"Say, look here! I thought you fellows told me that Captain Dale was in
charge of this school whenever Colonel Colby was absent," burst out Phil
suddenly.

"That's true," answered Jack. "He was in charge all the time the colonel
was in the regular army."

"Then why didn't Professor Duke put this up to the captain?"

"Because Captain Dale is away on a little vacation," announced Gif. "He
won't be back until some time next week."

"And where did Colonel Colby go?"

"They said he had gone to the city," answered Fred. "But I don't know
what they mean by that. They may mean Boston, or New York, or some
smaller place."

"The radiator is growing stone cold," declared Gif, who had his hands on
it.

"What'll you bet old Duke didn't turn the heat off?" broke in Andy
quickly. "It would be just like him to do it."

"I guess about the only thing we can do is to go to bed," announced
Jack.

"Well, you had better do it with your uniform on, then," said Spouter.
"Because I'm not going to bed with the windows closed, and it's going to
be beautifully cold by and by."

All of the cadets had been accustomed to sleeping with the windows of
their bedrooms open. But they had also been accustomed to plenty of bed
clothing, and knew they would probably suffer with the scant quantity of
quilts now provided.

However, they had to make the best of it, and in the end did little else
but take off their shoes and coats and then wrap themselves in the
blankets as best they could. Of course, there was some horseplay in which
even Phil Franklin indulged. But on the whole the cadets kept rather
quiet, for they did not want to make matters worse than they were.

"The last time Randy and I were home our dad laid down the law good and
plenty," announced Andy. "So we've got to do something towards toeing the
mark."

"I'm afraid Brassy Bangs and a lot of the other fellows will have the
laugh on us for this," remarked Fred, as he turned in.

"Oh, well, you can't have fun without paying the piper once in a while,"
was Jack's comment.

It grew colder during the night, and on rising to cut off some of the air
that was blowing over him, Fred noticed that it had begun to snow. The
fine hard particles were drifting into the room, and he called the
attention of some of the others to this.

"I don't care. Let it snow in if it wants to," grumbled Randy sleepily.

But some of the others demurred to this, and presently one of the windows
was closed entirely and the others left open only a few inches.

"Gee, talk about Greenland's icy mountains!" exclaimed Gif, on arising a
little after seven o'clock. "Some coldness, if you ask me!"

"You said it!" declared Jack, as he got up and walked across the floor to
where the radiator was located. "Cold as ice!" he announced.

"Did you leave it turned on?" questioned Randy quickly.

"I certainly did."

"Then old Duke must intend to freeze us out!" exclaimed Fred. "What do
you know about that!"

"I know it's a mean piece of business," answered Andy. "Gee! why, we
might all catch our death of cold."

Having washed themselves, the cadets lost no time in donning the clothing
they had taken off on retiring. Then they continued to walk around the
narrow room in order to keep their blood in circulation. It was now about
eight o'clock, and they wondered if they would get any breakfast.

"A hot cup of cocoa or coffee wouldn't go bad," remarked Spouter. "Not to
say anything about ham and eggs, hot muffins, or a few other things on
the side."

"Yum, yum! don't mention them," groaned Andy. "I feel hollow clean down
to my shoes. I didn't have any too much supper, and I was depending on
having a few crackers I had in my closet."

"And I left an apple on my bureau," declared Phil.

"And I had two doughnuts stored away to take to bed with me," came from
Fred.

The boys heard the cadets below assembling for roll call and the short
morning parade, and then heard them march into the mess room of the Hall
for breakfast.

"My! but I wish I was downstairs right now," declared Randy. "I wouldn't
do a thing to that breakfast table!"

"Maybe they'll bring our breakfast to us," suggested Jack.

"If they do you can bet there won't be any too much of it--if old Duke
has anything to do with it," returned Gif grimly.




CHAPTER V

BY THE FISHING-POLE ROUTE


Another half hour went by, and the boys confined in the room on the third
floor of the school building became more and more impatient.

"Perhaps they won't give us any breakfast at all," said Phil Franklin
presently.

"If they don't there'll be war," declared Andy. "I won't stand for being
starved."

"None of us will stand for that," put in Gif grimly. "But I don't believe
Duke will dare do it. You must remember he will have all the other
teachers to contend with. They have the same rights here as he has."

"Yes, but Professor Grawson turned this affair over to Duke," was Fred's
comment.

"That was because old Duke was the only one to really suffer through what
we did," answered Jack.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and then those in the room heard
footsteps outside. The door was unlocked and Professor Duke appeared,
followed by Pud Hicks and Bob Nixon and two of the mess-room waiters.

"Well, did you behave yourselves during the night?" demanded the teacher,
as he glanced sharply from one to another of the cadets, all of whom eyed
him curiously.

"We did, sir," answered Phil, who was nearest to the door.

Leaving those who had accompanied him at the door so that none of the
cadets present might escape, Snopper Duke strode into the room and looked
around suspiciously, even going so far as to glance into the bathroom and
the clothing closet. As was the custom during the school term, the cadets
had put the beds and the cots in order, and also arranged the chairs and
other furniture.

"Professor Duke, I'd like to ask something. Do you know we have no heat
in here?" questioned Jack.

"Growing boys like you don't need too much heat--it makes them lazy,"
responded the teacher tartly. "You will be warm enough after you have had
your breakfast."

"Can we go downstairs now and get it?" asked Andy quickly.

"No. You are to have it up here. I have had it brought up for you," was
the answer. And then Professor Duke motioned for the two waiters to come
in.

They carried two trays covered with napkins, and these they deposited on
the table.

"Has Colonel Colby come back yet?" questioned Spouter.

"You will know quickly enough when he comes," was the teacher's reply.
And then he motioned the waiters out of the room.

"Professor, do you think----" began Bob Nixon. But the teacher caught the
Hall chauffeur by the arm and pushed him out into the hallway.

"Never mind now, Nixon," he broke in hastily. "We'll talk matters over
downstairs." And thereupon he closed and locked the door once again, and
the cadets heard him and all of the others go below.

"What do you suppose he brought Hicks and Nixon up here for?" questioned
Randy, when they were left alone.

"I don't know, unless he thought we might try to break out, and if so he
would have them along to stop us," answered Jack.

"Maybe he thought the cold and waiting for breakfast would make us
desperate," suggested Gif. "However, now they've gone, let's see what
they have brought us to eat."

Eagerly the seven cadets whipped away the napkins that covered the two
trays. They gave one look, and then a cry of disappointment arose.

"What do you know about this!"

"Isn't this the limit!"

"Black coffee and bread without butter!"

"And mush with nothing but a little molasses on it!"

"And no sugar in the coffee, either!"

"Talk about your prison fare!" groaned Andy. "I think this takes the
cake!"

"You mention cake and I'll murder you!" burst out Fred. "Why don't you
speak of ham and eggs, lamb chops, fried potatoes, coffee cake with
raisins in it, and things like that while you're at it?"

"Wow! Fred for the water faucet!" exclaimed Jack, and got his cousin by
the arm and made as if to run him into the bathroom.

"Hold up! I'll be good!" pleaded the youngest Rover. "But, say! doesn't
looking at these two trays make you weary in the bones?"

"Well, anyway, the coffee is hot," declared Spouter, as he tasted it.
"And we might as well drink it before it gets cold. It will help to warm
us up."

Thereupon the seven cadets fell to eating, and soon every particle of the
scanty breakfast furnished to them had disappeared. They grumbled,
however, as they ate, and continued to grumble after the repast was
finished.

"I'm quite sure Colonel Colby wouldn't treat us like this," declared
Gif.

"He certainly did much better by Fred and me when we were placed in the
guardroom," declared Jack. "We got as good a meal as we ever had served
to us in the mess hall."

"It's nothing short of a crime not to turn the heat on," said Fred, who
was examining the radiator again. "Just as cold as ever."

"Listen!" cried Randy suddenly.

All did so, and heard a faint knocking on the door.

"Who is that?" questioned Jack, moving to the portal.

"Is that you, Jack?" came in Fatty Hendry's voice. The stout youth was
whispering through the keyhole.

"Yes, Fatty. What brought you up here?"

"I got wind that you fellows were being fed scanty rations," answered
Fatty. "How about it?"

"It's true, all right enough."

[Illustration: "OUR FRIENDS ARE ON THE JOB!" CRIED FRED, DELIGHTEDLY.
Rover Boys at Big Horn Ranch (Page 51)]

"Well, Dan Soppinger, Walt Baxter and myself got our heads together and
we managed to make up a bundle of food for you. Just watch the window on
your right," continued the stout youth, and then tiptoed away.

Wondering what their friends intended to do, the seven cadets crowded to
the window in question and opened it wide. It was still snowing, and
through the thickly-flying flakes they presently saw the end of a fishing
pole on which was tied a bundle done up in a pillow case.

"Hurrah! Our friends are on the job," cried Fred delightedly, as the
bundle was slipped from the end of the fishing pole and hauled into the
room. Then he looked out of the window and saw at a little distance the
face of Dan Soppinger at another window.

"Got it all right, did you?" demanded Dan, as he hauled in the fishing
pole.

"We sure did, Dan; and much obliged to you."

"Has Colonel Colby come back yet?" questioned Jack, looking over his
cousin's shoulder.

"No. And there is no telling when he'll come back," answered Dan. "He
sent word that his business might keep him away for several days." Then
Dan spoke to some one behind him, and continued in a low voice, "I've got
to go now, or they'll catch us. Good-bye."

The imprisoned cadets closed the window again and then placed the bundle
on the table and opened it. They found it contained a rather jumbled
collection of buttered bread, cheese, the knuckle of a boiled ham, a
small glass full of jelly, a square of pound cake, three bananas, a
couple of oranges, several apples, a small bag of lump sugar, and a can
of condensed milk.

"Some collection, all right enough," declared Spouter, as they surveyed
it. "I guess they grabbed up anything they could lay their hands on."

"They must have heard we had black coffee without sugar," put in Fred.
"Too bad we were in such a hurry. We might have feasted in great shape
off of this collection."

"Never mind. The sugar and condensed milk may come in handy later,"
answered Jack.

The boys divided some of the fruit, and then made themselves a few
sandwiches, and with this topped off the scanty breakfast they had
previously consumed. They placed the rest of the things on the top shelf
of the closet and folded up the pillow case carefully.

"We'll have to send that back the first chance we get," declared Fred.
"Otherwise some cadet is going to catch it when his room is inspected."

With nothing to do, the cadets found the time drag heavily. They looked
around the room for some reading matter, but found nothing outside of
some newspapers which had been placed on the shelves of the closet. These
were old sheets, and contained nothing which they cared to peruse.

"Hurrah! we're going to have some heat, anyhow," cried Randy, about
eleven o'clock. "Hear the radiator cracking?"

He was right, and soon the radiator became moderately warm. This did not,
of course, warm the room very thoroughly, but it took the chill off and
made it more comfortable than it had been.

"I'll bet a cooky that some of the others made old Duke turn the heat
on," declared Gif.

"Either that or else some of our chums turned it on when he wasn't
watching," answered Jack. Some time later they found out that Bob Nixon
had turned on the heat unbeknown to Snopper Duke. It was also learned
that Professor Grawson and Professor Brice knew nothing about the heat
having been turned off.

About half-past twelve Snopper Duke appeared again, this time with one of
the under teachers and two of the waiters. The under teacher had his arms
full of books.

"I have had some of your text books brought up here," explained Professor
Duke. "There is no sense in your wasting your time here doing nothing. I
want you to study the same as if you were attending your classes. I have
also had your dinner brought up."

"Do you expect us to study in a cold room?" questioned Jack. He had
thrown one of the small bed covers over the radiator and added a book or
two so that the teacher might not notice that it was warm.

"I'll not discuss that point with you, Rover," was Snopper Duke's sharp
reply. "You can eat your dinner, and then go at your studies." And
thereupon he directed the two waiters to deposit the fresh trays on the
table and take the old ones away. Then the seven cadets were locked up as
before.

In comparison, the dinner was just as scanty as the breakfast had been.
For each pupil there was a small boiled potato, almost cold, a few lima
beans, a small slice of roast beef, and one slice of unbuttered bread.
There were also several paper drinking cups, to indicate that the cadets
might drink all the water they cared to draw from the faucet in the
bathroom.

"Regular miser's lunch," was Andy's comment, as he surveyed it.

"Exactly!" answered Fred. And then he added dryly: "What are we going to
use that sugar and condensed milk on?"

"Oh, the condensed milk will go fine on the bread," put in Spouter. "I
used to like condensed milk sandwiches."

"And you can eat the lump sugar for dessert if you want to," put in
Jack.

All began to eat, and in the midst of the meal they heard another knock
on the door. This time Ned Lowe was there, one of their chums who was a
great singer and banjo player.

"Be on the watch for the beautiful fishing pole," sang Ned in a low
voice. "Hurry up. We can't stay up here very long."

All leaped for the window, and a few minutes later the fishing rod came
once more into view, this time with another bundle attached to it. They
held the end of the pole while they detached the bundle and fastened upon
it the empty pillow case. The new bundle was in a large paper flour bag.

"Here is where we are going to have a regular feast!" cried Jack with
satisfaction. "Just look! Almost half a boiled tongue, a quart jar of hot
coffee, some boiled sweet potatoes, and half an apple pie. I declare I
don't see how they managed to get hold of it."

"They're certainly looking out for us," answered Spouter.

With this addition to the food already on hand, the boys started in to
have a real good dinner. They were enjoying it thoroughly and cracking
all kinds of jokes when they suddenly heard a commotion in the corridor
outside.

"I've caught you, have I?" they heard Snopper Duke exclaim. "What
business have you up here, anyway?"

"I wasn't doing any harm, Professor," came in the voice of Dan
Soppinger.

"What is that you have behind your back? Give it to me this instant,"
went on the teacher.

"Gee! that's Dan Soppinger, and he's got himself into trouble!" exclaimed
Jack, in alarm.

"I really didn't mean to do any harm," the imprisoned cadets heard Dan
answer.

"What is that you are trying to hide? Give it to me!" There was a brief
silence, and then those in the room heard the teacher continue: "A
pumpkin pie and almost a pound of cheese! Where did you get those things,
Soppinger? And what were you going to do with them? Come, answer me!"

"If you want to know, I was going to try to get them to those fellows you
locked up," answered Dan Soppinger, in desperation. "I heard you were
just about starving them to death."

"What's that? Starving them to death? Stuff and nonsense! They are
getting all that they need, and it's not for you to interfere in my
business," went on Snopper Duke, his high-pitched voice rising still
higher in anger. "You should be down in your classroom. Give me those
things and go downstairs at once. I'll attend to your case later."

"Gee! poor Dan is certainly in hot water," whispered Jack.

"Old Duke must have been spying on him," said Randy.

"Maybe he'll come in here and see how matters are going!" cried Spouter
excitedly. "It might not be a bad thing to get all that extra food out of
sight."

He had scarcely spoken when they heard Professor Duke at the door. An
instant later the portal was thrown open and the teacher stepped in. His
eyes swept the trays and the plates of food the cadets were holding.

"Ha! So this is what is going on, eh?" he stormed. "Having food brought
in on the sly, eh? Well, I'll see that that is stopped! You'll go without
your supper for this!" And then, after a few more words, he stormed out
of the room, banging the door behind him and locking it.




CHAPTER VI

A TOUCH OF MYSTERY


"Now I reckon we are worse off than we were before," remarked Jack, as
the assembled cadets looked at each other in consternation.

"If he cuts off our supper the best thing we can do is to save this
grub," declared Randy. "We'll have to go on short rations."

"And when we feel real hungry we can turn to our school books for
consolation," added his twin brother. "Gee! but doesn't this take the
cake?" And picking up his algebra he threw it at Phil. The boy from Texas
dodged, and the algebra hit the wall behind him.

"Don't start a rough-house, Andy," remonstrated Jack quickly. "We're in
deep enough as it is. Please don't forget that Fred and I are worse off
than any of you."

"How do you make that out?" demanded Gif.

"Because we are officers, and are supposed to be models for the rest of
the cadets."

"Huh! I forgot that," said Gif. "That's too bad."

It must be admitted that the cadets were far less cheerful while
finishing their meal than they had been a few minutes before. They ate
somewhat sparingly, and placed what was left of the food in an
out-of-the-way corner under one of the cots.

"No use of taking chances," said Jack. "Duke may come in here and search
the closet for rations when he gets the dirty dishes."

"Well, I suppose we might as well spend our time studying," came from
Spouter presently. "We've got to learn our lessons, no matter if we are
prisoners. Otherwise later on we'll be marked down for that, too."

"Too bad that poor Dan had to be caught with that pumpkin pie and
cheese," groaned Randy. He was particularly fond of the pies turned out
by the Hall cooks.

Making themselves as comfortable as they could around the radiator, the
seven cadets began to study. Thus an hour passed, and then came more
footsteps in the hall.

"Another visitor," said Jack, looking up.

When the door was thrown open they expected to see Snopper Duke or one of
the other professors, and they were, therefore, much surprised when
Colonel Colby stepped into the room. The master of the Hall was alone.

"Attention!" called Jack sharply--for this had been arranged between the
cadets earlier in the day--and thereupon all of the cadets leaped to
their feet and saluted.

This action came somewhat as a surprise to the master of the school, and
just the faintest flicker of a smile passed over his features. Then he
closed the door behind him and came forward.

"I am very sorry to learn that all of you have been breaking the rules of
this institution," said Colonel Colby, in an even tone of voice. "Captain
Rover, I would like to have your version of the affair if you care to
make a report."

"I don't know that I can make much of a report, Colonel," answered the
young captain, his face flushing. "We brought the snowballs into the
school, and that is all there is to it."

"Well, what about sending that big snowball down the stairs on top of
Professor Duke?"

"That was an accident, sir, and I was responsible for it," broke in
Andy.

"An accident? Professor Duke is quite certain it was done by design."

"He is mistaken, sir," continued Andy, and then in a few words related
exactly how the accident had occurred.

"Well, what about the snowballs that were placed in the rooms of Stowell,
Besser, Lunn and in the bathroom?"

"We only meant it for a little fun, Colonel," pleaded Fred. "Of course, I
realize now that maybe we went a little too far."

"You certainly did go too far, Lieutenant Rover. And I am especially
surprised to find you and Captain Rover mixed up in anything of this
sort. I expect the officers of the cadets to set a good example."

"I was thinking you might say that, Colonel Colby," put in Jack quickly.
"And I should have thought of it before I went into the affair. But we
were having such fun outside snowballing, and like that, that we got
deeper into it before we gave it a second thought."

"And we really didn't know that we couldn't bring any snow into the
school," put in Phil rather lamely.

"Such an explanation won't go here, Franklin. I expect my students to
have more common sense than that. Of course, it may have been nothing but
a boyish prank, and if you can give me your word that the snowball which
went down the stairs and hit Professor Duke was not aimed at him
deliberately, I shall feel inclined to let the matter pass."

"Oh, Colonel Colby, will you really do that?" questioned Fred eagerly.

"Please remember we've been punished already," put in Spouter. "Locked up
like a lot of criminals, and the radiator turned off until we almost
froze to death!"

"The radiator turned off?" questioned the owner of the school. "It is hot
enough now," he added, as he placed his hand upon it.

"But it wasn't before," answered Gif, and gave the particulars. As he did
this Colonel Colby's face became a study.

"I will look into that," he said, and then walked over to one of the cots
and also to one of the beds and inspected the thin coverings. "I trust
none of you caught cold?"

"Well, I did catch a little cold," answered Spouter, and began to cough,
for what he said was true.

After this Colonel Colby talked to the cadets for fully ten minutes,
trying to show them that what they had done was not what he expected of
them. He was kind almost to the point of being fatherly, and made several
remarks which caused the boys to do considerable thinking.

"I am afraid some of you lads do not like Professor Duke," said he. "I am
afraid you consider him rather quick-tempered and irritable."

"Well, he certainly isn't as nice as most of the other teachers,"
declared Randy flatly.

"He always seems to be waiting for a chance to get in on a fellow," broke
out Fred. "In some ways he's even worse than Asa Lemm was."

"But he's a splendid teacher, I will say that for him," declared Jack.
"Only, the way he sometimes jumps on a fellow is terrible."

"I shouldn't like to have you boys compare Professor Duke with that
scalawag, Asa Lemm," declared Colonel Colby. "Lemm had a good
education--if he hadn't had I should not have engaged him to teach
here--but he was not the honest and upright man Snopper Duke is. I will
admit that at times he is quick-tempered, but, believe me, boys, he has
good reasons for it--or, at least, there is quite some excuse for his
acting that way at times. I do not feel like discussing his personal
affairs with you, but you will be doing a real act of kindness if at
times you don't notice his actions when he seems rather sharp. I am quite
sure he doesn't always mean it."

"Well, of course, if there's some reason----" began Jack.

"There is quite a reason, Captain Rover. But, as I said before, I do not
care to discuss Professor Duke's personal affairs further. Only, if I
were one of you boys, I should go very slow in judging him. And now to
come back to this present affair: I have had a talk with Professor Duke
and I will have another talk this evening, and, all told, I think you
have been punished enough. So we will call the matter off and you can
return to your classrooms."

"Thank you very much, Colonel Colby," cried Jack, and, starting forward,
he offered his hand, and the master of the school shook it warmly. Then
all of the other cadets came forward to do likewise.

"I hope you won't punish those other fellows for getting some extra food
up to us," said Fred, as he and Andy brought out the hidden things and
placed them on one of the trays. "They only tried to do us a good turn."

"You may rest assured, Rover, that I shall treat them only as they
deserve," answered Colonel Colby, and led the way downstairs. Here the
cadets separated, each to pay a brief visit to his own room before going
down to the classrooms on the lower floor.

"I wonder what Colonel Colby meant when he said Duke had reasons for
being irritable?" remarked Randy.

"I don't know, I'm sure," answered Jack thoughtfully.

"Maybe he's suffering from some sickness," suggested Fred. "Perhaps he
ought to have an operation and hates to have it done."

"Maybe he's worried about money matters," came from Randy.

"It was certainly something worth while or Colonel Colby wouldn't have
been so serious about it," said Fred. "Gee! I'm sorry if I misjudged him,
if there is really something wrong."

"I don't believe Colonel Colby would caution us if it wasn't so," said
Jack. "And after this I'm going to give Duke as much consideration as I
possibly can."

The boys had been told to go to their classrooms, but this was hardly
necessary, for they had just about presented themselves when the
afternoon session of the school came to an end. Then they followed some
of their friends down to the gymnasium, where they were at once
surrounded and asked to give the particulars of what had happened to
them.

"It wasn't a great deal," said Jack. "And first of all I want to know
what was done to Dan and the others."

"Oh, Colonel Colby read us a little lecture, that's all," answered Walt
Baxter, one of the cadets. "He told us we had no right to take any of the
food without asking for it."

"I offered to pay for it," put in Ned Lowe, "and so did Dan. But the
colonel said that wasn't the point. That he wanted the discipline of the
Hall maintained."

"Did he say anything about Professor Duke?" questioned Fred.

"Not a word."

"Well, he told us something," continued the youngest Rover, and then
related what had been said on the subject.

"Say, that squares with something I once heard," cried Walt Baxter. "I
met Professor Duke down at the barn one day where he was waiting to have
Nixon drive him down to town. The professor was walking around, wringing
his hands and muttering to himself. He looked all out of sorts, and he
said something that sounded to me like 'I don't see how I can do it! I
don't see how I can really attempt it!'"

"And what do you suppose it was that bothered him, Walt?" questioned Jack
curiously.

"I'm sure I don't know. I watched him walk up and down and wring his
hands. And then he took a notebook out of his pocket and began to study
some of the figures in it. Then Nixon came along with the auto, and he
jumped in and rode off."

"Well, that sure is a mystery," declared Randy.

This news concerning Snopper Duke gradually spread throughout the school,
and many of the boys watched the teacher curiously. In the meantime
Colonel Colby had a conference, not only with Duke, but also with
Professor Grawson; and when the classes opened the next day Jack and the
others found themselves treated just as if nothing out of the ordinary
had occurred.

"Colonel Colby said he would let the matter pass, and I guess he's going
to keep his word," remarked Fred.

There was only one boy who remained troubled, and that was Codfish. He
avoided the Rovers and the others as much as possible, often running away
at the sight of them.

"Codfish is just about scared stiff," remarked Randy. "He knows he got
himself in wrong."

"What a poor fish he is," answered his twin.

On Saturday afternoon a number of the boys obtained permission to visit
the town and attend the moving picture performance if they so desired.
Jack had telephoned to his sister, and Martha had answered that probably
a number of girls from Clearwater Hall would be in town at the same
time.

"And I've got something to tell you, too, Jack," said Martha over the
wire. "Something I'm sure you'll be interested in hearing."

"Why don't you tell me now?" he replied.

"Oh, this isn't something to tell over a public telephone," his sister
answered.

The snowstorm had come to an end, and it was clear and bright overhead
when the four Rovers and some of the others tramped to Haven Point. Here,
at the railroad station, they met Martha and Mary, and also Ruth
Stevenson, May Powell, and several other girls from the academy.

"How are your eyes feeling, Ruth?" questioned Jack anxiously, as he
walked side by side with the girl on the way to the moving picture
theater. As my old readers know, Ruth had once suffered dreadfully
through getting some pepper into her eyes, and it had been feared that
she might go blind.

"Oh, my eyes are quite all right again, Jack," answered the girl.
"Sometimes they feel the least bit scratchy. But I bathe them with a
solution the doctor gave me and then they feel quite natural."

"I'm mighty glad to hear that," Jack returned warmly. For of all the
girls who were friends of his sister he liked Ruth the best.

As luck would have it, there was a very good show on that afternoon, and
as a consequence a crowd had assembled to obtain tickets of admission.
Randy went ahead to get all the tickets needed, and while he did this
Martha plucked her brother by the coat sleeve and drew him a little to
one side.

"What's this you've got to tell me, Martha?" questioned the young captain
in a whisper.

"It's about a fellow at your school--a chap named Lester Bangs," replied
the girl.

"Oh, you mean the fellow we call Brassy Bangs! What about him?"

"He and one or two of his particular chums have been up to Clearwater
Hall three times. They took some of the girls out in a sleigh they hired,
and that Bangs did his level best to get Ruth to go along. And now he has
invited her to attend some kind of a party next week," was Martha's
reply, words which for some reason he could not explain even to himself
cut Jack to the heart.




CHAPTER VII

SOMETHING ABOUT A SLEIGHRIDE PARTY


"What kind of a party is it, Martha?"

"I don't know, except that it's somewhere out of town and some of the
girls and fellows are going to the place in sleighs. I wasn't asked to
go, and I got the information in a roundabout way."

"Then Ruth hasn't said anything to you about it?"

"Not a word. But I'm sure she received this Lester Bangs' invitation."

"And you think she may accept it?"

"I hope not, Jack. Because I don't like Bangs. He wears such showy
clothing and jewelry."

"That's the reason we call him Brassy--he is brassy in looks and brassy
in manner. He's just as much of a hot-air bag as Tommy Flanders," went on
the young captain, referring to an arrogant youth who the summer before
had pitched for Longley Academy and been knocked out of the box.

"Isn't it queer, he put me in mind of Flanders?" whispered Martha. "I
hope you don't have any trouble with him, Jack." And then, as some of the
others came closer, the private conversation had to come to an end.

While in the moving picture theater Jack sat with Ruth beside him. They
occasionally spoke about the scenes presented to them and also about
school matters in general, but not one word was said by either about the
party Martha had mentioned.

"Mr. Falstein certainly gets good pictures," remarked the girl, when the
performance had come to an end and the crowd of young people was moving
out of the theater. "They're just as good as one can see in the big
cities."

"They're the same thing, only he gets them a little later," answered
Jack.

"I like the comic pictures better than anything," declared Andy. "I hate
those serious ones. They're generally so awfully mushy."

"Why, Andy Rover, how you talk!" cried Alice Strobell. "I think that
picture they showed today of Life in a Big City was perfectly grand."

"Especially where the heroine sobbed herself to sleep over the sewing
machine in her garret room," went on Andy, with a snicker. "Wasn't that
just the tear-bringer?"

"I don't care! It was just as true to life as it could be," answered
Alice sturdily.

"Well, maybe," was the airy return of the fun-loving Rover. "Come to
think of it, I never did run a sewing machine in a garret room with the
snow blowing through a busted window. I'd rather sit in the shade of the
old apple tree reading a good book and getting on the outside of some
ripe pears," he continued, and at this there was general laughter.

As was their custom, the young folks drifted from the theater to a nearby
candy and ice-cream establishment. Here they split up into various groups
at some tables in the rear. Of course, the boys insisted on treating the
girls, and there was quite a discussion over what each would have. Martha
and Mary had paired off with Gif and Spouter, and Fred and the twins were
with some of the other girls, and this left Ruth and Jack by themselves.

Several times the young captain wanted to bring the conversation around
to the question of the party that had been mentioned. But every time he
checked himself.

"What were you going to say?" questioned Ruth, when he caught himself
once. "You act as if you had something on your mind of special
importance, Jack."

"Not at all! Not at all!" he returned hastily. "How are you getting along
with your studies, Ruth? Do your eyes interfere much with them?"

"Not a great deal. But, of course, I have to be more or less careful. But
I'm doing finely, so the teachers say."

"We're going to have an election of officers soon," continued the young
captain. "Some of the fellows are urging me to run for major of the
battalion. Ralph Mason is going to drop out, you know."

"Oh, Jack! why don't you run?"

"Do you want me to run, Ruth?"

"Why, of course! if there's any chance of getting it, and I don't see why
there shouldn't be," she returned quickly.

Her manner was so intimate that once again he was on the point of
mentioning the party. But then he shut his teeth hard and pretended to be
interested in something taking place at the other tables.

"Don't you think you could win the election if you tried?" Ruth
continued, after looking at him questioningly for a moment.

"Oh, I guess I'd have as good a chance as any one in command. Of course,
there are a number of other officers who would have as good a chance as
I'd have. But I'm not altogether sure that I want to be major. If I held
that office Colonel Colby would expect me to toe the mark all the time
just as an example to the others. Even as it was, he didn't like to have
me as a captain and Fred as a lieutenant mixed up in that snowball
affair."

"Oh, but, Jack! think of the honor of being major of the battalion,"
cried the girl. "I'm sure Martha and your folks will be very proud of
you."

"Would you be proud, Ruth, if I should win the position?" he asked in a
low tone.

"Why, of course--we all would," returned the girl, her face flushing
slightly. "I always like to see my friends make something of
themselves."

Ruth's tone was cordial enough, and once again Jack was on the point of
switching the talk to the party. But now some of the young folks had
finished, and the little gathering began to break up and he and Ruth were
surrounded by the others.

"We've got to do some shopping," declared Mary, when they were out on the
sidewalk. "So we can't remain with you boys any longer." And a few
minutes later the crowd separated, the girls hurrying in one direction
and the cadets in another.

"You let me know if you hear any more about that party," whispered Jack,
on parting from his sister.

"I will," she answered.

On starting back for the Hall Jack paired off with Fred and purposely
lagged behind.

"Did you hear anything about a party in which Brassy Bangs was
interested?" he asked of his cousin.

"Mary said that Brassy was getting up some sort of party, to come off
either Thursday or Friday of this week. The crowd is going somewhere in
two big sleighs."

"She didn't say where?"

"She didn't know."

"Did she say who was going?"

"As far as she knew the crowd of fellows consisted of Brassy and two or
three of his chums at the Hall and some young fellows around town."

"And what about the girls, Fred?"

"They asked Jennie Mason and Ida Brierley to go and a number of the other
girls from Clearwater."

"Did they ask May?"

"Mary wasn't sure. But she rather thinks that May and Ruth both got an
invite, although in some kind of roundabout way. Did Ruth say anything to
you about it?"

"Not a word. But Martha did. She, too, thought Ruth had an invitation,
but she didn't mention May."

"I wonder if May and Ruth will go?" questioned the youngest Rover. He was
almost as chummy with Spouter's cousin as Jack was with Ruth.

"I'm sure I don't know, Fred. But I do know I'd hate to see either of
them going out with such a fellow as Brassy."

"It will be a shame to have any of those girls associate with him!" burst
out Fred indignantly. "He's not in their class at all--he's altogether
too loud and flashy."

"He certainly sports a lot of cheap jewelry," was Jack's comment. "And
that suit of clothes that he had on when he first came to the Hall was a
scream."

"Let's go around to the livery stable and see if we can find out
something about the party."

The place Fred had in mind was located on a side street less than a block
away, and it did not take the two young officers long to reach it. They
found the livery-stable keeper out, but one of his assistants came
forward to see what they wanted.

"Hello, Waxy," cried Jack cordially, for he had met the young fellow many
times before. "How are you these days?"

"Fine as a spider's web," answered Waxy, with a grin.

"I understand you're going to use your two big sleighs for a party this
week for some of our fellows?" went on the young captain.

"Yes, both sleighs are hired for Thursday or Friday night," was the
answer. "But you could get 'em for any other night you might want," went
on Waxy, with an eye to business.

"Where is the party to be held?" questioned Fred.

"I don't know exactly. They're to go about twelve miles out of town, so I
was told."

"Some young fellows from town helping to get it up, I believe?"

"Yes. Tom Drake, Bill Fenny, Joe McGuire, Ted Rosenblatt, and a bunch of
others are interested. They'll have one high old time, you believe me,"
went on the livery-stable keeper's assistant, with a grin.

"Rather a lively bunch, are they?" questioned Jack.

"About as lively as this town affords."

"It's a wonder some of our fellows are going with them," was Fred's
comment.

"Oh, that'll be all right. There won't be anything out of the way," put
in Waxy hastily, afraid that he had said too much. "They'll have a lively
time, but everything will be perfectly all right."

"Maybe," answered Jack, and then, after a few more words with the
assistant, the two cadets hurried off after their chums.

"If McGuire and Rosenblatt have anything to do with that party it will
certainly be a lively one," said Fred, on the way to the school. "They're
the liveliest fellows this town affords."

"It won't be any kind of a party for our girl friends to attend,"
remarked Jack. "I certainly hope May and Ruth don't go."

"Maybe we ought to warn them, Jack."

"If we did that somebody might say we were sore because we weren't
invited, Fred."

"I know it. But it's a shame, just the same."

"We might let Martha and Mary know what we found out, and then they might
put a flea in the ears of the other girls."

It must be confessed that Jack was rather sober that night and all day
Sunday. He could not get the coming party out of his mind, and he
wondered constantly whether Ruth would really accept the invitation which
had been extended to her. Along with a number of other cadets he attended
church in town, but, owing to the fact that it had begun to snow again,
none of the girls from Clearwater Hall were present at the services.

"I guess I might as well call Martha up on the 'phone," he told Fred,
Sunday evening.

"All right," was his cousin's reply. "And don't forget to mention May."

When the young captain had his sister on the wire he learned a number of
things that surprised him not a little. It seemed that the matter of the
coming sleighride party had been rather freely discussed at Clearwater
Hall, and a number of the pupils there were divided on the question as to
whether to participate in the affair or not. Jennie Mason, Ida Brierley,
and four or five others were in favor of accepting, while others had
either declined or were noncommittal.

"Some of the girls have gotten almost into a fight over it," said Martha.
"It's the liveliest thing that has happened in this school in a long
while. I believe if the discussion keeps up none of the girls will be
allowed to go, even though two married ladies from the town are to go
along as chaperones."

"Did you hear anything further about Ruth or anything about May?"
questioned Jack.

"Not a word. Of course, not having been invited myself, I didn't care to
question either of them for fear they might think I was just a bit
jealous, or something like that."

"Well, I don't think they ought to go to any such party," answered Jack,
and then told what he and Fred had learned at the livery stable.

"I've heard of Joe McGuire and also heard of Ted Rosenblatt!" exclaimed
Martha. "I certainly shouldn't want to be seen in their company. I'll
have to mention this to some of the others." And here the conversation
had to come to an end.

On Monday morning Jack met Brassy Bangs in one of the corridors and
noticed that the loud-spoken youth looked at him rather speculatively.
Nothing, however, was said, and the young captain entered one of the
classrooms and was soon deep in his studies. That evening, however,
Brassy Bangs and two of his chums were missing from their usual places at
one of the mess-hall tables.

"They got permission to go to town. I suppose they went to make further
arrangements about that big sleighing party," remarked Randy.

To show that he meant to do his best as captain of Company C, Jack put in
a full day on Tuesday drilling his command and in the classrooms. As a
consequence that evening found him pretty well worn out from his duties.
Yet he had some studying he felt he must do, and so announced he was
going to sit up for a while after his cousins, who occupied rooms on both
sides of him, had retired.

The young captain was hard at work doing some examples in geometry when
there came a sudden sharp rap on his door. Thinking that one of his
school chums had come to have a word with him before retiring, he threw
the door open and found himself confronted by Brassy Bangs.

"I want to have a few words with you, Jack Rover!" cried the loud-mouthed
cadet savagely. And then closing the door he advanced upon the young
captain in anything but a friendly manner.




CHAPTER VIII

A FIGHT AND A CHALLENGE


Jack Rover could see that Brassy Bangs was laboring under great
excitement. The youth who loved to dress in such a showy manner was red
of face and his eyes glittered in a manner calculated to make any one
quail before him.

But the young captain of Company C was not going to quail, and he stood
his ground and looked the other youth squarely in the face.

"You want a few words, eh?" he said coldly. "Well, what is it?"

"You know well enough what brought me here!" cried Brassy. "I've a good
mind to wipe up the floor with you!"

"I'm not fighting just now, Bangs. But don't forget that I can defend
myself if it's necessary," answered the young captain quickly. And then
he added: "Now say what you've got to say or get out."

"I'll stay as long as I please," blustered the showy youth. "It's a fine
piece of business you've been in--trying to belittle me and my chums in
the eyes of the girls at Clearwater Hall."

"If you came here to talk about the young ladies from Clearwater the
sooner you get out the better," answered Jack, his face flushing.

"Thought you were pulling off a fine stunt, didn't you, when you talked
to Ruth Stevenson about me?" sneered Brassy.

"I haven't said a word to Miss Stevenson about you."

"I know better, Jack Rover. You went to her and some of the other girls
and told them that my chums and I were no good, and that the sleighride
party we and some other fellows were getting up was going to be the
wildest thing that ever took place at Haven Point."

"You're entirely mistaken, Bangs. And the sooner you get out of here the
better it will please me."

"Do you dare deny that you hauled us over the coals with those girls at
Clearwater Hall?"

"I decline to discuss the matter any further with you," answered the
young captain.

"See here, Rover! you can't ride any high horse like that with me,"
blustered Brassy. "You and your cousins and some of the other fellows did
your best to queer our whole sleighing party, and you've got to take the
consequences!" And now Brassy Bangs doubled up his fists and tried to
look more dangerous than ever.

"See here, Bangs! if you don't stop your noise and get out of here I'll
put you out," returned Jack, in a low but firm voice. "I don't want any
fight with you, but I want you to understand that I can hold up my end
every time."

"Like pie you can! You put on a big front as a captain, but I know your
sort well enough! You can't pull the wool over my eyes! You went to the
girls' school and shot off your mouth, and you are going to take the
consequences!" and without further ado Brassy Bangs stepped forward and
aimed a heavy blow at Jack's face.

Had the fist landed as intended, Jack might have been knocked flat. But
the young captain had not been in athletic training for several years for
nothing, and he dodged quickly. Brassy was carried forward, so that his
arm shot over Jack's shoulder and his body came in contact with the young
captain's arm. The next instant Jack had him by the back of the collar
and was holding him at arm's length.

"Now you get out of here!" he cried, and tried to drag Brassy toward the
door.

Of course the other youth squirmed, and in an instant there was a rough
and tumble scuffle. Jack was pushed against the wall, and retaliated by
forcing Brassy backward over a chair. Then the two spun around the room,
upsetting a stand containing a number of books.

"Hello! what's going on here?" came a voice from one of the side rooms,
and Fred appeared. He had been in bed and was attired only in his
pajamas.

Jack and Brassy were so wrought up by this time that neither paid
attention to the interruption. Nor did they take notice when another door
opened and Andy and Randy came into view. Brassy managed to break away
and land a blow on Jack's arm, and in return received a crack in the chin
which sent his head backward and all but unbalanced him.

"Gee! it's a regular fight," burst out Andy. "I didn't know Brassy was
here."

"Neither did I," said Fred. "Why didn't you call us, Jack?"

"He didn't give me time," answered the young captain. "He accused me of
getting him into trouble at Clearwater Hall, and then pitched into me."

"I'll fix you!" yelled Brassy, who was now almost beside himself with
rage. "I'll fix you!" and he made another lunge for Jack.

But the blow he intended to deliver fell short, and before he could
recover the young captain came at him with a crack in the ear, followed
by another on the cheek, and these caused Brassy to stagger into a corner
where he held fast to a chair.

"Say, you fellows will have Colonel Colby here in another minute," warned
Fred.

"I don't care who comes!" bellowed Brassy recklessly. "But see here, I'm
not going to fight four of you!" he went on sullenly, as he glared from
one to another of the Rovers.

"There won't be any more fight!" cried Jack, who had no desire to be
brought up before the master of the school again. "Fred, open that door!"
And then, as the youngest Rover did so, he added to his opponent: "Now
get out of here before I throw you out."

"You can't throw me out!" blustered Brassy. But then, as Jack advanced on
him threateningly, he made a sudden spring for the door and ran out into
the corridor. "I'm not going to fight four to one. But just wait--this
isn't ended yet," he went on, and then disappeared.

Fred closed the door again, and he and the others gathered around Jack,
who was panting from his unexpected exertions.

"Gosh, but he looked mad!" was Randy's comment. "What was it all about?"

In as few words as possible the young captain explained the situation so
far as he was able.

"Brassy must have gone over to Clearwater Hall and there got the idea
that you were queering that proposed party," was Fred's comment. "Well,
I'm glad if the girls are wise to what is going on."

"Better chew this over in the morning," admonished Andy. "The thing now
is to get into bed and put out the lights. One of the professors may be
up here any minute."

This advice was considered good, and with lightning-like rapidity the
room was placed in order and the others retired again, leaving Jack to
undress and go to bed as quickly as possible. A little later one of the
monitors came through the hall, but none of the Rovers was disturbed.

It was not until two days later that the Rovers heard the particulars of
what had occurred at Clearwater Hall. Then they learned that, unknown to
any of the girls, one of the teachers had been delegated by Miss Garwood,
the head of the academy, to make a quiet investigation concerning the
proposed sleighing party. And when this teacher had found out who were on
the committee of arrangements, Miss Garwood had forbidden any of the
young ladies to participate. When this became known, Brassy Bangs had at
once concluded that Jack--and perhaps some of his relatives and
friends--was responsible for what had occurred. The party had been called
off.