"That's just what I was thinking," declared Andy. "I wish a fellow
didn't have to study. Why can't some of our great inventors invent some
kind of knowledge pill so a fellow can just go and buy a few boxes and
then take them regularly?"

"Great idea, Andy!" exclaimed his twin merrily.

By the next morning all of the cadets had arrived, and also all of the
teachers and the other persons connected with Colby Hall. Then the
cadets were assembled on the parade ground and made to march into the
general assembly room of the institution, where Colonel Colby addressed
them. He spoke about the good work done by the cadets during the former
term at the school, and said he trusted that the present term would
turn out still better.

"At present all of our old officers of the battalion will hold over,"
he announced. "But in the near future--just as soon as we have got
settled in our classes--I will announce the time for a new election.
The major and the two captains to be elected must be in their senior
year at this institution. The other officers may be either sophomores
or juniors."

"That lets us out," whispered Andy to Jack. "Evidently no freshmen can
be officers."

"Well, why should we be officers?" answered his cousin. "We hardly know
a thing about soldiering yet. I think Colonel Colby's rule is a very
good one."

During the meeting in the assembly room all of the professors were
called on to say a few words to the cadets. The addresses delivered by
Professors Grawson and Brice and one or two of the other teachers were
well received; but it was plainly evident that when Asa Lemm came
forward to speak to the boys there was a distinctly cold feeling
towards him.

"I want to speak about attention to work," he said in a severe tone of
voice. "During the last term at this school there was not that
attention in classes that I desire. From now on I expect every one who
comes to me to pay strict attention at all times. Any laxity will be
severely punished."

"Gosh! He's a cheerful customer!" was Fred's comment.

"He'd make a fellow down on him almost before the term began," was
another cadet's comment.

"I don't wonder they call him old Lemon," added another youth.

"And now we're all ready to go to work," said Jack, after the cadets
had been dismissed. On the following day the classes were to begin.

There had been so much bustle and confusion throughout the school that
day that Fred, who was not feeling extra well, got quite a headache.

"You had better lie down for a while and rest," said Jack, kindly. "You
don't want to get sick."

"Oh, it's only a headache, and I'll soon be over it," declared Fred. "I
think I'll go out for a quiet walk along the river."

"Do you want me to go along?"

"No. I'd just as lief go alone, Jack. I think the quietness will do me
more good than anything."

This mood was not a new one with the youngest Rover, so Jack said no
more, and a few minutes later Fred slipped on his heavy sweater and
donned his cap and set out for his walk. His steps took him towards the
boathouse and the bathing houses, and then he continued on along a path
running close to the shore of the river.

Although the youngest Rover did not know it, his departure had been
watched by Codfish. The small boy lost no time in hurrying to Nappy
Martell and Slugger Brown with his information.

"You're sure he's alone?" asked Nappy, quickly.

"Yes. Nobody went out with him."

"Then that's our chance, Slugger," went on the boy from New York. "Come
ahead, if you want to help me."

"All right, Nap. But I thought you said you could polish him off
alone?"

"So I can. But I thought you'd like to see the fun."

"Can't I go along too?" put in Codfish.

"Yes, if you'll promise to keep your mouth shut about it."

"Oh, I won't say a word," returned the little cadet, quickly.

Putting on their hats and coats, the three cadets lost no time in
following Fred. It was quite dark on the campus and parade ground, but
they soon caught sight of the figure ahead as the youngest Rover moved
past the bathhouses to the river path beyond.

"He's alone all right enough," was Slugger Brown's comment.

"I thought I'd catch him sooner or later after I set Codfish to
watching him," answered Nappy Martell. "Now I guess I'll be able to
teach him to play tricks on me," he added sourly.

The three cadets quickened their pace, and in a moment more caught up
to Fred just as he reached a point on the river shore almost out of
sight of the Hall. Fred had dipped his handkerchief in the water and
used the same for wiping off his aching brow.

"See here, Rover, I want to talk to you!" cried Nappy Martell, and,
striding forward, he caught Fred roughly by the arm.

Of course, the youngest Rover was startled, not dreaming that anyone
was following him. Yet he showed no signs of fear.

"What do you want of me, Martell?" he asked quietly.

"I'll show you what I want of you!" cried Nappy Martell in sudden
wrath. "I'll teach you to play tricks on me! Try to make me believe
your suitcase was stolen, will you? And then come to my room and
rough-house things, eh? Just wait till I get through with you and
you'll wish you'd never been born!"




CHAPTER XIV

THE FIGHT


Fred Rover realized that he was in an unenviable situation. Nappy
Martell was thoroughly angry, and evidently Slugger Brown and Codfish
were present to aid him in anything he might undertake to do.

Many another boy might have thought discretion the better part of valor
and taken to his heels. But the youngest Rover was not built that way.
He had been taught to stick up for his rights and defend himself
whenever the cause was a just one.

"What do you propose to do, Martell?" he questioned as quietly as he
could.

"I'll show you what I'll do," blustered the other. "You thought it was
a fine joke to put most of my things under the mattress of my bed,
didn't you?"

"Who told you I did that?"

"Never mind. I found it out, and that's enough. Do you dare to deny
it?"

"I don't suppose there will be any use in denying it," was Fred's
reply. "It was done as a joke, to square accounts over the missing
suitcase."

"Bah! you needn't talk to me, Rover! I know the kind you and your
cousins are. I'm going to fix you. How do you like that?" and as he
uttered the last word, Nappy Martell hauled back and slapped Fred on
the cheek.

It was a comparatively light blow, but it aroused all the fighting
blood in the youngest Rover boy's nature, and without stopping to think
twice, he doubled up his fists and hit the larger youth a stinging blow
in the jaw.

"Gee! look at that!" murmured Codfish, who had not expected such an
onslaught from the smaller cadet.

"Say, Nappy, he's coming back at you!" burst out Slugger Brown, in
surprise.

"Coming back at me nothing!" roared Martell; and, leaping forward, he
rained a succession of blows on Fred--hitting him in the shoulder, the
chest and then the left ear.

In another moment the two cadets were at it "hammer and tongs." As they
circled around, Codfish put out his foot, trying to trip Fred up. He
failed in this, but a moment later Slugger Brown tried the trick with
success, and the youngest Rover came down heavily and an instant later
Nappy Martell landed on top of him.

"Get off of me! That wasn't fair!" exclaimed Fred. "Those other fellows
tripped me up."

"Aw, shut up!" retorted Martell; and while he held Fred down with his
body he continued to pommel the smaller youth with his fists.

"Don't go too far," said Slugger Brown presently, in alarm. "If you do
that, he may squeal and get you into trouble."

"Somebody is coming!" screamed Codfish, suddenly, as he saw a number of
forms running across the parade ground in the direction of the river
road. "Four or five of 'em."

"It's Jack Rover and his chums," muttered Slugger Brown.

He was right. Jack was approaching, followed by Spouter, Fatty, Walt
Baxter and Gif Garrison.

"I was sure they were up to no good--following Fred that way," Walt
Baxter was saying.

"I'm glad you told me about this, Walt," answered Jack. "Three against
one is no fair deal."

As the five cadets came rushing up, Codfish viewed their approach with
alarm and then retreated several paces. Slugger Brown, however, stood
his ground.

"Hi you! let my cousin alone!" cried Jack, and, leaping forward, he
caught Nappy Martell by the collar and hurled him into some bushes.

"Say, this isn't any of your fight," put in Slugger Brown, uglily.
While he spoke, Fred lost no time in leaping to his feet and there he
stood, once more on the defensive.

"No one asked you to butt in, Jack Rover!" stormed Nappy Martell. "You
keep out of this."

"Why did he attack you, Fred?"

"Huh! you know the reason as well as he does," burst out Martell. "You
played a trick on me about that suitcase, and then you came and
rough-housed my room."

"One trick was only played to square up for the other, Martell,"
answered Jack, calmly. "You ought to be man enough to cry quits and let
it go at that."

"I won't cry quits--not until I've given this fellow a good licking!"
roared Nappy Martell; and then before anyone could stop him he lunged
another blow at Fred, who, however, was quick enough to dodge it.

"Stop!" Jack's voice was now unusually stern, and stepping up to Nappy
Martell he caught the fellow by the arm and swung him around so that
the pair faced each other. "If you want to fight, Martell, take
somebody nearer your size."

"Oh, Jack! I'm not afraid of him," burst out Fred. Strange to say, the
excitement of the occasion seemed to have chased his headache
completely away.

"Maybe you want me to fight you," sneered Nappy Martell.

"You'll have to fight me if you don't leave my cousin Fred alone."

"See here, Rover! you've no right to butt in like this," interposed
Slugger Brown. "Why don't you let the pair finish it?"

"Those two fellows," cried Fred, pointing to Slugger Brown and Codfish,
"tripped me up. It wasn't fair--three against one."

"We didn't trip him up at all," came from the two accused ones
simultaneously.

"They did, Jack. First Codfish tried it, and then Brown put out his
foot and I went down, and Martell at once pounced on me."

"That's no way to fight!" broke out Spouter.

"It was certainly a mean trick," was Gif's comment.

"If there is any fighting to be done, I guess we're on hand to see that
it's done fairly," came from Walt Baxter.

A perfect war of words followed, in the midst of which Nappy Martell
seemed to lose complete control of his temper. He rushed at Jack and
hit the youth two quick blows, one in the chest and the other on the
chin. The oldest Rover was not looking for this attack, and he
staggered backward into some bushes, all but losing his balance.

"That's the way to do it, Nappy!" cried Slugger Brown, excitedly. "Give
it to him!"

Jack was as much surprised as Fred had been when first hit, but he was
able to recover much more quickly than his cousin. He leaped forward
from the bushes, doubled up his fists, and the next instant sent in a
crashing blow that landed straight on Martell's nose. He followed up
this blow with another on the other youth's chin which sent Martell
sprawling flat on his back.

"Hurrah! that's the way to do it, Jack!" cried Spouter.

"Say! has he got to fight two of you Rovers?" questioned Slugger Brown.

"No. He's got to fight me only," answered Jack, quickly. He turned to
his cousin. "Fred, you keep out of this."

"But he started on me," pleaded the youngest Rover. "And now that you
are here to see fair play, I'm not afraid of him."

"Never mind. It's my fight, anyway," went on Jack. "I owe him one for
the way he treated me down in Wall Street that day."

While this talk was going on, Nappy Martell had scrambled to his feet.
His nose was swollen and bleeding profusely.

"You imp!" he howled, and lunged another attack at Jack.

He was able to land two blows on Jack's chest, but they were not
powerful enough to do harm. Then, as Martell circled around, the oldest
Rover boy managed to get in another blow, this time on his opponent's
mouth, loosening two of Nappy's teeth.

"That's the way to do it, Jack!"

"Give him a few more like that and he'll soon quit."

"Go for him, Nappy! You can do him up if you'll only try," bellowed
Slugger Brown in excitement.

"You keep back, Slugger," warned Walt Baxter. "Don't you interfere."

"I didn't interfere."

"Well, you're too close, anyway. Keep back like the rest of us."

"That's just what I say," broke out Spouter.

Realizing that the others were in the majority, Slugger Brown kept his
distance from the pair who were fighting. Codfish was trembling like a
leaf, and cowered well in the background.

Around and around circled the two contestants, and for a few minutes
neither of them seemed to have the advantage. Jack was hit in the arm,
and returned by landing another blow, this time on Nappy's chest. Then
the big youth aimed a kick at the Rover boy's stomach.

"Hi! that's no way to fight!" cried Gif, indignantly.

Jack had managed to escape the kick, and he had put down one hand so
quickly that Nappy Martell had been in great danger of being caught and
thrown on his back.

In the midst of the contest several forms could be seen hurrying across
the campus and the parade ground, and in a moment more Andy and Randy
came into view, followed by Bart White and some other cadets.

"It's a fight!"

"Why, what do you know about this! Jack is fighting Nappy Martell!"

"Martell tackled me first, but Jack took the fight out of my hands,"
explained Fred to his cousins.

"Who has got the best of it?" questioned Bart White, excitedly.

"I think Jack has the best of it so far," answered Gif; "but the fight
isn't finished yet," he added, a bit anxiously.

"You're right it isn't finished yet!" retorted Slugger Brown. "Just you
wait until Nappy gets his second wind, and then you'll see what he'll
do to Rover."

Once more the two contestants were circling around, each trying to get
in some kind of telling blow. Various passes were made, and in the
excitement the pair left the roadway and began to circle around on the
grassy bank of the river.

"Look out there, or you'll both go overboard!" sang out Spouter in
alarm.

The cadets who were fighting were too engrossed to pay attention to
this warning. They kept on circling about, and then Nappy Martell made
a wild and vicious pass for Jack's head. The latter dodged like
lightning, came up under his opponent's arm, and the next instant
landed a swinging blow on Martell's ear which sent him staggering
backward several paces, to fall with a splash into the river.




CHAPTER XV

IN THE TOWN


"Hello! Nappy's overboard!"

"Wow! that was some crack on the ear!"

"Can he swim?"

"Sure, he can swim! If he can't we can haul him in easy enough."

"I don't believe the river is very deep here."

Such were some of the words uttered immediately after the
well-delivered blow from Jack Rover had sent his opponent spinning into
the swiftly flowing waters of the Rick Rack River. Fortunately, the
moon and the stars were shining brightly, so it was not as dark as it
otherwise might have been. Indeed, had it not been for the brightness
of the night it is doubtful if the fight could have been carried on as
already described.

All of the cadets present lined up along the river bank, and an instant
later saw Nappy Martell come to the surface. He was striking out wildly
and spluttering at the same time, showing that he had gone overboard
with his mouth open and had swallowed some of the water. One hand and
shoulder were covered with mud from the river bottom, for at that
particular point the stream was less than five feet deep.

"Oh, he'll be drowned! I know he'll be drowned!" screamed Codfish in
terror.

"You shut up, you little imp!" burst out Gif. "You'll arouse the whole
school, and there is no need of doing that."

By this time Nappy Martell was close to the river bank, and he reached
up his hand appealingly to those above him.

"Here, give me your hand, Nappy!" cried Slugger Brown, and reached down
to aid his crony. But the bank was a slippery and treacherous one, and
he was in danger of going overboard himself.

"Wait a minute, Slugger--let me help you," cried Spouter, and he took
hold of the big youth's left hand.

Then the others also came forward to do what they could, and in a few
seconds more Nappy Martell was hauled up on the grass. He was pretty
well exhausted and panted painfully.

"I'm sorry you went overboard, Martell," said Jack, promptly. "I didn't
expect to knock you into the river."

"You did it on purpose! You know you did!" returned the other youth
wrathfully. "Yo--you--d--d--don't know how to f--f--fight fair," he
added, his teeth suddenly beginning to chatter, for the unexpected bath
at this season had proved awfully cold.

"Say! he's shivering like a leaf!" cried Fred.

"You had better get back to the Hall and change your clothing," advised
Jack.

"I won't change anything until I've given you a licking," roared Nappy
Martell.

"Oh, say, Nappy, you had better call it off for to-night," interposed
Slugger Brown. "You can't fight in those wet clothes. Finish it some
other time."

"I won't!" came the ejaculation, and then the dripping boy hurled
himself once more at Jack.

But he was blinded by water and mud as well as by rage; and the oldest
Rover boy easily evaded the new onslaught. Then, of a sudden, he
reached out and caught Martell by both wrists and held him in a
vise-like grasp.

"Now, see here, Martell, don't be foolish," he said sternly. "I don't
want to fight a fellow who has been overboard and is wringing wet.
You'll catch your death of cold hanging around here in this night air.
Go on back to the Hall and change your clothing. If you want to finish
this some other time, I'll be ready for you."

"That's the talk!" added Spouter.

"It would be foolish to go on in this condition," remarked Gif. "Call
it off, by all means."

"You might as well do it," came from Slugger Brown. "You wouldn't have
any kind of a fair show, Nappy--after having been in the river, and
after having had to lick the other Rover first."

"He didn't lick me!" burst out Fred, indignantly.

More words followed, but in the end Nappy Martell consented to return
to the Hall and went off in company with Slugger Brown, Codfish, and
one or two more friends who had chanced to come up.

"You'll have to slip in on the sly, or else somebody may ask some
unpleasant questions," remarked Slugger Brown on the way to the school.

"You lend me your coat, and I'll take mine off and make a bundle of
it," answered Martell; and so it was arranged. The others clustered
around the dripping youth and thus they managed to get him to his room
without being detected.

"He'll never forgive you, Jack, for knocking him into the river," said
Randy, while the Rovers and their friends walked slowly back to the
Hall.

"I guess you're right," was the answer.

"And what is more, he'll probably try to play some underhanded trick on
you," added Andy.

"I wish I had had the chance--I think I could have knocked him out
myself," broke in Fred. "I'm not afraid of him, even if he is bigger
than I am."

All those who had witnessed the contest were cautioned to keep quiet
about it. Yet in a school like Colby Hall it was next to impossible to
keep the particulars of the affair from circulating, and before long
many of the cadets knew the truth. The majority were of the opinion
that Jack could readily have defeated Martell had the contest been
fought to a finish.

"He'll undoubtedly lay for you, Jack," remarked Fred that night, in
talking the matter over in their rooms.

"Maybe he'll lay for you, Fred," smiled his big cousin. "You had better
keep your eyes peeled."

"I guess we had better all watch out," was Randy's comment.

But for the next few days Nappy Martell, as well as his particular
crony, Slugger Brown, kept to themselves, while Codfish was so timid
that he hardly dared to show himself.

About a week, including Sunday, went by, and the school began to settle
down to its regular routine of studies. The Rover boys had had all
their classes mapped out for them, and had also been assigned to a
class in gymnasium work. Gymnastics especially suited the agile Andy,
who nearly always preferred action to sitting still. The Rover boys on
leaving home had promised their parents that they would pay strict
attention to their studies, and now they did their best in that
direction. Of course, some of the lessons were rather hard, and Fred,
being the youngest, often found he needed assistance from the others.

During those days they quickly discovered why Dan Soppinger had been
referred to by one of their friends as the "human question mark." Dan
always wanted to know something, and he did not hesitate to ask for
information on any and all occasions, no matter what else might happen
to be under discussion at the time.

"He'll die asking questions," remarked Andy. "I never knew a fellow who
could fire questions at a person so rapidly."

It was now ideal weather for football, and as soon as the school became
settled football talk filled the air. Gif Garrison had been at the head
of the football eleven the Fall previous, and now he was looked upon to
whip the new team into shape.

"We generally play three games with outside schools," explained Gif to
the Rovers one day. "First we play Hixley High. Then we play the
Clearwater Country Club. And after that we wind up usually with our big
game with Columbus Academy."

"It must be great sport," answered Jack.

"Did you ever get a chance to play football in New York?"

"Oh, yes, we occasionally played a game."

"Jack would make a first-rate football player if he had the chance,"
put in Randy. "I've seen him play, and I know."

"Yes. And Fred makes a pretty good player, too," added Andy. "Of
course, he's small and light in weight, but he's as quick on his feet
as they make 'em."

"How about you and Randy?" questioned Gif.

"Oh, we never cared very much to play football. We'd rather have some
fun in the crowd looking on," was the answer of the twin.

At this, the football leader smiled. "Well, we've got to have some kind
of an audience--otherwise there wouldn't be any fun in pulling off a
game." He looked at Jack and Fred, thoughtfully. "I'm going to keep you
two fellows in mind, and if I can put one or both of you on the team,
I'll do it. Of course, you'll have your try-outs on the scrub first."

"Well, you can put me on the scrub as soon as you please," answered
Jack, promptly.

"I'll be glad of the chance," added Fred.

As was to be expected, no sooner had the boys attempted to settle down
at Colby Hall than they began to want for a number of things which they
had failed to bring from home. These articles were, for the most part,
of small consequence; yet the boys could not get along very well
without them, and so resolved on the following Saturday, which was a
holiday, to walk down to Haven Point and do some shopping.

"I'd like first rate to take a look around the town, too," said Randy.
"It looked like a pretty good sort of place."

"Maybe we can go to the moving picture show there," put in his brother.
"We'll have time enough."

"Perhaps--if the films look worth while," answered Jack.

They had already learned that the moving picture show in the town was
of the better class, and that the pupils of the school were allowed to
attend a performance whenever they had time to do so.

It did not take the four cousins long to walk the distance to Haven
Point. They left the school directly after lunch, and inside of an hour
had purchased the various small articles which they desired. Then all
headed for the moving picture theater, which was located on the main
street in the busiest portion of that thoroughfare.

As the boys walked up to the booth to purchase their admission tickets,
they saw a bevy of girls just entering the door. They were all well
dressed and chatting gaily.

"Nice bunch, all right," was Randy's comment. "I wonder where they are
from?"

"I think I know," answered Jack. "Spouter was telling me there is a
girls' school on the other side of this town, called Clearwater Hall.
It's about as large as Colby Hall. More than likely those girls come
from that school."

"I wish we knew them," said Andy. "I wonder if some of the cadets from
our school don't know them."

"More than likely some of our fellows know some of the girls," said
Jack. "We may be able to become acquainted with them some day."




CHAPTER XVI

AT THE MOVING PICTURE THEATER


The moving picture theater was large enough to hold several hundred
people, and when the boys entered they found the place almost full.

"There are some seats--over on the left," remarked Jack, as he pointed
them out. "Two in one row and two directly behind."

"Why not two in one row and two directly in front?" returned Andy,
gaily, and then headed for the seats.

"You and Fred had better sit in front, and Randy and I can take the
back seats," went on Jack; and so it was arranged.

They had come in between pictures and while some doors had been open
for ventilation, so that the place was fairly light. As Jack took his
seat he noticed that the girls who had come in just ahead of the boys
were sitting close by.

"They certainly do look like nice girls," was Jack's mental comment;
and he could not help but cast a second glance at the girl sitting
directly next to him. She was attired in a dark blue suit trimmed in
fur and held a hat to match in her lap. Jack noted that she was fair of
complexion, with dark, wavy hair.

"I'm thinking this is going to be a pretty interesting picture for us,
Andy," remarked Randy, as the name of the production was flashed upon
the screen. "'The Gold Hunter's Secret--A Drama of the Yukon,'" he
read. "That must have been taken in Alaska."

"That's right, Randy," returned his twin. "Gee! I hope this Alaskan
play doesn't affect us; like that other Alaskan play once affected
dad," he went on, referring to a most remarkable happening, the details
of which were given in "The Rover Boys in Alaska."

"It isn't likely to," answered Randy, promptly. "Poor dad was in no
mental condition to attend that show, Uncle Dick once told me. He had
been knocked on the head with a footstool, and that had affected his
mind."

The four Rovers were soon absorbed in the stirring drama of the Alaskan
gold fields, and for the time being almost forgot their surroundings.
In the midst of the last reel, however, Jack felt the girl beside him
stirring.

"It's my hatpin," she whispered. "It just fell to the floor."

"I'll get it," he returned promptly, and started to hunt in the dark.
He had to get up and push up his seat before the hatpin was recovered.

"Oh, thank you very much," said the girl sweetly, when he presented the
article to her.

"You are welcome, I'm sure," returned the Rover boy; and then he added
with a smile: "Accidents will happen in the best of families, you
know," and at this both the girl and two of her companions giggled.

The photo-drama was presently finished and was followed by a
mirth-provoking comedy at which the entire audience laughed heartily.
Then came a reel of current events from various portions of the globe.

"Say, there's something worth looking at!" cried Fred, as a boat race
was flashed on the screen.

"Right you are," responded Jack. "Just see those fellows pull! Isn't it
grand?" he added enthusiastically. "I'd like to be in that shell
myself," and he turned suddenly, to catch the girl beside him casting
her eyes in his direction. She dropped them quickly, but her whole
manner showed that she, too, was interested, not only in the race, but
in what Jack had said. The cadets, of course, were in uniform, so the
girl knew they were from Colby Hall.

The reel of current events had almost come to a finish, and there was
intense silence as the picture showed the funeral of some well-known
man of the East, when there came a sudden splutter from the operator's
booth in the back gallery. This was followed by several flashes of
light and then a small explosion.

"What's that?"

"Some explosion!"

"The theater's on fire!"

"Let's get out of this!"

"That's right! I don't want to be burnt to death!"

Such were some of the exclamations which arose on the air. A panic had
seized the audience, and, like one person, they leaped to their feet
and began to fight to get out of the theater. In a twinkling there was
a crush in the aisles, and several people came close to being knocked
down and trampled upon.

"Where's my hat?"

"Get back there--don't crush these children!"

"See the smoke pouring in!"

"Open the side door, somebody!"

"Keep cool! Keep cool!" yelled somebody from the gallery. "There is no
fire! Keep cool!" But there was such a tumult below that scarcely
anybody paid attention to these words.

While many fought to get out the way they had come in, others stormed
towards the side doors of the playhouse. Meanwhile, an ill-smelling
cloud of smoke drifted through the auditorium.

With the first alarm the Rover boys had leaped to their feet, and
almost by instinct the others looked to Jack to see what he would do.

"Oh, oh! is the place on fire?" cried the girl who had been sitting
next to the oldest Rover, and she caught him by the arm.

"I don't know," he answered. "Something exploded in the operating
room."

"Oh, let us get out!" came from one of the other girls.

"Yes, yes! I don't want to be burnt up!" wailed a third.

"Don't get excited," warned Jack. "I don't believe there is any great
danger. There is no fire down here, and there seem to be plenty of
doors."

"The fellow upstairs said to keep cool," put in Randy. "Maybe it won't
amount to much after all."

Most of the lights had gone out, leaving the theater in almost total
darkness.

"Come on for the side door," said Jack. "That's the nearest way out."

The smoke from above was now settling, and this caused many to cough,
while it made seeing more difficult than ever. Jack pushed Fred ahead
of him, holding one hand on his cousin's shoulder, while with the other
hand he reached out and grasped the wrist of the girl who had been
sitting beside him.

"You had better come this way," he said; "and bring your friends
along."

"All right. But do hurry!" she pleaded. "I am so afraid that something
will happen."

"Oh, Ruth! can we get out?" questioned the girl next to her.

"I don't know. I hope so," answered the girl addressed, and then began
to cough slightly, for the smoke was steadily growing thicker.

It was no easy matter to reach the side entrance, for already half a
hundred people were striving to get through a doorway not much over two
feet wide. The air was filled with screams and exclamations of protest,
and for the time being in the theater it was as if bedlam had broken
loose.

"Are we all here?" came from Andy, as, with smarting eyes, he tried to
pierce the gloom.

"I'm here," answered his twin.

"So am I," came simultaneously from Jack and Fred.

Then Jack turned to the girl who was now beside him.

"Are all your friends with you?"

"I--I think so," she faltered; and then she added: "Annie, are Alice
and Jennie with you?"

"Yes. We're all here," came from somebody in the rear. "But, oh, do let
us get out! I can scarcely breathe!"

"I've lost my hat!" wailed another.

"Oh, never mind your hat, Alice, as long as we get out," came from the
girl who was next to Jack.

At last the crowd at the doorway thinned out, and a moment later the
four Rovers, pushing the girls ahead of them, managed to get outside.
They found themselves in a narrow alleyway, and from this hurried to
the street beyond.

"Oh, how glad I am that we are out of there!" exclaimed the girl who
had been sitting beside Jack.

"I'm glad myself," he added, wiping away the tears which the smoke had
started from his eyes.

"If only they all get out safely!" said one of the other girls.

"I don't know about that," answered Randy, seriously. "It was a bad
enough crush at that side door, but I think it was worse at the front
doors."

By this time everybody seemed to be out of the theater. An alarm of
fire had been sounded, and now a local chemical engine, followed by a
hook and ladder company, came rushing to the scene. There was, for
fully ten minutes, a good deal of excitement, but this presently died
down when it was learned positively that there was no fire outside the
metallic booth from which the pictures had been shown and where the
small explosion had occurred.

"It wasn't much of an explosion," explained the manager of the theater.
"It was more smoke than anything else."

"Yes. And I yelled to the crowd that there was no fire and that they
must keep cool," added the man who had been operating the moving
picture machine.

In the excitement several people had been knocked down, but fortunately
nobody had been hurt. A number of articles of wearing apparel had been
left in the theater.

"I wish I could get my hat," said the girl named Alice, wistfully. "I
don't want to go back to school bareheaded."

"What kind of a hat was it?" questioned Randy, who stood beside her.
"Maybe I can get it for you;" and then, after the girl had given him a
description of the head covering, he went off to question one of the
theater men about it. In a few minutes more he came back with the
missing property.

After Randy returned, the boys introduced themselves to the girls, and
learned that all of the latter were scholars at Clearwater Hall. The
leader of the party was Ruth Stevenson, who had sat next to Jack, while
her friends were Annie Larkins, Alice Strobell, Jennie Mason and May
Powell.

"I know a fellow named Powell quite well," remarked Jack, as the
last-named girl was introduced. "He goes to our school. His name is
Dick, but we all call him Spouter."

"Dick Powell is my cousin," answered May. And then she added smilingly:
"I've heard of you Rover boys before."

"Yes, and I've heard of you, too," broke in Ruth Stevenson.

"And who told you about us?" questioned Jack.

"Why, a big boy at your school--the head of the football team."

"Oh! do you know Gif Garrison?"

"Yes. I suppose you know him quite well?"

"Well, I should say so!" declared Jack. "Why, my cousin Fred here is
named after Gif Garrison's father. His father and my father were school
chums."

"Oh! Why then we know a lot of the same people, don't we? How nice!"
returned Ruth Stevenson, and smiled frankly at Jack.

After that the talk between the boys and the girls became general, and
each crowd told the other of how matters were going at their own
particular school.

"Yes, I've been up to Colby Hall several times to see the baseball and
the football games," said Ruth to Jack in answer to his question. "It's
certainly a splendid place."

"Some day, if you don't mind, I'll come over and take a look at
Clearwater Hall," he answered.

"Clearwater Hall! Say, that must be a fine place to get a drink!" piped
in Andy; and at this little joke all of the girls giggled.




CHAPTER XVII

THE GIRLS FROM CLEARWATER HALL


The Rover boys remained with the girls from Clearwater Hall for the
best part of half an hour after the scare at the moving picture
theater, and during that time the young folks became quite well
acquainted.

"We'll have to be getting back to our school now," said Ruth Stevenson,
presently.

"Oh, what's your hurry?" pleaded Jack. "Weren't you going to stay to
the pictures?"

"No. We were going to leave immediately after that reel they were
showing when the explosion occurred," the girl replied.

"Well, we've got to get back to Colby Hall in time for supper; but we
can make that easily enough--we are all good walkers."

"I should think you would ride in your auto-stage," put in Alice
Strobell. "I'd ride if we had a stage handy."

"The stage isn't down here now," answered Randy. "It only comes on
order."

The four boys walked with the girls to the end of a side street of the
town, and there the pupils from Clearwater Hall stopped to say
good-bye.

"We are very thankful for what you did for us at the theater," said
Ruth Stevenson. "You were very kind, indeed."

"You are regular heroes!" burst out May Powell, who by her merry eyes
showed that she was almost as full of fun as were the Rover twins. "I'm
going to write to Spouter and let him know all about it."

"And don't forget to mention the rescue of my hat," added Alice
Strobell with a giggle.

"I hope I have the pleasure of meeting you again, Miss Stevenson," said
Jack, in an aside to the oldest girl of the party.

"Well, maybe," she returned, looking at him frankly.

"I've enjoyed this afternoon very much--in spite of that excitement."

"Oh, so have I!" and now she cast down her eyes while a faint flush
stole into her cheeks.

"We won't dare say much about that trouble in the theater when we get
back to school," remarked Jennie Mason.

"That's right!" burst out Annie Larkins. "If we did, maybe Miss Garwood
would refuse to let us attend any more performances."

"Is Miss Garwood the head of your school?" questioned Randy.

"Yes. And let me tell you, she is a very particular and precise woman."

"I guess she isn't as precise and particular as one of our professors,"
was Andy's comment.

"Oh! do you mean that teacher they call old Lemon?" cried May Powell.

"Yes."

"We've met him a number of times. What a ridiculous man he is! I don't
understand why Colonel Colby keeps him."

"I saw you look at me when I spoke about that boat race," said Jack to
Ruth Stevenson. "Maybe you like to be out on the water?"

"Oh, I do--very much! You know we have boats at the school, and I often
go out with my friends."

"I like to row myself. Perhaps some day you'd like to go out with me?"
went on the oldest Rover, boldly.

"I'd have to ask permission first," answered the girl, and then dropped
her eyes. Evidently, however, the tentative invitation pleased her.

As was to be expected, the parting between the boys and the girls was a
rather prolonged affair, and it looked as if everybody was highly
pleased with everybody else. But at last Annie Larkins looked at a
wrist watch she wore and gave a little shriek.

"Oh, girls, we must be going! We ought to be at the school this
minute!"

"Then here is where we start the walking act," declared May Powell.
"Good-bye, everybody!" and away she hurried, leaving the others to
trail behind her.

"Don't forget about the row," said Jack in a low tone to Ruth
Stevenson.

"I'll remember--if I get the chance," she returned; and in a moment
more all of the girls were gone and the boys retraced their steps to
the center of the town.

"Pretty nice bunch," was Randy's comment.

"It's funny that Spouter Powell never told us he had such a nice
cousin," came from Fred.

"Hello, Fred's already smitten!" cried Jack, gaily.

"Huh! you needn't talk," retorted the youngest Rover. "How about
yourself? Didn't I catch you trying to make a date with that Ruth
Stevenson?"

"Oh, say, Fred! your ears are too big for your head," retorted Jack,
growing red, while Andy and Randy looked at each other suggestively.

By this time the excitement around the moving picture theater had died
away completely and the crowd had disappeared. The front doors were
closed, but the manager was just hanging out a sign to the effect that
the evening performances would be given as usual.

"I guess it was a big scare for nothing," was Randy's comment.

"The audience can be thankful that they got out without anybody being
hurt," returned Jack.

The boys made a few more purchases in Haven Point, and then started
back for Colby Hall.

"I wonder if those girls go to church in Haven Point on Sundays,"
remarked Jack, just before the Hall was reached.

"I don't know," answered Andy. "More than likely." His eyes began to
twinkle. "Thinking of going to church yourself, Jack?"

"Didn't we go to church when we were at home, Andy?"

"Sure," was the prompt reply.

"I think we can find out from Spouter or from some of the other
cadets," answered Fred. "I know the boys are allowed to go to whatever
church they please on Sundays." It may be as well to add here that on
week days regular chapel exercises were held at Colby Hall before the
ordinary classes were in session.

From Spouter Jack received the information he desired, which was to the
effect that his cousin May and a number of her chums generally attended
a church on the outskirts of Haven Point in the direction of Clearwater
Hall.

"If you say so, I'll go with you there to-morrow morning," continued
Spouter; and so the matter was arranged. At the church the cadets heard
a very good sermon, and after the services had the pleasure of
strolling with the girls as far as the entrance to their school
grounds.

Monday morning found the Rovers once more down to the grind of lessons.
So far they had gotten along very well. But on Tuesday the unfortunate
Andy had another run-in with Asa Lemm.

"This won't do at all, Rover," stormed the professor, after Andy had
given the wrong answer to a question. "You must pay more attention to
your studies."

"I'm doing the best I can, Professor," pleaded the youth.

"Nonsense! I don't believe a word of it. They tell me you spend most of
your time in horseplay. Now, that won't do at all. You must buckle down
to your studies or I shall have to take you in hand;" and Professor
Lemm glared at the lad as if ready to devour him.

"Say, Andy, you'll have to toe the chalk mark after this," whispered
his twin. "If you----"

"Silence there! I will have silence!" cried Asa Lemm, pounding on his
desk with a paper weight.

"I'll have one grand smash-up with that man some day," was Andy's
comment in speaking of the affair after the school session had closed.
"I can't stand his arbitrary ways."

"Oh, he's a lemon--and worse," returned his brother.

During that week there was an election of officers for the school
battalion, composed of Company A and Company B. The Rover boys, being
freshmen, could not compete for any position, even had they so desired;
but there was a good deal of electioneering among the cadets, and the
lads got quite a lot of fun out of it. The announcement of who was
elected was followed by a parade around the grounds and an unusually
good supper in the mess hall. Then the boys were allowed to gather at
one end of the parade ground near the river, where they soon had
several large bonfires burning, around which they danced, sang, and cut
up to their hearts' content.

The election had been a bitter disappointment to Slugger Brown and
Nappy Martell. Each had wanted to be an officer of the battalion, and
each had failed to get the required number of votes.

"It's that Gif Garrison-Spouter Powell crowd that did it," muttered
Slugger Brown. "I saw 'em working like troopers to defeat us."

"Yes. And those Rover boys worked against both of you, too," piped in
Codfish, who was present. "I watched 'em do it. They went all around
among the fellows they know electioneering for the others who were
running."

"It would be just like them to do it," muttered Nappy Martell,
gloomily.

"I thought you were going to fight that Jack Rover to a finish some
day?" questioned the sneak of the school.

"So I am--when I get the chance," returned Martell.

As soon as the election of officers was settled, the minds of a certain
number of cadets turned to football. Gif Garrison was busy arranging
his teams and placing the names of the players up on a big board in the
gymnasium.

"Hurrah!" shouted Fred, bursting in on Jack one afternoon while the
latter was busy in his room studying the next day's lessons. "Our names
are up on the board, Jack! Gif has put us up for a try-out on the scrub
eleven!"

"Is that so!" exclaimed his cousin, his face showing his satisfaction.
"Are you sure?"

"I am. I just came from the gymnasium. We are to report for practice
to-morrow afternoon at four o'clock."

"Is Andy or Randy up?"

"No. You remember they told Gif they didn't want to play football this
season."

The Rover boys soon learned that not only Gif but also Spouter, Ned
Lowe, Walt Baxter, and Slugger Brown were on the regular eleven. The
scrub team was made up largely from the freshmen class, although Dan
Soppinger and a few others of the older cadets who had never played on
the first team were also included.

"Now, I want all of you to do your very best," said Gif, at the close
of a long talk to the boys on what was required of them. "We'll have
nothing but squad work first, and then a game or two just to find out
how matters are shaping themselves."

As an aid Gif had Mr. Crews, the gymnasium instructor, who in his
younger days had been quite a football player. Between the pair matters
took shape rapidly, and by the end of the week the scrub was in shape
to play a game against the regulars.

As was to be expected, this opening contest was a decidedly ragged one,
even the regular team making many plays which caused hearty laughter.

"You fellows have all got to do better if we want to win any matches,"
declared Gif. "Now then, go at it as if you meant it and see that you
mind the rules." And after that the playing showed gradual improvement.

Colonel Colby had not forgotten his own football days, and one
afternoon he came down to the field to see what progress his pupils
were making.

"Be on the alert when the signals are given," he said. "The signals,"
he added, "count for a good deal."

With the master of the school present, the cadets put forth renewed
efforts and the playing became actually snappy. There were several
well-earned runs, and once Jack managed to kick a goal from the field
which brought forth considerable applause.

"Keep it up, Jack! You're doing fine!" were Gif's encouraging words.

"Thanks. I'll do the best I know how," was the rejoinder.

Fred was also working hard, and a little later he made a run which
netted the scrub team fifteen yards.

"Fine! Fine!" cried his cousin encouragingly.

"That was well played," announced Gif. "But I want every man on the
field to do better than he has been doing," he added, stiffening up,
for he knew that a captain can only get out of his men the best that is
in them by thus urging them on.

During several of the plays Jack had come into contact with Slugger
Brown, and the big fellow showed that he had no friendly feeling for
the Rover boy.

"You be careful," warned Jack, when Brown started once to tackle him
unfairly. But the big fellow merely grinned in a sarcastic fashion.
Then, less than two minutes later and while there was a wild rush on,
Slugger Brown, by a sidelong and unexpected leap, hurled Jack to the
ground and spiked him in the leg with his shoe.




CHAPTER XVIII

SLUGGER BROWN IS EXPOSED


To be thrown down so violently was bad enough, but to be spiked in the
leg hurt so much that Jack could not repress a gasp of pain.

"Get off of me, Brown!" he panted when he could speak. "What do you
mean by spiking me that way?"

"Didn't spike you!" retorted Slugger Brown, scowling viciously.

The whistle blew and Gif came running towards the pair. "What's the
matter?" he demanded.

"Brown tackled me unfairly and then spiked me," answered Jack.

"It's false!" roared the accused one. "I threw him down according to
the rules and I didn't spike him at all!"

The pain in Jack's leg was so intense that he could hardly stand. Fred
and some others came rushing to his assistance, and between them he
managed to hobble to a bench at the side of the football field. A crowd
began to collect, and all wanted to know what had gone wrong.

"Let us take a look at your leg, Rover," said Mr. Crews. "That will
show whether you were spiked or not." The limb was exposed, and then a
cry of dismay went up.

"Why, look there--it's all bloody! Slugger Brown must have spiked him
for keeps!"

"That's a shame--if he did it on purpose. He has no right to have
spikes in his shoes."

"I didn't do it on purpose! It was an accident!" cried the accused
player. "I didn't know I had spiked him or that I had spikes. Maybe he
cut himself on a stone or something like that."

"No; he has been spiked," announced the gymnasium instructor, after
examining the wound. "Come, Rover; we'll go to the gymnasium and I'll
attend to that and bind it up for you."

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Brown, for doing such a thing to
my cousin," said Fred.

"That's right!" broke in Randy, who had come up.

"You stop your talking!" answered Slugger Brown, uneasily. "It was an
accident, I tell you. Anybody on the team might have done it."

Colonel Colby had been on the other side of the field, but now he came
hurrying forward to see what was amiss. He told Mr. Crews to do
everything that was necessary for Jack, and then turned to Gif.

"I think it would be as well for you to retire Brown for the present,"
he said in a low voice.

"Just what I was going to do," answered the football captain quickly.
"We'll have to investigate this matter after the game is over."

"I don't see why I should be put off the team!" cried Slugger Brown,
when notified that a substitute would take his place. "It was an
accident and nothing else."

"We'll see about that later, Brown," answered Gif briefly. "Anyway, you
had no right to have spikes on your shoes."

With one substitute in place of Brown and another playing Jack's
position, the game went on and came to a finish in favor of the regular
team by a score of 22 to 16.

"Not such a very good showing for the regulars," was Gif's comment.

"Maybe, if Jack had been in shape to play, we might have beaten you,"
remarked Fred, grimly.

"Oh, I'm not willing to admit that," answered the football captain.
"Just the same, some of you fellows on the scrub did very well, indeed.
I'm going to continue to keep my eyes on all of you."

Down in the gymnasium the wound inflicted by the spikes in Slugger
Brown's shoe had been carefully washed and dressed by Mr. Crews and
then bandaged.

"I don't think you'll have any great trouble from it, Rover," remarked
the gymnasium instructor. "But, just the same, you had better favor
that leg for a few days."