"Then I'll take all I can use, Mr. Lane," answered the captain, and a
little later a bargain was struck, not alone for the hay and potatoes,
but also for some turnips, cabbages, and table celery.

"What that horse needs is exercise," said John Lane, on departing. "Give
him a few miles every day and he'll be as mild as any of 'em. He's too
full-blooded to remain standing in the stable."

"I'll see to it that he gets the exercise," answered Captain Putnam.

On the day that the horse was returned Jack, Pepper and Fred walked down
to the boathouse, to look over the boats. As my old readers know, Jack
owned a sloop called the _Alice_, while Fred possessed a similar craft
named the _Ajax_. Besides these sloops, there were numerous boats
belonging to the Hall.

"Well, our sloops look natural," said the young major.

"I was wishing this summer I could go out in the _Ajax_," answered Fred.
"What do you say if we take a little sail now?"

"In which boat, Fred?" asked Pepper. "We can't go out in both."

"Make it the _Alice_!" cried Jack.

"No, the _Ajax_!" came from Fred.

"I'll toss up for it," went on Pepper and produced a cent. "Head you
win, tail you lose." And up into the air spun the coin.

"Head!" cried Fred.

"Head it is, and we go out in the _Ajax_."

"All right, but you'll have to go out in the _Alice_ next time," cried
the young major.

"By the way, did you hear about Tom Rollinson?" asked Pepper, as he
walked into the boathouse to inspect his locker there.

"What of him?" asked Fred.

"The family were burnt out this summer and lost everything."

"Lost everything?" queried Jack. "That's tough luck. I shouldn't want to
lose all I had."

"Well, it will happen sometimes," said Fred.

"Well, some lose by fire and some lose in other ways," went on the young
major. "You have heard about Ritter. His father----"

"You shut your mouth about my father!" roared a voice from behind a
dressing-room door. "My father is just as honest as anybody, and I won't
have you or anybody else running him down!" And then Reff Ritter
appeared, minus his coat, vest and collar, and his face distorted with
rage.

"I didn't say your father was dishonest, Reff," returned Jack, as calmly
as he could. "I was simply going to state----"

"Oh, you needn't try to smooth it over, Jack Ruddy," fumed the bully.
"Don't imagine that I don't know all about the mean stories you and
others are circulating about my family. You'd like to make out that my
father is the worst swindler that ever lived, and I won't stand for it."

"Reff, that isn't true," interrupted Pepper. "Jack hasn't said a word
against your father."

"Oh, you can't bluff me, Pep Ditmore. I know better."

"What Pepper says is true--I haven't said a word, Reff, truly I haven't.
I heard that you had lost some of your money, and I said I was sorry to
hear it--and I am sorry. I know how I'd feel if my father lost money.
You----"

"Don't smooth it over, I tell you!" roared the bully. "I know you! You
and your cronies have been down on me ever since I came to this school,
and now you think you can crow over me, and maybe get me to leave Putnam
Hall. But I am not going to leave, and if you dare to open your mouth
against me I'll punch your head."

"You'll not punch my head, Reff!" answered Jack, and now his tones grew
stern. "If you don't want to believe me, you needn't. But I'll not let
you threaten me."

"Humph! You can't boss me, even if you are major of the battalion."

"I don't want to 'boss' anybody. You behave yourself and leave me alone,
and I'll leave you alone."

The loud talking had attracted the attention of a number of cadets, and
they commenced to crowd around Jack and Ritter. Among the number were
Gus Coulter and Nick Paxton.

"Why don't you fight him, Reff?" suggested Coulter.

"That's the talk," added Paxton. "Show him that he can't talk about you
and your father as he pleases."

"He won't fight; he is afraid," answered Reff Ritter, with a sneer in
his tones.

"I am not afraid, Ritter, and you know it," answered Jack, trying to
keep his temper. "But you know the rules, and I, as major of the cadets,
am bound to uphold them."

"Hit him one!" whispered Coulter, in his crony's ear. "I'll stand by
you."

"So will I," added Paxton.

"Well, if you won't fight, take that for your impudence!" cried Reff
Ritter, and with a quick step forward, he slapped Jack on the cheek.

The blow was but a light one, yet it seemed to sink deep into Jack's
very heart, and on the instant all thoughts of prudence and rules were
cast aside. His face went white and his eyes flashed fire. Reff Ritter
stepped back to guard himself, but before he could do so, Jack's arm
shot out and a heavy blow landed on the bully's chin, sending him
staggering into Coulter's arms.

"That's the way to do it, Jack!" came from Pepper.

"He started it, now give him what he deserves!" added Fred.

"That's for the slap in the face, Reff Ritter!" said Jack, in cold
tones. "Now mind and keep your distance."

"Wait--I'm not done yet!" yelled the bully, and doubling up his fists he
hurled himself on the young major.

Several body blows were struck and then the two clinched. As Ritter was
partly stripped for battle, while Jack had on his stiff uniform, the
bully had a little the better of it from the beginning. Around and
around the gymnasium floor they struggled.

"Break away!" cried several cadets. "Break away!"

"I'll break if he will," answered Jack.

"All right," answered Ritter, and the hold of each youth was loosened.
But as they broke the bully tried to land his fist on Jack's ear.

"Hi, that isn't fair, Ritter!" cried Fred.

"You keep out of this, Century!" was Coulter's warning.

"I'll not keep out, Coulter. Make Ritter fight fair."

Again the two cadets faced each other. Now Ritter was on his guard, and
cleverly ducked a blow aimed at his face. Then he hit Jack on the chest
and in the shoulder.

"That's the talk," came gleefully from Paxton. "Pummel him well while
you are at it."

Again Jack struck out, and this time landed on the bully's arm. But then
Ritter swung a heavy left-hander that took the young major in the ear
and sent him staggering against Pepper.

"Follow him up! Follow him up!" screamed Coulter. "You've got him
going, Reff! Finish him!"

Thus encouraged, Ritter leaped in and another blow landed on Jack's ear.
He was a bit dazed, but shut his teeth hard and ducked under Ritter's
arm. Then both sparred for an opening, circling around the gymnasium
floor once more, the crowd of cadets around them growing larger and
larger.

"It's a great fight, all right!"

"Say, I hope none of the teachers come to cut it short."

"They are about evenly matched aren't they?"

"I don't know; we'll soon find out."

So the talk ran on, but to it neither Jack nor Ritter paid attention.
The bully was in a fierce rage, while Jack tried his best to keep cool.
Suddenly Ritter leaped forward and two quick blows were delivered.

Jack knocked one blow aside and dodged the second. Then he let drive,
right and left, as quick as lightning and with all his strength. One
blow took the bully in the nose and the second in the mouth. Over he
went against one of the wooden horses. Then his eyes suddenly closed,
and in a limp mass he slid to the floor.




CHAPTER VI

CAPTAIN PUTNAM INVESTIGATES


"Reff Ritter has been knocked out!"

"My, what blows they were!"

"Well, he brought it on himself," said Pepper.

"That's what," added Fred. "He struck Jack after Jack told him he didn't
believe in fighting."

"He couldn't save himself because he was too close to the wooden horse,"
came from Coulter, who felt bound to stick up for his crony. "It wasn't
fair to run him up against the horse."

"Coulter, a poor excuse is worse than none," answered Dale.

"Ritter was knocked out fair and square," came from Bart Connors.

While the talking was going on, Paxton had rushed off for water. Now he
returned with a pailful and a sponge, and commenced to bathe the fallen
one's face. Ritter soon opened his eyes and gave a groan.

"Le--let me al--alone," he muttered.

"Get up, Reff," said Paxton. "Go for him again."

"I--I can't," mumbled the bully, and now it was seen that two of his
front teeth were loose. He stared around in a helpless fashion. Paxton
put some more water on his face.

"Has he had enough?" demanded Jack, stepping up.

"You go away," answered Coulter, surlily.

"You wouldn't hit him when he's down, would you?" snapped Paxton.

"I asked you if he had enough. If he has, I'm going for a sail."

"I'll--I'll finish this some other time," mumbled Ritter, as he glared
at the young major.

"No, Ritter, you'll finish it now if you finish it at all," answered
Jack, coldly. "You started this fight, and now you must take the
consequences. Get up, if you want to go at it again."

"I don't want to fight--now."

"Then you acknowledge yourself beaten?"

"No, I don't."

"Then get up. I don't want to wait here all afternoon for you."

"He has all he wants," said Pepper. "He won't get up."

"It's your fight, Ruddy," cried Joe Nelson.

"So it is," put in half a dozen cadets.

"Ritter is beaten and he knows it," added Harry Blossom, the first
lieutenant of Company A.

"I--er--I won't fight any more now," mumbled the bully. He got up slowly
and then, staggering to a bench, sank down heavily upon it. Evidently
his punishment at Jack's hands had been heavy.

"Boys! Boys! what is the meaning of this?"

It was a loud and harsh voice from the doorway of the gymnasium that
startled all of the assembled cadets. The next instant Josiah Crabtree,
the head teacher, strode in.

"Skip, Jack, here is old Crabtree!"

"Run for it, Reff!"

"I demand to know what is going on here?" went on Josiah Crabtree, in
his high-pitched voice. "Who is fighting?"

There was no reply. The assembled cadets looked at each other. No one
felt like saying a word.

"Ritter, have you been fighting?" went on the head teacher, noticing the
bully's condition.

"I was--er--that is, Ruddy attacked me, and I--er--I defended myself,"
stammered the defeated one.

"Ruddy? Do you mean Major Ruddy?" questioned Josiah Crabtree, in
astonishment.

"Yes, sir."

"Mr. Crabtree, what Ritter says is untrue!" burst out Jack. "He hit me
first."

"But you have been fighting? You, the major of the school battalion!
Disgraceful!"

"Wouldn't you fight if somebody slapped you in the face?" demanded Jack,
hotly.

"You know the rules, Ruddy--and as major you ought to be the first to
obey them."

"I am willing to do that, sir. But I won't allow anybody to slap me in
the face."

"I didn't slap him," put in Ritter.

"Yes, you did," came from Pepper.

"It is true--I saw it," added Fred.

"So did I," added a cadet named Brown.

"If you were struck, Major Ruddy, it was your duty to report the
occurrence at the office," said Josiah Crabtree, loftily. "Such actions
as these will most likely cost you your command."

"Oh, what a shame!" burst out Pepper.

"Ditmore, I want no words from you!" roared the head teacher, savagely.

"But it wouldn't be fair to make Jack suffer for something like that,"
went on Pepper, bound to stick up for his chum.

"Ha! you dare to talk back to me, Ditmore! Go to your room at once, and
stay there until to-morrow morning."

"But, Mr. Crabtree----"

"Not another word. Go to your room. And you, Ruddy and Ritter, report to
me and to Captain Putnam at the private office at once."

There was no help for it, and with an angry look on his face, Pepper
left the gymnasium and walked over to the school building.

"I'll report as soon as I have washed up, Mr. Crabtree," said Ritter,
sullenly.

"So will I," added Jack.

"I'll give you both ten minutes, no more!" snapped the teacher, and then
he strode from the gymnasium as swiftly as he had entered it.

As soon as Josiah Crabtree had departed a lively discussion commenced
between the followers of the young major and of Reff Ritter. Only a few
had seen the start of the quarrel and knew that it had been provoked
entirely by the bully.

"I'm afraid I am in for it," said Jack, dismally, to Fred. "Ritter will
do his best to make out that it was all my fault."

"Well, I can testify that Ritter hit you first, and Pepper and Brown can
do so, too," answered Fred.

"Reff will get Coulter and Paxton to back him up."

"But they weren't on hand when the quarrel started."

"That is true--but they'll stick up for Reff, see if they don't."

"I sincerely trust that Captain Putnam doesn't take away your majorship,
Jack."

"If he does that, I'll--well, never mind what I'll do."

"If he did it to me, I'd feel like leaving."

"I was going to say that. But I'll not do anything hastily," answered
the young major, and heaved a deep sigh.

"Want me to go along?"

"No, since Crabtree didn't ask any one. But I wish you'd hang around, so
I can call on you."

"I'll go to the library."

"All right--and take Brown, if he'll go."

Jack washed up and brushed his uniform, and then made his way to Captain
Putnam's private office. He found that Reff Ritter had hurried and
gotten ahead of him, and was telling his story, both to the head of the
school and to the first assistant teacher. Ritter's mouth, nose and one
eye were swollen, and he looked anything but happy.

"You may remain in the hallway until I call you, Major Ruddy," said
Captain Putnam, when Jack appeared, and the young major had to go
outside, closing the door after him.

The telling of Reff Ritter's story took some time, and he was asked
several questions by Captain Putnam and Josiah Crabtree. He said that he
had just been getting ready to take some gymnastic exercise when Jack
and some of his chums had come in and begun to talk about his father,
saying that they had heard he was dishonest.

"Ruddy said he knew my father was dishonest," went on Reff Ritter. "That
made me mad and I ran out of the dressing-room and told him he ought to
be ashamed of himself, that my father was as honest as anybody. Then he
got on his high-horse and told me to shut up or he would knock me down.
I told him it was a shame for him to speak so of my father. Then he got
mad and all of a sudden he jumped at me and hit me in the mouth and the
eye and then in the nose. Then I went for him, and we had it hot and
heavy, until we bumped into one of the wooden horses and I went down. He
tried to hit me after I was down, but Coulter and Paxton hauled him
back. Then Mr. Crabtree came in."

"A most disgraceful proceeding!" cried Josiah Crabtree. "And evidently
Major Ruddy's fault entirely."

"You are quite sure Ruddy started the quarrel?" questioned Captain
Putnam, gravely.

"Yes, sir."

"And he told the other cadets that your father was dishonest?"

"Yes, sir. That is what made me so mad. But I didn't hit him until he
attacked me," added Ritter, hastily.

"Who was present at the time?"

"Pepper Ditmore and Fred Century were with Ruddy, and Gus Coulter and
Nick Paxton were With me."

"Anybody else?"

"I didn't see anybody."

"You got the worst of the fight."

"Yes, sir. You see, he took me unawares. I guess I could whip him if we
were to meet on equal terms," added Ritter.

"You may retire to the next room, Ritter, while I question Major Ruddy."

"Don't you believe me?" cried the bully, in alarm.

"One side of a story is only one side," answered Captain Putnam,
non-committally.

"I believe Ritter tells the truth," put in Josiah Crabtree. "When I
appeared Ruddy was very insolent and so was Ditmore. I sent Ditmore to
his room as a punishment."

"You may call Ruddy in," answered the head of the school, briefly. He
understood Josiah Crabtree's dictatorial manner perfectly, and he only
retained the man because of his unusual ability as a teacher.

Jack came in and was told to sit down in the chair Ritter had just
vacated. Then Captain Putnam asked him to tell his story, and he related
everything just as it had occurred.

"Are you quite sure that you have told the plain truth, Major Ruddy?"
asked Captain Putnam, after he had finished.

"Yes, sir," answered Jack, and looked the head of the school fairly and
squarely in the face.

"Your story does not agree with that told by Ritter."

"I believe Ritter," broke in Josiah Crabtree. "It was an outrage to drag
in the boy's father simply because he has made some--er--unfortunate
speculations. If I were you, Captain Putnam----"

"Wait a moment, Mr. Crabtree," interrupted the owner of the Hall. "I am
conducting this investigation. Now that we have heard the stories of the
principals we'll hear what the witnesses have to say."

"Fred Century was there, and he is in the library now," said Jack.
"Pepper Ditmore was there, too, but Mr. Crabtree sent him to his room."

"I will question Century and Ditmore, and also Coulter and Paxton,"
answered Captain Putnam. "You may retire to Classroom Three, Major
Ruddy, until called."

Jack bowed and withdrew and walked to the classroom named. It was empty
and he threw himself down on a seat and gave himself up to his
reflections.

Fred was next called, and he was followed by Pepper. Both told
practically the story related by Jack. In the meantime George Strong,
the second assistant teacher, was sent off to summon Coulter and Paxton.
He was gone the best part of a quarter of an hour, and when he came back
his face was a study.

"Captain Putnam, I have just made a discovery," he said. "I would like
to speak to you alone."

"Alone?" queried the head of the school, somewhat astonished.

"Yes, sir, alone."

"Very well, then, come into the next room," answered Captain Putnam.




CHAPTER VII

PEPPER MAKES A DISCOVERY


"You do not--er--wish me present?" came rather awkwardly from Josiah
Crabtree.

"Oh, that won't matter, Mr. Crabtree," answered George Strong. "I did
not desire any of the cadets present, that was all."

"I do not care to intrude----" commenced the dictatorial teacher.

"As you please," answered Mr. Strong, with a shrug of his shoulders.

At first Josiah Crabtree was inclined to stand on his dignity and walk
off, but his curiosity got the better of him and he followed Captain
Putnam and George Strong into another office.

"I went after Coulter and Paxton, as you directed me," said the second
assistant teacher, when they were alone, and the door had been closed.
"At first I could not find them, but at last I located Paxton and then
Coulter. Where do you suppose they were?"

"I have no idea," answered Captain Putnam.

"Paxton was under the window of the office, listening to all that was
going on. He was partly hidden behind a bush, so that nobody might see
him."

"Indeed! That is not to his credit. And Coulter?"

"Coulter was at another window, talking to Ritter. Ritter was giving him
some instructions, and as I came up unnoticed I heard Ritter say, 'Now,
don't make a mess of it. Tell the story just as I told it, and be sure
to stick to it that Ruddy hit me first, and tell Nick to stick to that,
too.' Those were his very words."

"Is it possible! And what did Coulter say?"

"He promised to tell the story as Ritter wanted it, and said he would
tell Paxton also to say that Ruddy struck the first blow."

"Then he virtually admitted that he struck the first blow himself."

"I should judge so, from his talk."

"Major Ruddy said he did."

"But Ruddy insulted him by talking of Mr. Ritter's losses----" began
Josiah Crabtree.

"We'll look into that, Mr. Crabtree. Is that all, Mr. Strong?"

"No, I waited until Coulter joined Paxton. The two walked out on the
campus, so I didn't catch what they said. I told them to follow me, and
they are now out in the hall."

"I will listen to what each of them has to say--and then I will examine
Century and Ditmore again."

Coulter was called into the main office and asked a great number of
questions. Captain Putnam was very stern, and soon had the cadet badly
twisted in his statements. Then Paxton was told to come in, and on being
questioned he became more confused even than Coulter. Then both were
confronted by George Strong, and at last they virtually admitted that
Ritter had struck the first blow, and that they knew nothing of the
quarrel previous to that time.

"You may go," said Captain Putnam, at length. "Your efforts to shield
Ritter do you no credit." And Coulter and Paxton slunk out of the office
silently and much worried over the thought of what punishment they might
receive for trying to deceive the master of the Hall.

After that Pepper and Fred were again interviewed and cross-questioned.
But they stuck to their original story, and as that was the story told
by Jack, Captain Putnam felt that it must be true.

"You may go," said the captain, presently.

"Have I got to go back to the dormitory?" queried Pepper.

"No, you may join the other cadets," answered the head of the school.

"But, sir----" commenced Josiah Crabtree.

"I do not see as he merits punishment, Mr. Crabtree," said the captain,
coldly. "We will let it pass." And he spoke so firmly that the
dictatorial teacher said no more on the subject.

When Jack was again called into the presence of the teachers it must be
admitted that he was a good deal worried. There was a strict rule at
Putnam Hall against fighting, and that rule had been violated by him.
Yet he felt he had been justified.

"Major Ruddy, I have examined several witnesses to this affair and I
find that your story of the occurrence is substantially correct," began
the head of the school. "Ritter struck the first blow."

"He did. He slapped me in the face. That angered me so greatly that I
pitched into him without thinking twice. It was all done in a few
seconds. But I guess I'd do it again," added Jack. "I wouldn't let
anybody slap me without getting back at him. I guess if I did that I'd
make a mighty poor soldier."

At these words Captain Putnam's face became a study. He had been on the
point of reading Jack a stern lecture on the disgrace of breaking the
school rules, but now he paused. When at West Point a certain upper
classman had once pulled his nose and, regardless of consequences, he
had knocked the fellow down and dragged him by the heels through the
dirt of the road. He had considered himself justified in his actions,
and his whole class has stood by him. That being so, he did not have it
in his heart to punish Jack, or even to find fault with him. Yet the
discipline of the school must be maintained.

"Major Ruddy, do you know what the first duty of a soldier is?" he
asked, but his voice was soft and easy.

"Yes, sir; to obey orders."

"Exactly."

"But there is no rule about what to do if a fellow slaps your face,"
added Jack, quickly.

"That is true." Captain Putnam had to turn away to conceal a sudden
smile. "And, in one way, let me say I do not blame you for what you did,
especially as you acted on the spur of the moment. But fighting must
stop. If I dismiss this case against you, will you promise to leave
Ritter alone in the future?"

"I will if he leaves me alone. If he attacks me, I'll defend myself to
the best of my ability."

"He won't attack you--I'll see to that," answered the captain, grimly.
"You may go. But remember, no more fighting."

"Thank you, sir," answered Jack, and lost no time in leaving the office.

"Well, how did you make out?" questioned Pepper, eagerly, when Jack
joined him on the campus.

"Case dismissed, Pep."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Hurrah! That's the best news yet. I was in fear that you would at least
be cut off from your holidays."

"What about Ritter?" asked Fred.

"I don't know what Captain Putnam is going to do with him."

The fight and the doings in the office had put Jack out of the notion of
taking a sail, and the crowd of boys took a walk instead, that lasted
until it was time for the evening parade.

"Wonder if Ritter will show up for drill?" came from Dale.

"We'll know soon," answered Jack.

In a few minutes the drums commenced to roll and out on the parade
ground poured the cadets and their officers. Jack had buckled on his
sword, and so had Henry Lee and Bart Conners. The cadets had their guns,
that is all but the band, who carried their drums and fifes, and the
color sergeants, who carried Old Glory and the Putnam Hall banner.

"Battalion, attention!" came firmly from Major Jack Ruddy, and all the
young soldiers stiffened up in their places.

He ran his eyes over the two companies, to see that every cadet was
"toeing the mark." He did not see Reff Ritter.

"Present arms! Carry arms! Shoulder arms!" came the various commands,
and the cadets made the movements with their guns. The drilling was so
well done that Captain Putnam, who always looked on, nodded in approval.

"By column of fours, forward march!" came the next command, and then the
drums struck up once more, the fifes joined in, and four abreast the
cadets moved off, down the parade ground. They marched up and down
several times, and executed various movements, and then marched into the
mess-hall, or dining-room, put away their guns, and took their seats.

"Ritter isn't here," whispered Pepper to Jack.

"So I see," was the reply.

"I'll bet he caught it from Captain Putnam," put in Dale.

"Silence at the table!" came harshly from Josiah Crabtree. "I want less
talking at meals!"

"My, but he's a cheerful beggar!" muttered Dale.

"Imagine him at the head of the school," observed Pepper.

"Ditmore, did you hear me?" snarled the teacher. "I want you to keep
quiet."

"All right, Mr. Crabtree; sorry I spoke," answered The Imp, cheerfully.

"Then remember to keep your mouth closed after this."

"Ahem! how am I to eat if I keep my mouth closed?" asked Pepper,
innocently.

"Ha! I want none of your jokes, Ditmore! Leave the table!" thundered
Josiah Crabtree.

"I'm not through yet."

"Never mind, leave the table at once!" And the teacher glared at Pepper
as if to eat him up.

"Just my luck!" muttered The Imp, and got up.

"Here's a sandwich for you," whispered Dale, who sat near, and he passed
over two slices of bread with some cold meat between.

"And here's a piece of cake," added Jack, and slid it along, under the
edge of the table. Then Pepper got up and left the room. He did not know
where to go and so walked slowly in the direction of the boathouse.

As he neared the building, he saw a boy come out of the structure and
hurry across the float to where the _Alice_ and the _Ajax_ were tied
up. The boy was Reff Ritter.

The bully of the school was in a great rage. Captain Putnam had given
him a stern lecture and told him if he did not behave in the future he
would be dismissed from the school. The captain had also cut him off
from all holidays up to Christmas, and added that he must expect to take
no part in Putnam Hall athletics. The latter was the hardest blow of
all, for Ritter had hoped that Fall to make the football team.

"Now, what is he up to?" Pepper asked himself, and stuffing the napkin
that held the cake and sandwich into his pocket, he moved forward on a
run.

Reff Ritter had crossed the float and now he stood beside the sloop that
was Jack's property. As Pepper came closer he saw that the bully held an
ax in his hand, the handle shoved up the sleeve of his jacket.

"He is up to no good," thought Pepper. "I'll watch him and see what he
does."

Pepper stepped out of sight behind the boathouse. Looking through a
window and a door, he saw Ritter walk up and down the float. Evidently
the bully wanted to make certain that he was not being observed. Then,
with a swift movement, he leaped aboard the sloop and crouched down out
of sight.

"Guess it's time I got busy!" muttered Pepper to himself, and ran around
the boathouse and out on the float. He was soon at the side of the
_Alice_. He heard a blow sound out. Ritter was using the ax, apparently
in an endeavor to chop a hole in the bottom of the sloop!

"Of all the mean things!" muttered Pepper to himself. "I'll soon stop
that!" And he made a leap over the guard-rail of the craft. The ax was
raised for another blow, but before it could be delivered, Pepper caught
the bully by the shoulders and sent him sprawling on his back.




CHAPTER VIII

THE FOOTBALL ELEVEN


"Hi! Let go of me!" spluttered Reff Ritter, as he found himself flat on
his back, with the ax up-raised in his two hands.

"Ritter, you leave this boat alone!" exclaimed Pepper.

"Humph! so it's you, Ditmore," muttered the bully, and now he turned
over and arose.

"Going to chop the boat to pieces, I suppose," went on Pepper, "Well,
not if I can prevent it."

"I'll chop you to pieces!" roared the bully, and swung the ax so
suggestively that Pepper leaped back in alarm. "You've got no right to
interfere with me!"

"This is Jack Ruddy's sloop; you have no right to touch her."

"Aw, you shut up."

"I'll not shut up, Reff Ritter. If you make another mark on this boat
I'll have you locked up!"

"Humph! you think you've got the best of me, don't you?" sneered the
bully, but his manner showed that he was considerably disconcerted. He
had imagined that all the cadets were at supper and that no one would
see his foul actions.

"I want you to get off of this boat."

"Supposing I won't?"

"Then I'll call help, and advise Jack to have you arrested."

"Going to run the whole school, aren't you?"

"I am going to run this affair, Ritter. Now leave the boat."

"Oh, I'll leave," muttered the bully, and walking to the side, he sprang
down to the float. Then he ran to the boathouse and placed the ax
inside. "Don't you dare to mention this to anybody!" he shouted as he
reappeared. "If you do, you'll get yourself in hot water. My word is as
good as yours." And then he turned and ran towards the school building.

Pepper watched him out of sight.

"No use of reporting this to Captain Putnam," he reasoned. "Ritter
would, of course, deny everything. Wonder if he did much damage?"

Pepper made an examination. Luckily the bully had not had time to get in
his nefarious work to any extent, and the bottom of the sloop showed
only two slight ax cuts, not deep enough to do harm.

"Caught him just in time," thought Pepper, and then he sat down on the
stern seat and munched away at the sandwich and cake, washing the stuff
down with a drink from the cooler in the boathouse.

By the time he had finished, the other cadets were coming from their
supper, and soon he was joined by Jack, Dale and several others. In
private, he told the young major of what had occurred.

"The rascal!" cried Jack. "If he hurts my boat he shall pay for it!"

"Captain Putnam must have given him a good dressing down to make him so
ugly."

"Well, he deserved it."

"Say," put in Dale. "That was mean of old Crabtree to send you away from
the table."

"Never mind, I'll pay him back," answered The Imp, grimly.

Several days passed and during that time Reff Ritter kept his distance.
The bully was in a bitter mood, and even his cronies could get little
out of him.

The reason for this was twofold. He was smarting over the treatment
received at the hands of Jack and Captain Putnam and he was also
disturbed because his father had written to him, stating he could allow
him hardly any spending money for the term. He had already borrowed a
small amount from Paxton and he was wondering how he was going to pay it
back. Added to this, he had gambled with some racetrack men during the
summer, and one of those fellows now held his IOU for forty dollars.

"Dad has got to let me have money, that is all there is to it," he told
himself. "If he won't, then I'll write to mother. She'll raise it for me
somehow; she always does." Which shows how foolish an indulgent mother
can sometimes be.

In the meantime, Andy had recovered from the accident and was now around
as usual. Another hunt had been instituted for his belongings, but
without success. A report came in that a strange man had been seen on
the road just previous to the accident, and the cadets and Captain
Putnam wondered if that individual had picked up Andy's things and made
off with them.

"Maybe he was the fellow I saw," said Andy, and then he heaved a deep
sigh, thinking he would never hear of his property again.

Jack and Pepper were glad to see Bert Field again, and also to see their
old friend, Joseph Hogan. Emerald came back wearing a smile that was
sunniness itself.

"Sure, an' it does me heart good to be here once more, so it does," he
said, in his rich Irish brogue. "I traveled all over the ould sod this
summer, so I did. But Putnam Hall an' the States fer me every toime!"

"Is this your last term here, Emerald?" asked Dale.

"I think so--if I am lucky and get through. How about you?"

"I hope to graduate next June."

"And so do Jack and I," added Pepper. "But you can't always tell. I'll
be sorry to leave Putnam Hall."

"That's so; such good times as we have had here," added Jack.

As soon as the cadets were settled down at the Hall, and the excitement
over the runaway, the loss of Andy's things, and the fight between Jack
and Ritter, was at an end, the talk of the boys turned to football and
other Fall sports. As in the past, the cadets hoped to have a good
eleven and win some substantial victories.

"Wonder if we'll be allowed to play Pornell," said Jack.

"I don't know," answered Dale. "I rather think the captain is sore over
the reply he got from the head of that school, over the carryall affair,
and maybe he won't let us play them." And in this Dale was correct.
Pornell was cut out that season, but it played Putnam Hall the year
following.

Dale Blackmore was at the head of the football eleven, and, as before,
he organized a fine team. Jack, Andy, Hogan, and Bart Conners were in
their usual places.

"And I want you, too, Pepper," said Dale.

"Oh, I can go on the sub-bench," was the answer, for Pepper did not care
very much for football. "Give Fred Century and Bert Field a chance."

"I know what Pepper wants," said Andy. "He wants us to play, while he
sits in the grandstand, having a good time with the girls."

"Sure thing," answered The Imp, coolly. "Somebody has got to entertain
'em."

"They ought to be entertained by the game," came from Dale.

"Girls make me tired when they are at a football game," put in the cadet
named Brown. "I took one once, and she said she knew all about football.
After the game was half over she asked me how many runs and base hits
had been made, and what they had done with the bats!"

Reff Ritter felt extra sore when the football eleven went out for
practice. He wanted to play, but Captain Putnam would not allow it, and
the bully went off by himself, up the lake-shore, where he sat down on a
rock to smoke cigarettes and brood over his troubles. While he sat
there he took from his pocket a letter and read it over several times.

"Twenty dollars by Saturday! I don't see how I am going to raise it," he
muttered to himself. "I guess I'll have to send mother a telegram for a
remittance."

The first football game of the season was arranged to take place between
Putnam Hall and an eleven from Cedarville called the Dauntless. The
Dauntless players were made up of former college boys and some
all-around athletes, and the cadets were told that they would have a
stiff time of it trying to beat the aggregation. The game was to take
place on the grounds at Cedarville. These were roped off and an
admission fee was charged, the entire proceeds to go to a local Old
Folks' Home.

"I've got news!" cried Pepper, a few days before the game was to come
off. "Some of the Pornell students are coming to the game, and I
understand they are going to try to make trouble for our team."

"Is it the Roy Bock crowd?" questioned Jack.

"Yes."

"Then it is up to you to keep an eye on them, Pepper. We can't do it
while we are playing."

"I'll keep an eye on 'em, don't fear," was the answer.

The eleven practiced every afternoon, under the direction of Mr. Strong,
who had once been a player on a college team. Josiah Crabtree took no
interest in the sport, declaring it was a waste of valuable time.

"I've got a plan to outwit the Pornellites, if they try any funny work,"
said Pepper, the day before the game. And then he took about a dozen
cadets aside and told them what his plan was. All agreed to help him,
and did what he asked of them without delay.

The day for the game dawned clear and bright, and promptly on time the
eleven started for Cedarville in the carryall, which had just come from
the repair shop. Some of the cadets went on their bicycles, and Captain
Putnam and some of the teachers drove over in carriages.

When the cadets arrived at the grounds they found quite a crowd
assembled. Horns and banners were in evidence, and from a flagpole
floated the Stars and Stripes. On one side was a grandstand and this was
about three-quarters filled.

"I see some friends of mine," cried Pepper, and advanced to the stand.

He had caught sight of Laura Ford, and her sister, Flossie, two young
ladies who lived on the lake-shore at a place called Point View Lodge.
In the past Pepper and his chums had done the Ford sisters several
valuable services, for which Laura and Flossie were profoundly grateful.

"Oh, how do you do, Pepper?" called out Laura, on catching sight of him.

"Aren't you playing?" questioned Flossie.

"No, I'm merely an onlooker to-day," answered Pepper, and he raised his
cap and shook hands. "How have you been since I saw you last?"

"Very well, thank you," answered Laura.

"We hope Putnam Hall will win," came from her sister.

"You can't hope it any more than I do," answered Pepper, and then he
introduced several cadets to the young ladies, and all sat down to enjoy
the game.

Pepper has his eyes open for the appearance of the students from
Pornell. At first a few came in and took a stand in a corner, out of the
way. They did not belong to the Bock crowd and seemed to be content to
behave themselves.

"Maybe Roy Bock got cold feet and stayed away," said a cadet named
Melmore.

"No, here he comes!" cried Bob Grenwood. "And Sedley and four others are
with him."

Pepper looked in the direction pointed out and saw Roy Bock and his
cronies approaching. All had big tin horns and immense wooden rattles,
and their pockets bulged with apples and peanuts.

"Whoop her up, Dauntless!" yelled Roy Bock, as soon as he reached the
grandstand. "Whoop her up, and wipe up the ground with Putnam Hall!" And
then he swung his big rattle, and his cronies did likewise. Then the
Pornellites crowded into the grandstand and took seats near Pepper and
his fellow cadets and the girls. They talked in loud voices and said a
number of things that caused the faces of the girls to burn, and made
the cadets thoroughly angry.

"They ought to be put off the stand!" cried Bob, indignantly.

"And they will be put off if they keep this up," answered Pepper. "They
can cheer all they please for the Dauntless eleven, but they have got to
act like gentlemen."

As soon as the two elevens appeared, the practice commenced, and then
there was a toss-up for goals, which Dauntless won. They took the south
goal and Putnam Hall took the ball. Then came the kick-off, and the game
was on.




CHAPTER IX

THE FOOTBALL GAME


At first the playing was rather tame, but inside of a few minutes both
elevens warmed up, and from that moment the work became fast and
furious.

The Dauntless team had the advantage of weight, but the eleven had not
played together as much as had the majority of the Putnam Hall cadets,
consequently some of their combination efforts were decidedly ragged.
One move resulted in a bad fumble on the part of the left end. The ball
was captured by Jack, and he carried it forward fifteen yards before
downed.

"Oh, my, isn't it rough!" screamed Laura Ford, as the young major hit
the grass with great force, two of the Dauntless men being on top of
him.

"Oh, that's all in the game," was Pepper's comment. "But I shouldn't
want to see anybody get his ribs stove in," he added.

Putnam Hall got the pigskin to within ten yards of the Dauntless goal
line, and then came an unexpected turn of affairs. The leather was lost
by the Putnam Hall center, and carried around the right end and up the
field for thirty yards.

"Hurrah! that's the way to do it, Dauntless!"

"Keep it up!"

"Dauntless to the front!" yelled Roy Bock. "Everybody in the game!" and
then, in the midst of the excitement, he drew back with a soft apple in
his hand and threw the half-decayed fruit at Jack. It just grazed the
young major's shoulder.

Pepper was on the watch, for he had expected just such a dirty trick. He
leaped up, and reaching over, caught the Pornell student by the ear.

"Ouch!" yelled Bock. "Let go!"

"You get out of the grandstand!" cried Pepper. "If you don't I'll get a
crowd to mob you."

"See here, Ditmore----"

"Don't talk--get!" interrupted Pepper.

"Let Roy alone!" sang out Bat Sedley. "If you don't, I'll crack you
one!"

"Hello, you rascals!" came unexpectedly from nearby, and a farmer named
Baker showed himself. "You here? Jest wait till I git my paws on you!"
And he started in the direction of Roy Bock, Bat Sedley and two of their
cronies.

"Great Scott! It's that farmer!" ejaculated Roy Bock, and he started to
scramble out of the grandstand in a hurry, and after him went the
others.

But they were not quite quick enough for Darius Baker, and at the foot
of the stand the farmer caught Bock in one hand and Bat Sedley in the
other. Then he swung the two together until their heads cracked.

"Will steal my apples and pears?" he shrilled. "Will talk sassy to my
darter, eh? I'll teach you!" And then, letting go suddenly, he cuffed
Roy Bock on the ear and thumped Bat Sedley in the jaw so hard that that
student howled outright.

"Let up!"

"Please don't hit me again!"

"It was all a mistake!"

"No mistake!" bawled Darius Baker. "Git out o' here before I call the
constable an' have ye locked up!" And then Roy Bock and his cronies lost
no time in hurrying away, without so much as looking behind them.

"Guess you know 'em?" remarked Pepper, when the farmer came back into
the stand and resumed his seat.

"Guess I do!" was the snorted-out reply. "They came around to my place
yesterday, and stole my apples and pears, and talked sassy to my darter
an' the hired man. I saw 'em, but they ran, away before I could git my
hands on 'em. I vowed I take 'em down a peg when I met 'em, an' I guess
I done it," added the old farmer, with evident satisfaction.

"You did, Mr. Baker," answered Pepper. "And you've done us a service in
the bargain."

"How's thet?"

"Those fellows came here to make trouble for our eleven, the Putnam Hall
team."

"That so? Well, then, I'm mighty glad I cleared 'em out. I like to see a
game now an' then, but I want it clean--no rowdy work."

There was no time to say more, for everybody was interested in the game.
The Dauntless eleven had worked the pigskin up to within a few yards of
the Putnam Hall goal line, and now over it came.

"A touchdown for Dauntless!"

"Great work! Now make it a goal!"

The ball was brought out, and the Dauntless quarterback kicked a
beautiful goal, amid a great cheering and tooting of horns.

"Eight minutes more to play," said Dale. "Boys, let us tie the score if
nothing else."

Again the battle was on, and now Dale made a beautiful run, being aided
by some fine interference by Jack and Andy. Then Hogan got the pigskin
and worked it up to within five yards of the Dauntless goal line--and
then the whistle blew and the first half of the great game had to come
to a close.

The Putnam Hall eleven were a sober lot when they filed into their
dressing-room to be rubbed down and to talk it over.

"Well, they've only got a touchdown and goal to their credit," said
Jack, cheerfully. "That's not such a terrible lead to overcome."

"We must have more snap and ginger!" cried Dale. "Now, I want everybody
on the job from the word go."

"Try that left-end play," suggested George Strong. "It may surprise
them--and, anyway, it can do no harm."

The play he mentioned was something of a trick they had been practicing
for a week. It was rather intricate, but Dale promised to take his
advice and use it at the first opportunity.

The Dauntless eleven scented a victory, and went into the second half of
the game with renewed vigor. But Putnam Hall stood up manfully, and Andy
got the pigskin in a manner that elicited much applause. He carried it
down the gridiron for eight yards and passed it over to Jack. Then, on
the next down, Dale signaled for the trick play. Across the field came
the ball and then back to center. Here a quick turn was made that
bewildered the Dauntless eleven. On came the pigskin, and almost before
anybody knew it, Jack kicked a goal from the field.

"Hurrah! a field goal for Putnam Hall!"

"Talk about clever work, wasn't that great?"

"It sure was!"

"Never mind," came from a Dauntless supporter. "That doesn't count as
much as the goal from a touchdown."

"Well, it's blood for Putnam Hall, anyway."

Again the leather went into play, and once more each eleven did its
level best to force the pigskin over the opponents' line. The Dauntless
aggregation were now wary of more tricks, and they tried a trick of
their own, massing at the left and then running the ball up center. But
this did not work. The ball was lost to Andy, who passed it over to
Dale.

"Go it, Blackmore!" was the cry.

"Down him, Cressy!"

On and on sped Dale with the rival left end at his heels. Hogan and Jack
were pounding on behind, and they stopped Cressy from blocking the
Putnam Hall captain. Over the line came Dale, to drop flat an instant
later, out of breath.

"Hurrah! a touchdown for Putnam Hall."

"Now for a goal!"

The wind was blowing strongly, yet Andy measured the distance well and
kicked the goal, amid a cheering that could be heard half a mile.

"Oh, wasn't that grand!" murmured Flossie Ford.

"Perfectly lovely!" added Laura.

"It's what we wanted," answered Pepper. "Keep it up!" he yelled, and
blew his horn with all his might.

With nine minutes more to play, both elevens went at the game with great
vigor. The Dauntless team wanted at least to make a field goal--to tie
the score. But Putnam Hall held them back, and two minutes before the
whistle blew made another touchdown and kicked the goal. When the game
was ended the pigskin was on the Dauntless forty-five-yard line.

Putnam Hall had won!

What a cheering followed, and what a tooting of horns and sounding of
rattles! The cadets cheered for their opponents and were cheered in
return, and then all filed off the field.

"A dandy game!" cried Pepper to his chums. "Simply great!" And he fairly
hugged Jack and Andy.

"A splendid game," was Mr. Strong's comment.

"I am proud of our cadets," added Captain Putnam.

"They are an honor to the school, sir."

"Yes, Mr. Strong, they are."

Some of the boys remained in Cedarville for the rest of the afternoon.
As soon as Jack and Andy had put aside their football outfits, they
joined Pepper and the Ford girls, and all went to meet Mr. Rossmore
Ford, who had just arrived in his carriage.

"I am sorry I missed the game," said the rich gentleman. "It must have
been fine."

"Oh, papa, it was lovely!" cried Laura.

"I was so pleased to see Putnam Hall win!" added Flossie.

"Were you?" said Mr. Ford, and laughed good-naturedly. "Now, I imagined
you came to encourage the Dauntless boys."

"Papa, you know better!" cried both girls.

"How would you young gentlemen like to drive home with us and dine at
the Lodge?" asked the gentleman.

"Oh, yes, come!" cried Flossie.

"Do!" urged Laura.

"Well, I don't know," answered Jack, slowly. "The eleven is going to
celebrate to-night, and they want us. Otherwise, I'd like it very much."

"Then come some other time," answered Rossmore Ford.

"Thank you, we will," answered Andy; and after a few words more the
Fords drove off and the cadets walked away to join their fellows.

It was a jolly crowd that returned to Putnam Hall late that afternoon,
and Captain Putnam was willing that they should have all the sport the
rules of the institution permitted.

"Bonfires to-night!" cried Andy.

"Biggest ever!" returned Pepper. "I've got a surprise."

"What is it, Pep?" asked several in a chorus.

"If I tell you, will you keep it to yourselves?"

"Sure!" was the ready answer.

"Well, you saw those tar-roofers at work on the new top of the dock at
Cedarville?"

"Yes."

"I bought three empty tar-barrels from the foreman. He is going to leave
them in the woods yonder for me at seven o'clock. They'll make the
finest bonfires you ever saw."

"That's the cheese!" cried Dale, slangily. "Do you know what we can do?
Place one barrel on top of another and touch them off. They'll make the
greatest blaze you ever heard of."

"But mum's the word until the right time comes," warned Pepper. And then
the crowd dispersed for the evening drill.

Two boys had been listening to the talk from behind a nearby clump of
bushes. They were Reff Ritter and Gus Coulter.

Neither of the cronies had gone to the football game, having preferred
to walk to a cabin in the woods, where they could smoke and play cards.
The victory of Jack and his friends had put them in a particularly bad
humor.

"I suppose they expect a great celebration with those tar-barrels,"
muttered Coulter. "Say, I tell you what let's do!" he cried. "Let us
sneak to the woods before they arrive and roll the barrels down to the
lake!"

"I'll do it," answered Reff Ritter. "Anything to put a damper on that
celebration."

"Well, water will dampen the tar-barrels," added Coulter, grimly.




CHAPTER X

PUTTING OUT A LIVELY BLAZE


Pepper was so full of high spirits that at the supper table he could not
resist the temptation to play a joke. He saw Joe Nelson using his
handkerchief and, on the sly, took up the pepper-shaker and dosed the
cloth liberally with pepper.

Poor Joe caught the full benefit of the pepper, and in the midst of the
meal commenced to sneeze loudly.

"Why, Nelson, what is the matter?" asked Mr. Strong, who was at the
table that evening.

"I don't--ker-choo!--know!" stammered Joe. "I believe--ker-choo!
ker-choo!"

"Exactly," whispered Pepper. "Very simple explanation, very."