jack. “More than likely he knew you would feel bad to have him going off for a good time up in the woods and have you and the rest of us staying at home.”
Two days passed, and the young cadets were so busy getting ready for the examinations previous to the midwinter holidays that they had no time to pay attention to anything else. They heard that Bill Glutts was openly boasting that the Yellow Streak could beat any bobsled in that vicinity and that the Blue Moon had won the contest by a foul. But to this just then they paid no attention.
“I’ll get at Bill later—just wait!” was the way Jack expressed himself, and the others knew that the young captain would keep his word.
On Wednesday the boys received letters from home stating that word had come in that their fathers were still in the trenches in France. No serious fighting had so far taken place in their sector, and none of them had been wounded and all were in the best of health.
“That’s the best news yet,” said Fred, with satisfaction, and the others agreed with him.
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