"Then you wouldn't advise me to play football?" questioned Jack in
dismay.

"Not for the next few days. After that I think you'll be all right."

As soon as the game was over, Gif, aided by Mr. Crews, began an
investigation, closely questioning all of the players and those looking
on who had seen the encounter between Brown and Jack. Of course, there
were various versions of the affair, but the consensus of opinions
seemed to be that the tackle had been an unfair one and that Brown
could have avoided spiking Jack had he been more careful. It was
likewise considered unfair to use spiked shoes even in a practice game.

"I guess he did it just to be nasty," said Gif to Mr. Crews. "You see,
he and Nappy Martell and that crowd are all down on the Rovers."

"I know nothing about the quarrels between the cadets," was Mr. Crews'
reply. "But I do know that spiking anyone on purpose cannot be
permitted in this institution. I recommend, Garrison, that Brown be
suspended from the team."

This was going a little further than Gif had anticipated. He knew that
Brown was a fairly good player, carrying considerable weight, and that
the cadet's heart would be almost broken if he was taken out of the
games entirely.

"Don't you think, Mr. Crews, it would be going far enough if I put him
on the bench with the substitutes?" he pleaded. "To be thrown out of
the team entirely is a terrible blow for any one."

"But we expect our cadets to act like young gentlemen and not like
brutes, Garrison," returned the gymnastic instructor warmly. "However,
if you wish to place Brown among the substitutes, I will not oppose
you. His weight might help you to win some game if it was running very
close and some of your best players dropped out." And so it was
arranged.

Slugger Brown had been very anxious to know what the outcome of the
matter would be. He was far from appeased when he received the
notification that, while he would be retained on the regular team, it
would be only as a substitute.

"A substitute, eh?" he said sarcastically to Gif. "So that is the way
you are going to punish me for something that couldn't be helped."

"Mr. Crews and I went into the details of the affair, Brown," answered
the football captain. "Mr. Crews wanted to put you off the team
entirely. It was only through my efforts that you are to remain as a
substitute."

"I've been the mainstay of our football eleven ever since it was
organized!" stormed Slugger Brown. "I helped to win every victory that
came our way."

"I'm not denying that you play well. But, just the same, if you'll
remember, you've been warned of your brutal attacks before. In that
game with Hixley High last Fall, the left tackle said, if you will
remember, that you ought to be handed over to the police. Now Mr. Crews
says--and I agree with him--that we've got to play in a clean-cut
fashion, free from all needless brutality."

"Bah! I won't listen to you," howled Slugger Brown. "You're in with
those Rovers, and that whole crowd is down on me just because I am
chummy with Nappy Martell. I won't stand for it! If I can't play on the
regular team, I won't play at all!"

"Very well then, you can suit yourself about that," answered Gif; and
to avoid further argument he walked away, leaving the big youth in
anything but a pleasant frame of mind.

The interview had taken place in the gymnasium, and presently Slugger
Brown was joined by Nappy Martell and three or four other cronies,
including Codfish.

"It's an outrage!" was Martell's comment, when Slugger had told of what
had occurred. "I wouldn't stand for it! No wonder you told him you
wouldn't play on the eleven any more."

"A team that has got a captain like that doesn't deserve to win," was
the comment of one of the other cadets.

"Say, Slugger, why don't you get to work and see if you can't boost Gif
Garrison out of his place? He has no more right to be captain of the
eleven than you have."

"Easy enough to say," growled Brown. "But Garrison has too many of the
fellows under his thumb. Oh, I don't care--they can go to grass with
their old football games!" And then Slugger Brown stalked off by
himself to nurse his wrath as best he could. He was very bitter against
Jack.

"It's all that Rover boy's fault," he muttered to himself. "I don't
wonder Nappy is down on that crowd."

The recent cold snap had given way to weather that was quite balmy;
and, being unable to put in his off time in football practice, Jack
remembered what he had said to Ruth Stevenson about a row on the river.
He consulted with Fred, and then the pair managed to get a message to
both Ruth and May Powell; and in return received word that the two
girls would be pleased to go out the following afternoon about four
o'clock.

"Gee! you fellows will have a dandy time," remarked Randy, when he
heard of this. "Why didn't you let us know?"

"Four in one of those rowboats is about enough," answered Jack. "But if
you and Andy want to go out, why don't you get another boat and send
word to a couple of the other girls?"

"All right! Let's do it," answered Andy, quickly; and the upshot of the
matter was that they telephoned over to Clearwater Hall and made an
arrangement with Alice Strobell and Annie Larkins.

"It's a shame we can't ask Jennie Mason, too," said Randy, who
remembered the fifth girl who had been in the crowd at the moving
picture theater.

"You won't have to worry about Jennie," answered Alice Strobell, over
the telephone. "She has a date with somebody else."

The Rover boys had already arranged about the boats, and promptly on
time they set off down the river in the direction of the lake. They had
to row past the several docks of the town, and then drew up at a small
wharf, leading up to the Clearwater Hall grounds.

When the girls appeared, they were accompanied by one of the teachers,
who had been sent down, evidently, for the purpose of looking the
cadets over.

"Now remember, do not stay out any later than six o'clock," said the
teacher, as the girls were entering the two rowboats, assisted by the
boys.

"Oh, we'll have to come back a little before that time," answered Jack.
"You see, we are due at Colby Hall at that hour."

"Very well then," said the teacher. "I trust you all have a pleasant
time," and she smiled.

"Oh, we'll have a good time--don't worry," sang out Andy, gaily.

"To be sure we will," echoed May Powell.

And then, with the girls safely seated in the two rowboats, the boys
took up the oars, and the little outing on Clearwater Lake was begun.




CHAPTER XIX

A SQUALL ON THE LAKE


"It's too bad we don't happen to have a motor boat up here," remarked
Jack, as he and Fred bent to the oars of their rowboat.

"You mustn't work too hard," came from Ruth.

"I wasn't thinking of that," answered the oldest Rover boy quickly. "I
was only thinking if we had a motor boat we could go farther."

"They are going to have a motor boat or two at Colby Hall next
Spring--I heard Colonel Colby speaking about it," put in Fred.

"That will be very fine," remarked May. "I suppose you'll give us a
ride once in a while?" she added, her eyes twinkling.

"Sure!" responded the youngest Rover, quickly.

"Hi--over there!" came from Andy, as he and his twin bent to the oars.
"Want to race?"

"Of course--if you'd like to!" responded Jack.

"Oh, a race!" exclaimed Alice Strobell. "Won't that be fine!"

"There won't be any danger, will there?" questioned Annie Larkins,
anxiously.

"No danger whatever, so long as we keep far enough apart," answered
Randy. "And we'll do that, because we expect to leave them far behind."

"Not much you won't leave us behind!" retorted Fred. And then he added:
"Are you ready?"

"Wait a minute until we have the young ladies seated just right,"
answered Andy. And then, turning to the two girls in the boat with him,
he continued gaily: "Now sit right in the center of the boat, please;
and be sure to have your hair parted exactly in the middle;" and at
this both girls shrieked with laughter.

With their passengers seated to their satisfaction, the four Rovers
prepared for the race.

"Where are we going to race to?" questioned Jack.

"I don't know," answered Randy. "Can any of you tell me?" he went on,
appealing to the pupils from Clearwater Hall.

"You might race to the near end of Foxtail Island," suggested Ruth, and
pointed to an island some distance down the lake.

"That suits!" cried Jack.

"The first one to reach the dock at the end of the island wins the
race," announced May.

"And what's the prize?" questioned Fred.

"Oh, the prize will be the pleasure of rowing back," answered May, and
at this little joke there was a general laugh.

"Now please don't tip us overboard," pleaded Alice.

"Nary a tip," answered Randy.

"We're not looking for tips," broke in Andy, quickly. "We are going to
do this free, gratis, for nothing," and at this pun there was another
laugh. Then Jack gave the signal, and away the two rowboats started on
the race.

Of course, it was only a friendly affair, and none of the boys rowed as
hard as he would have done in a regular contest. Nevertheless, each
craft made good progress over the sparkling waters of the lake.

"Oh, my! you certainly can row," remarked Ruth to Jack and Fred, as
their craft drew ahead.

"Oh, we're not warmed up yet," was Jack's reply.

"We could do much better if we were in regular rowing togs," explained
Fred.

"Hi you! What do you mean by going ahead?" piped out Randy. "Come on,
Andy, or they'll beat us."

"Maybe they can beat a drum, but they can't beat us," cried Andy.

And then he and his twin increased their strokes so that presently
their boat was once more beside the other.

The girls were as much interested as the boys in the impromptu race,
and they soon began to shout words of encouragement.

"Pull! pull! we're going to win!" cried May.

"Not a bit of it! Our boat will get there first!" sang out Alice.

"You can't beat us!" came from Annie.

"He crows best who crows last," cried Ruth.

"Right you are!" came pantingly from Jack; and then, as he saw the look
of encouragement in Ruth's face, he redoubled his efforts. Fred did the
same, and when they came into plain view of the tiny dock at the end of
Foxtail Island their boat was two full lengths ahead of the other.

"Hi you! What kind of a race is this, anyhow?" shouted out Andy, gaily.
"Why don't you keep side by side and be sociable?"

"Sour grapes!" roared Fred. "Here is where we win!" and in a moment
more he and Jack sent their boat up to the side of the little dock.
Almost immediately the second craft followed.

"I think all of you did very well," remarked Ruth, consolingly.

"Anyway, we came in a close second," remarked Randy.

"We would have won if it hadn't been for one thing--just one thing,"
remarked Andy, solemnly.

"Why, what was that?" questioned several of the others quickly.

"That was the fact that the other boat"--Andy drew a deep breath--"came
in first." At this the girls shrieked with laughter and the other boys
set up a howl.

"Pitch him into the lake!"

"That's right! Give him a bath!"

"A ducking will do him good--he needs to be cooled off!"

"Not much! No bath for me!" cried Andy, quickly, and lost no time in
leaping to the dock, where, in the exuberance of his spirits, he turned
several handsprings, much to the amusement of the girls.

"Is there anything worth seeing on this island?" questioned Jack, when
the excitement of the race was over.

"There isn't anything here that I know of," answered Ruth. "In the
summer time people come here to picnic. There is a nice spring of water
in the center of the island."

"Let's go and get a drink," said Fred. "That race made me thirsty;" and
off the whole party trooped to the spring.

The young folks had a good time at the spring and in exploring the
little island, which had a hill at one end covered with trees. They
found some chestnuts and also a few hickory nuts, and these the boys
opened for the girls' benefit.

"I suppose we had better go on and finish the row," remarked Jack to
Ruth, presently. "That is, unless you girls would rather wander through
the woods."

"Oh, it's nice enough here on the island," she answered. "Remember,
you'll have quite a row back to the school and then to Colby Hall."

"Oh, let's stay here for a while," put in Alice. "Maybe we'll be able
to find more nuts."

They hunted around, and presently discovered another large chestnut
tree which was fairly loaded. The boys threw up sticks and stones, and
brought down a big shower.

"If I had known this, we might have brought along a pillowcase for the
nuts," said Fred.

"We can come back some day if we want to," returned Randy.

Before leaving the island the young folks decided to go back to where
the spring was located, so as to get another drink and also to wash
their hands. On this trip, in speaking about the excitement at the
moving picture theater, Randy chanced to mention Jennie Mason's name.

"Jennie is a nice girl," answered Annie Larkins, to whom he was
speaking, "but she does some things that I do not approve of. Do you
know a cadet at your Hall named Napoleon Martell--I think they call him
Nappy for short?"

"Do we know him!" exclaimed Randy. "I should say we did!"

"Oh! is that so?" Annie looked at him searchingly. "Is he a friend of
yours?"

"No; I can't say that he is. To tell you the truth, he doesn't like us
at all."

"If that's the case, I don't mind speaking to you about Jennie," went
on the girl. "You know, Jennie comes from New York City. And down there
she met Nappy Martell quite a few times, and they became well
acquainted. But Jennie's folks don't approve of him at all; and they
don't want her to go with him." And here Annie paused.

"And do you mean to say she does go with him, anyhow?" queried the
Rover boy.

"Yes. She goes out to meet him whenever she can get the chance," was
the reply. "You are sure you don't approve of him?"

"Not in the least. In fact, to tell the truth, we have no use for him
or the bunch he trains with."

"I see. Well, all of us think it is perfectly dreadful the way Jennie
accepts Martell's invitations. Of course, we don't want to tell on her,
either in school or to her folks, and yet none of us think it is
right."

"Does he take her out much?"

"Oh, as much as they dare to go. He takes her out sailing on the lake
and to the moving picture shows, and once they went off together on a
picnic to the Clearwater Country Club. The places were all right in
themselves, but I know Jennie's folks don't want her to be seen in the
company of Nappy Martell. He is so loud and forward."

"You can't tell us anything about Martell being loud and forward,"
answered Randy, readily. "We all know him to be a regular bully.
Besides that, when he isn't in uniform, he wears the loudest kind of
clothes--just as if he wanted to make an exhibition of himself."

"Jennie went out with him this afternoon," continued Annie. "Where they
went to, I do not know. But I think they hired a motor boat and went
across the lake."

"Does Martell know how to run a motor boat?"

"Oh, yes. He told Jennie that he owned a motor boat on the Hudson
River--a boat his father gave him for a birthday present."

Randy and the girl had dropped a little behind the others, who now
waited for them to come up.

"I think we had better be getting back," said Jack. "It isn't as clear
as it was before, and it is beginning to blow."

"Yes, we'll get back," returned Randy, with a look at the sky. He knew
that a blow on the lake might be no trifling matter.

On the way over to the island the sun had been clear and warm. Now,
however, it was hidden under a dark bank of clouds, which were coming
up quickly from the west. The wind was already blowing freely, and out
on the bosom of the lake the water was roughing up in tiny ripples.

"All aboard, everybody!" sang out Jack. And then turning to his cousins
he added in a low voice: "We mustn't lose a minute of time in getting
back. This blow is going to be a heavy one."

The girls were soon seated in the rowboats, and then the four Rovers
lost no time in casting off from the little dock and in starting to row
towards Clearwater Hall. As they proceeded, the sky kept growing darker
and darker while the wind grew stronger and stronger.

"We're in for a squall all right enough," murmured Randy, as he and
Andy bent to their oars with vigor.

"Gee! I only hope we can reach the shore before it strikes us," was the
response.

"Row for all you're worth, boys!" sang out Jack from the other boat.
"Bend to it just as if you were in a race!"

And then he and Fred, as well as the twins, settled down to the task of
trying to outrace the oncoming squall.




CHAPTER XX

IN GREAT PERIL


As those who have had any experience know, a squall on a lake encircled
by hills sometimes comes up very quickly, and this is what happened in
the present case. Hardly had the two rowboats covered a quarter of the
distance to the shore, when the wind came whistling across the bosom of
the lake, sending the whitecaps tumbling in all directions.

"Oh, dear, just look how rough the water is getting!" remarked Ruth in
alarm.

"And how the wind is blowing!" added May.

In the other boat the girls were even more fearful, and Andy and Randy
had all they could do to make them sit still.

"Don't shift," pleaded Randy. "We don't want to ship any water."

"Oh, dear! If only we were safe on shore!" wailed Alice.

"I didn't think it looked like a storm when we left the school," added
Annie, in dismay.

"This is only a squall. It may blow itself out in a few minutes,"
returned Randy, although to himself he admitted that the squall looked
as though it might last for some time.

Battling as best they could against the wind and the whitecaps, the
Rover boys strove to reach the shore in the vicinity of the girls'
school. But the wind was blowing directly down Clearwater Lake and
threatened more than once to capsize them.

"Gee, Jack, this is getting serious!" panted Fred, as he looked
questioningly at his cousin.

The same thought had come into the minds of each of the boys. Could the
girls swim? They wished they knew, but did not dare to ask any
questions for fear of further alarming their passengers.

"I guess we had better head up into the wind. It's the safest thing to
do," cried Jack. And then, raising his voice to be heard above the
whistling of the elements, he added: "Head up! Don't take those waves
sideways! Head up!"

The others understood, and in a minute more both of the boats were
heading directly into the wind. This prevented either of the craft from
swamping, but caused the spray to hit the bow more than once, sending a
shower of water over everybody.

"Oh, dear! I'm getting wet!" wailed May.

"Do you think you can reach shore?" questioned Ruth of Jack; and her
wide-open eyes showed her terror.

"We can't head for the school just now," he answered. "We'll have to
keep pulling up against the wind until it lets up a little."

"Oh, but we sha'n't upset, shall we?" came from Spouter Powell's
cousin.

"I don't think so. Anyway, we are going to do our best to prevent it,"
answered Fred.

Keeping as close together as they dared, the two rowboats continued to
head up into the wind, which still blew as hard as ever. In the sky the
clouds were shifting, and Jack and his cousins had great hopes that ere
long the sudden squall would blow itself out.

"Here comes a motor boat up behind us!" cried Ruth, presently.

All looked in that direction and saw a fair-sized craft coming up the
lake. She was making good speed in spite of the whitecaps, and was
sending the spray flying in all directions.

"I think that is the boat Jennie Mason was going out in," remarked
Annie to Randy. "Yes; I am sure it is," she added a minute later, as
the motor boat came closer. "There is Mr. Martell at the wheel now."

The discovery that Nappy Martell was running the oncoming motor boat
had also been made by those occupying the other rowboat.

"It's Martell! And there is Slugger Brown with him!" cried Fred.

"Isn't one of those girls Miss Mason?" questioned Jack.

"Yes. And Ida Brierley, one of our girls, is with her," answered Ruth.
Her manner indicated that the discovery did not altogether please her.

"Maybe we can get that motor boat to pull us in," suggested May. "They
could do it easily enough."

"So they could," answered Fred. "But I doubt if those two fellows who
are running it would like to undertake the job. They go to Colby Hall,
but they are no friends of ours."

"Yes, but they ought not to let their enmity stand between us in a time
like this," said Jack. "If they were in the rowboats and I was in the
motor boat, I'd give them help quick enough."

As the motor boat drew nearer, it prepared to pass close to the craft
manned by Jack and Fred. As it came closer, Jennie Mason gave a cry of
surprise.

"Oh, look! look! There are those Rover boys, and some of our girls are
with them!"

"I'm glad I am not out in a rowboat," said Ida Brierley. "I'd be afraid
of getting a good ducking."

"Ahoy there, on the motor boat!" sang out Fred, as the craft came
alongside. "Can't you fellows give us a tow? We have plenty of rope."

"This motor boat wasn't built for towing," answered Nappy Martell,
roughly.

"We're having a terrible time of it against this wind," put in Jack. He
would not have asked for assistance on his own account, but he was
thinking of the girls. He knew that all of them were badly frightened.

"Oh, yes! please tow us in!" came from May.

"Yes! please do!" added Ruth.

"It's so far to the shore!" came from Annie.

"And we're afraid we'll get wet through and through!" cried Alice.

"You ought to do something for them," declared Jennie Mason, who had
herself become frightened over the roughness of the lake.

"I'm not going to tow those Rovers in," muttered Nappy Martell. "You
wouldn't do it, would you, Slugger?"

"Not much! Let 'em take care of themselves," was the heartless answer.

"Oh! but they may be drowned!" gasped Jennie.

"Nothing of the sort. This is only a little wind, and it will soon die
down. If those Rovers have to break their backs rowing, it will do 'em
good!"

"If you don't tow us in, you'll be the meanest fellow on earth," sang
out Andy.

"I wouldn't have your disposition for a million dollars," added his
twin.

"Aw! go chase yourselves!" retorted Slugger Brown, heartlessly.

"We're not helping fellows like you," came from Nappy Martell. Then the
motor boat passed on and was soon all but lost in the distance.

"Of all the mean people!" cried Ruth.

"I shouldn't think Jennie Mason would stand for such meanness,"
declared May. "Nor Ida Brierley, either."

The motor boat having gone on and left them to their fate, the Rover
boys continued pulling on the oars. It was hard, laborious work, and
soon Andy and Fred were all but exhausted. Jack and Randy, however, had
now gotten their second wind, so to speak, and they continued their
efforts with unabated vigor.

"It was as mean as dirt for them to leave us out here when they could
have towed us in with ease," panted Fred. "Just you wait--I'll let the
whole school know of this!"

"Don't talk! Save your wind. We can talk afterwards," returned his
cousin.

The next quarter of an hour was one which none of the girls or boys
ever forgot. The Rovers continued to battle with the wind and the waves
with all the energy left to them, while the girls crouched down on the
seats almost speechless with fear. Occasionally, the waves would hit
the bow of one rowboat or the other, sending a shower of water over the
occupants.

"I--think--it's--letting up--a--bit," panted Jack, presently, and
glanced up at the sky.

"Oh, if only it would!" breathed Ruth.

The boat containing the others had dropped slightly behind, but now
Jack and Fred held back until it was once more alongside.

"Oh, did you ever see such a storm!" wailed Alice.

"I don't think I'll ever want to go out in a rowboat again," was
Annie's bitter comment.

"I think the wind is beginning to die down," said Ruth, encouragingly.

"Let--us--hope--so," came in jerks from Jack. He was still rowing, but
his arms felt as if they were being torn from their sockets.

They had now covered nearly half the distance to the upper end of the
lake, but they were just as far from the western shore as ever. Now,
however, as the wind began to die down, they turned slightly in the
direction of Haven Point.

"It won't matter where we land," declared Ruth. "We can easily walk
back to the school."

The sun was still under a cloud, but now the wind went down more than
ever. The surface of the lake, however, was still much troubled, and
the boys had all they could do to make any progress towards the shore.

"Oh, you must be very tired!" said Ruth to Jack.

"Never--mind--we'll--reach--shore--somehow," he answered. Then she said
no more, because she knew it was painful for him to speak.

The four boys continued to row on, and in about a quarter of an hour
came within plain view of the shore, at a point some distance beyond
Clearwater Hall and the town.

"Oh, look! Something is the matter down by the lumber yards," remarked
Alice, presently. "See the men running!" She pointed, and those in both
rowboats looked in that direction.

"I don't see anything wrong," said Ruth.

"I do!" cried May, and gave a little shriek. "Look! look! A whole lot
of lumber is drifting this way!"

"Some--thing--broken--lose," gasped Jack. "Maybe--a--lumber--raft."

And that was just what had happened. In a manner to be explained later,
a lumber raft being towed up the lake by a steam tug had not only
broken away, but likewise had broken apart, and the timbers which had
composed it were now floating around over a large area of Clearwater
Lake.

In another minute the two rowboats were in the very midst of the
drifting timbers and in great danger of being upset.




CHAPTER XXI

ASSISTANCE REFUSED


"My gracious! look at the lumber floating around!"

"Be careful, boys! Don't get hit if you can help it!"

"One of those timbers is heavy enough to send us to the bottom!"

"Oh, dear! Do you think we'll be smashed up?"

Such were some of the cries which rent the air as the Rover boys and
the girls with them found themselves in the midst of the wreckage from
the broken-apart lumber raft.

On all sides of them heavy sticks of timber were bobbing up and down on
the whitecaps, and presently one of these bumped into the craft
occupied by Jack and Fred and two of the girls. The rowboat careened so
much that quite a large quantity of water was shipped, which made Ruth
and May scream in fright.

"Stand up in the bow, Fred, and see if you--can--ward--them--off!"
gasped Jack as well as his semi-exhausted condition would permit. "I'll
stick to--the--oars."

He knew he must keep the rowboat headed up into the wind, for the
squall had not yet subsided sufficiently to allow of their taking it
sidewise.

A moment later came a cry from the other rowboat as the craft slipped
up and over several large sticks of timber.

[Illustration: THE CRAFT SLIPPED UP AND OVER SEVERAL LARGE STICKS
OF TIMBER.
_Page_ 207]

"Gosh! that was a narrow escape!" was Andy's comment, as the craft
finally righted itself.

"Oh, dear! if only we were on shore once more!" wailed Annie, for at
least the tenth time.

"I never dreamed that we would have such a dreadful experience as
this!" came from Alice.

Randy said nothing, but continued to row, while Andy did the same as
Fred was doing, both trying their best to ward off the heavy sticks
which came floating towards them every minute or two.

Not far away was a steam tug, and presently two other boats came from
the shore, both bent upon saving all that was possible of the
broken-apart lumber raft.

"We'll pick you up if you have much trouble," cried the captain of the
steam tug, as he ran a course between the two rowboats. "But don't ask
us to do it unless it's necessary, for we want to round up this
floating lumber before it gets away from us, if it can be done."

"Thank you!" gasped out Jack, in return. "Maybe we
can--make--the--shore. The wind seems--to--be--going--down."

"Sure, we'll make it!" put in Randy. The fright of the girls in his
boat had somewhat nettled him and he was resolved to land them safely
without assistance.

But it was a time of peril as well as exhausting effort; and all of the
Rovers were glad enough when the last of the drifting lumber was passed
and they came within hailing distance of the shore. The wind had now
gone down considerably, and most of this was to be felt farther out on
the lake.

"Let us take them right down to the school dock," sang out Randy. "We
can turn down the lake, and the wind will be just strong enough to help
us;" and so it was arranged.

When the two rowboats came within sight of the school dock, those on
board found fully a dozen of the scholars there, along with two of the
teachers.

"Are you safe?" cried one of the teachers, as soon as the boats came
within hailing distance.

"Yes, Miss Glover. We are all right," answered Ruth.

"Only we are rather wet," added May.

"And I'm awfully glad to get back," broke in Annie, who was fairly
shivering over her trying experience.

"Well, anyway, I think you cadets did perfectly splendid," remarked
Alice.

"Indeed they did!" broke out Ruth, quickly. "I don't believe anyone
could have managed these boats better;" and she bestowed a glance of
admiration first on Jack and then on his cousins.

"It was a terrible blow, and it came up so quickly that we all grew
alarmed for your safety," said Miss Glover.

"And then to think that you must get mixed up with that drifting
lumber!" put in the other teacher. "The squall was bad enough without
having anything like that happen."

"It's too bad the lumbermen had their big raft go apart like that," was
Jack's comment. "I guess those big sticks of timber are worth a good
deal of money."

"They couldn't have had the raft chained together very tightly," said
Miss Glover, who had come from a lumbering community where rafting was
frequent. "I never heard of a raft going to pieces like that."

"Well, I don't know much about lumber rafts," answered Jack.

"Say, can't we leave our two rowboats here and ride back to the Hall?"
questioned Randy. "I don't want to do any more rowing if I can help
it."

"Of course you can leave your boats here," answered Miss Glover, and
she showed where the craft might be stowed away in the boathouse. All
of the Rovers were glad enough to give up further work at the oars.

"I am awfully sorry our little outing turned out as it did," remarked
Jack to Ruth.

"And it was too bad to frighten you so," added Randy, to all of the
girls.

"Oh, it wasn't your fault that the squall came up," answered Ruth.
"And, besides that, now it is over I think I rather enjoyed the
adventure--that is. I'll enjoy telling about it," she corrected.

"Some day I hope we'll be able to spend a nicer time together," said
Jack.

"Perhaps," murmured Ruth, and blushed.

Before the Rovers left for Colby Hall, they asked if Jennie Mason and
Ida Brierley had returned.

"They have not come back yet," answered one of the teachers. "We saw
them going up the lake against the wind. We were a little bit worried,
but I presume the motor boat can take care of itself in quite a blow."

"All they've got to do is to turn on the gasolene, while in a rowboat
sometimes a fellow's muscles give out," was Andy's comment, and this
caused a smile.

After bidding the girls and the others good-bye, the four Rovers walked
towards the town. There they were fortunate enough to find the Hall
auto-stage, and were soon at the school once more.

"Gee! but my arms ache!" was Fred's remark on the way. "The muscles
hurt so I can hardly keep still."

"You'd better bathe them well with witch hazel or alcohol," returned
Jack. "My muscles feel sore, too."

"It took the wind right out of me," came from Andy. "Funny, too--with
so much wind all around," he added merrily.

"I can't help but think of how Martell and Brown treated us," said
Randy, seriously. "It was as mean as dirt!"

"I believe they would have left us there to drown!" added Fred.

"Oh, I wouldn't like to think that of them," broke in Jack. "Just the
same, it was a very dirty thing to do. Not on our account so much as on
account of the girls."

When the boys got back, the first person they met was Spouter, who
wanted to know how his cousin May had enjoyed the outing. He listened
in some alarm to the story the Rovers had to relate.

"It was a narrow shave all right," was the comment. And then his face
took on a stern look. "And to think Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown
treated you that way! Those fellows ought to be run out of this
school!"

The squall on the lake had been noticed by some of the other cadets who
had been out on the river; and the news soon spread of the danger into
which the Rovers and their companions had run. Gif, Ned, Walt, and
several others wanted to know the particulars of the affair, and all
were loud in their denunciation of the cadets who had been running the
motor boat.

"Spouter is right!" declared Gif. "Those fellows ought to be run out of
Colby Hall!"

"After this I want nothing more to do with them!" added Ned.

"I wonder what they would say if some of you had been drowned,"
remarked Walt.

"Makes me want to pitch into 'em," came from Fatty, who was present.
"But then, in one way, it's a pity to dirty one's hands on such cattle
as that."

Of course, the Rover boys had come in late for supper. Professor Lemm
had started to find fault with Andy and Fred for this, but he was
quickly stopped by Colonel Colby, who had come up to learn the
particulars of what had occurred.

"I heard you were out in that big blow," remarked the colonel. "I trust
none of you suffered from it."

"Well, we had rather a narrow escape," answered Fred. Then he and Andy
gave a brief outline of what had happened, not forgetting to mention
how Martell and Brown had left them to their fate.

"Too bad! too bad!" murmured the colonel, shaking his head slightly. "I
did not think that any of our cadets would do such a thing;" and then
he walked away in a very thoughtful mood.

"I wonder what he'll say to Brown and Martell," mused Fred, as, after
being dismissed by Professor Lemm, they hurried to the mess hall. As
they were late, they had missed the parade.

"Maybe he'll give 'em a piece of his mind. I hope he does," answered
his cousin.

Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown did not appear until supper was almost
over. Both had a gloomy look, as if something had gone decidedly wrong.
They glared sourly at the Rover boys and their chums, and then sat down
to their meal without saying a word to anybody.

"I'll wager something slipped a cog with them," whispered Fred to Jack.

"I've got an idea," returned the oldest of the Rover boys. "Maybe
Jennie Mason and that other girl who were out in the motor boat gave
them a piece of their mind for not aiding us."

"Oh, I hope they did, Jack!"

"It wouldn't be anything to wonder at. That Jennie Mason seemed to be a
nice girl, and I don't think she would stand for any such meanness."

Jack's surmise concerning what had happened to Nappy and Slugger was
correct. The two girls had pleaded with the two cadets to go back and
give those in the rowboats aid. And after much argument, in which Nappy
and Slugger had proved that they were anything but young gentlemen, the
girls had politely asked to be taken ashore. This had brought on
something of a quarrel, and in the end the two cadets had taken the
girls to a dock near the lumber yards and quite a distance from
Clearwater Hall.

"Now you can have the fun of walking to the school," had been Nappy
Martell's final words.

"And I don't think you'll go out with us again in a hurry," Slugger
Brown had added.

"I'll never go out with you again," Ida Brierley had answered.

"And I'd much prefer to walk to the school alone than to ride any
further with you in the motor boat," Jennie Mason had added; and thus
the four had parted, the two girls resolving in their hearts never to
have anything more to do with Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown.




CHAPTER XXII

THE MEETING WITH HIXLEY HIGH


Football talk now filled the air at Colby Hall, and for the time being
most of the cadets forgot about how the Rovers had been treated on the
lake by Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown.

Nappy was particularly angry, because of the way he had been treated by
Jennie Mason, on whom he had been sweet ever since they had become
acquainted. Slugger, too, was hurt over what the girls had said about
his meanness. But he was far more put out over the fact that he could
act only as a substitute on the regular eleven, and that Gif Garrison
had finally concluded to put Jack in his place. Fred had not won out
for the first eleven, but Gif had told him he stood so high on the
scrub that he might possibly make the team before the season came to an
end.

"It's all those Rovers' fault," growled Slugger Brown to Martell.

"Of course it is!" was the unreasonable reply. "I'll tell you, Slug, we
ought to do something to get square with those chaps."

"If I break loose and do that, it'll be something they'll remember as
long as they live!" declared Slugger Brown, vehemently.

Nappy Martell looked at his crony knowingly, and then glanced around to
see if anybody was listening.

"Let's do it right now, Slug," he said in a low voice. "I don't care
what it is, so long as we can get the best of those Rovers."

"We'll think it over, Nap. This isn't to be any one-cent, every-day
affair, you know."

"Right you are! I'm game for anything--just remember that!" added the
other cadet.

As Gif Garrison had said, there were three football games scheduled for
Colby Hall that Fall. The first of these was to be with Hixley High
School, located in a town at the other end of the lake. Then would
follow a game of more importance with the Clearwater Country Club, at
their beautiful grounds on the outskirts of Haven Point. And then the
last and most important game of all--that with Columbus Academy,
located about ten miles away. Whether the last named game would be
played at Colby Hall or at the Columbus Academy grounds, was still a
question.

In a few days Jack recovered completely from the spiking he had
received from Slugger Brown, and then he went at his football practice
with greater vigor than ever. He took Slugger's place on the regular
eleven, as already mentioned, and in his first game they beat the scrub
team by a score of 32 to 12.

"Now, that's better!" declared Gif. "You didn't let the scrub walk all
over you."

Fred had been on the scrub team, and, although that eleven had been
defeated, he was in a rather happy frame of mind, for the reason that
out of the twelve points scored he had been directly responsible for
six points.

"I think Fred is going some," remarked Jack to Gif, later on when he
had a chance to speak to the football captain privately.

"You're right, Jack," was the answer. "And I've got my eye on him."

The game with Hixley High was not a very important one, yet it was made
the occasion for quite a gala day by not only the boys of both schools
but likewise the girls attending the high school and also the young
ladies of Clearwater Hall. The Rover boys and some of their chums
invited Ruth and her several friends, including Jennie Mason and Ida
Brierley, to be present, and this invitation was gladly accepted.

"I don't wonder that Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell look so glum
occasionally," remarked Spouter to Jack the day after the invitations
had been given and accepted. "I just had a talk with my cousin May, and
she says Jennie Mason and Ida Brierley are through with those two
cadets. They told Nappy and Slugger they thought they were nothing but
cowards for the way they treated you Rovers on the lake."

"Well, I'm glad they've given up going with that pair," announced Jack.

The last game with Hixley High had been played on the grounds of that
institution, so that the game this year was to take place at Colby
Hall.

"You fellows will have the honor of bringing the girls over from
Clearwater Hall," remarked Jack to his cousins and his chums. "I'll
have to stay here and do a bit of practising."

The auto-stage and a number of automobiles and carriages had been
requisitioned, and also a number of motor boats on the lake, and in
these the young folks from Hixley High School and from Clearwater Hall
journeyed to Colby Hall.

Jack was on the lookout for Ruth and the others, and lost no time in
greeting the girl as soon as she appeared.

"I'm so glad that you're on hand to encourage us to win," said he, as
he took Ruth's hand.

"Thank you. But how are you sure I am here to encourage you?" she
questioned mischievously. "Maybe I'm going to root for Hixley High."

"You dare!" he returned earnestly, and then they both laughed and
hurried towards the grandstand, where seats had been reserved for the
entire party.

"Whoop her up for Hixley High!" was the cry. And then those in favor of
the high school took up the slogan:

    "Do or die!
    Hixley High! Hixley High!"

"They mean to win if yelling will do it," was May Powell's comment.

"Oh, I guess the cadets of Colby Hall can yell, too," responded Fred.
And he was right, for a moment later there boomed out this refrain:

    "Who are we?
    Can't you see?
    Colby Hall!
    Dum! Dum! Dum, dum, dum!
    Here we come with fife and drum!
    Colby! Colby! Colby Hall!"

And this the cadets repeated over and over again until they were
hoarse.

"Well, I've got to go now," said Jack, reluctantly, as word came for
the team to gather in the dressing room for final instructions.

"Good-bye then," said Ruth, sweetly. And then, looking Jack full in the
eyes, she added earnestly: "Oh, I do hope you'll win!"

They were simple words, but the way in which they were spoken, and the
look that accompanied them, thrilled the youth to the heart, and he
went down to the dressing room on feet that seemed to be walking on
air.

"Now then, boys, I expect every one of you to do his level best," said
Gif. "Hixley High has been bragging everywhere that it has a superior
team this year and is going to walk all over us. I want you to play
with vigor from the very start;" and then followed a number of
directions concerning plays and signals, to all of which his eleven
listened earnestly.

When the Colby Hall team came forth, they were given a loud round of
applause, and this was repeated when Hixley High showed itself. The
high school boys were nearly all seniors, and a glance sufficed to show
that, player for player, they were quite a few pounds heavier than the
cadets.

"If our eleven wins this game they will be going some," was Fatty's
whispered comment to a fellow cadet.

"You're right there," was the answer. "Those chaps certainly look
pretty husky."

It is not my intention here to give the particulars of this game with
Hixley High, interesting as it proved to be. It was not the big game of
the season--that was to come later. During the first quarter, the
playing on both sides was rather rough and ragged, each school doing
its best to wear its opponent out at the very start. In these
onslaughts the weight carried by Hixley High told, so that when the
whistle blew the score was 6 to 3.

"Hurrah! Hurrah!" came from the supporters of the high school. And
again and again they boomed out with their slogan.

"This game isn't over yet!" cried one of the followers of Colby Hall.

"We haven't begun to play yet! Just watch us in the second half!" added
another cadet.

"Oh, dear! I thought Colby Hall would score, sure!" pouted Ruth.

"Those Hixley High boys are awfully big fellows," answered May.

The second quarter opened with a good deal of cheering for each side.
The playing now became more settled, and the ball went back and forth
from the 20-yard line on one side to the 30-yard line on the other.
Then came a mix-up, in the midst of which Jack managed to get the ball
and start with it for the goal.

"Rover has it!"

"Run, Jack, run! Leg it for all you're worth!"

And Jack did run, making the best of his opportunity. Three of the
Hixley High players did their utmost to down him, but when the third
laid him low, he was directly over the chalk mark.

"A touchdown!" was the cry from the Colby Hall cadets. And then they
gave vent to their feelings by tooting their horns and sounding their
rattles.

The touchdown was followed by a skilful kick for goal, and with this in
their favor, Colby Hall went at the game with renewed vigor, so that
when the whistle blew for the ending of the second half the score stood
13 to 6 in favor of Colby Hall.

"That's the way to do it!"

"Keep it up, boys!"

"Oh, wasn't that a splendid run by Jack?" cried Ruth, enthusiastically.

"It certainly was!" answered one of the other girls.

With the score piling up against them, Hixley High grew fairly frantic
in the third quarter. As a consequence, their play became rougher than
ever, and twice they had to be called to order, and once they were
penalized. But their vigor told, and in spite of all Colby Hall could
do to hold them back, they gained constantly, and when the end of the
third quarter was reached the score was a tie.

"Thirteen to thirteen! What do you think of that?"

"Some playing, eh?"

Each side cheered its own, but many were the anxious faces when the two
elevens lined up for the final quarter.

"Now then, boys, dig into them!" cried Mr. Crews, earnestly. "Show them
what Colby Hall can do!"

"Watch 'em--watch 'em closely!" cautioned Gif. "They may try to pull
off some new stunt at the last minute."

Once more the two teams went at it "hammer and tongs." It was certainly
a battle royal, and on more than one occasion it looked as if some of
the players might be seriously injured. As it was, Hixley High had to
put in one substitute, and Colby Hall took on two. But the fighting
blood of the cadets was now up, and with a great rush they carried the
ball over the Hixley High line. They failed, however, to kick the goal,
much to the regret of their followers.

"Never mind, boys," said Gif, encouragingly. "Hold 'em now! That is all
I ask of you--hold 'em!"

And hold them Colby did, although the high school lads fought like
demons to carry the ball across the cadets' territory. Back and forth
went the play, the crowd meanwhile yelling itself hoarse. The ball was
on the Colby Hall 15-yard line when the whistle blew and the game was
over.

"Colby Hall wins!"

"Hurrah! Hurrah!"

Then the horns and rattles sounded out louder than ever, and in a
twinkling the football field was alive with visitors, and the
triumphant eleven was surrounded.




CHAPTER XXIII

TARGET PRACTICE


Colby Hall prepared for a great celebration that night in honor of
their victory over Hixley High. Boxes and barrels had been stored away
in anticipation of just such an occasion, and these were brought out
and stacked up at a safe place along the river front.

"Bonfires to-night--and big ones, too!" cried Andy, and let off his
surplusage of spirits by turning several handsprings.

"Look out, Andy!" cried Fred, "or some circus will capture you."

"Sour grapes!" retorted the fun-loving youth.

"Oh, it was grand--the way you held Hixley High back in that last
quarter!" remarked Ruth to Jack. "I was so afraid they would break
through and score, I could hardly wait for the whistle to blow."

"It was certainly some game!" answered Jack. "You see, they are so much
heavier than we are."

The victorious eleven came in for all sorts of congratulations, and
Jack was slapped on the back until the wind was almost knocked out of
him. As soon as he could escape from his friends, he and the others
took the girls down to a waiting automobile and set off for Clearwater
Hall. On the way the young folks sang and cut up to their hearts'
content, having the best possible time.

The only cadet at Colby Hall who was not elated over the victory was
Slugger Brown. Even though two substitutes had been used in the game,
and even though the big fellow had repented of his former decision, and
agreed to play if called upon, Gif had ignored him and used a player at
least ten pounds lighter in weight.

"He doesn't intend to give me a show--and that's all there is to it,"
remarked Slugger to Nappy Martell, bitterly.

"Well, you told him you wouldn't play unless you could go out at the
start of the game," answered his crony.

"I told him that first, but afterwards I agreed to go in as a sub,"
growled Brown. "But I can see how it is--those Rovers have told
Garrison how we acted on the lake, and so Garrison has made up his mind
to ignore me entirely, even though I've got the weight and can play as
good as any of them."

"Oh, I don't doubt but what it's the Rovers' fault!" retorted Martell.
"And that puts me in mind--are we going to do anything to get square or
not?"

"Don't worry about that, Nap--we'll do something all right enough! But
I want the chance first to think up something that will be worth
while," answered Slugger Brown, emphatically.

The bonfires along the river were lit directly after supper, after the
cadets had received permission from Colonel Colby. The boys were
allowed to do about as they pleased, the only stipulation being that
they should avoid anything that might be dangerous or ungentlemanly.

With the bonfires blazing high, throwing a lurid glare over the campus
and parade grounds, the cadets sang and danced and then started an
impromptu parade which took them around the various buildings of the
school. Many carried torches, while four had drums and bugles. There
was a good deal of horseplay, and also something in the way of hazing.

"Here is where we get back at Codfish for some of his meanness!" cried
Randy, as he and some of the others caught the sneak.

Then Codfish was made to stand up on an unusually large barrel and
sing, after which he was told to hold out each hand for a valuable
present.

"I don't want any present! I want to get down!" cried the sneak.