The Rover Boys on a Hunt; or, The Mysterious House in the Woods
by Edward Stratemeyer · English · Gutenberg #22012 · 350,725 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Rover Boys on a Hunt; or, The Mysterious House in the Woods
Author: Edward Stratemeyer
Release date: July 7, 2007 [eBook #22012]
Most recently updated: January 2, 2021
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT; OR, THE MYSTERIOUS HOUSE IN THE WOODS ***
Produced by David Edwards, Mary Meehan, and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced
from scans of public domain material produced by Microsoft for their
Live Search Books site.)
THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT
OR
_THE MYSTERIOUS HOUSE IN THE WOODS_
BY
ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
(Edward Stratemeyer)
AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN,"
"THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES," ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED_
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
Made in the United States of America
Copyright, 1920, by
EDWARD STRATEMEYER
[Illustration: THE WOLVES GAVE LOUD YELPS OF PAIN.]
_The Rover Boys on a Hunt_
INTRODUCTION
MY DEAR BOYS: This book is a complete story in itself, but forms the
fourth volume in a line issued under the general title, "The Second
Rover Boys Series for Young Americans."
As mentioned in some volumes of the first series, this line was started
years ago with the publication of "The Rover Boys at School," "On the
Ocean," and "In the Jungle," in which I introduced my readers to Dick,
Tom and Sam Rover. The twenty volumes of the first series related the
doings of these three youths while attending Putnam Hall Military
Academy, Brill College, and while on numerous outings.
Having acquired a thorough education, the three young men established
themselves in business and were married. Presently Dick Rover became the
father of a son and a daughter, and so did his brother Sam, while Tom
Rover became the father of twin boys. The four lads were later on sent
to boarding school, as related in the first volume of this second
series, entitled "The Rover Boys at Colby Hall."
From Colby Hall the scene was shifted to "Snowshoe Island," where the
lads went for a winter outing. Then they came back to the military
academy, and later on participated in the annual encampment, as related
in the third volume, entitled "The Rover Boys under Canvas."
In the present volume the scene is shifted from lively times at Colby
Hall to still more livelier times in the woods, to which the lads
journeyed for a season of hunting. They came upon a mysterious house in
the forest, and there uncovered a secret which I will leave the pages
that follow to relate.
Once more I wish to thank my numerous readers for the many nice things
they have said about these "Rover Boys" books. I trust that the reading
of the volumes will do them all good.
Affectionately and sincerely yours,
EDWARD STRATEMEYER.
CONTENTS
I THE BOBSLED RACE
II ABOUT THE ROVERS
III NEWS OF IMPORTANCE
IV SOMETHING ABOUT CEDAR LODGE
V THE DEFEAT OF THE BULLY
VI AT THE MOVING PICTURE THEATER
VII THE END OF THE TERM
VIII CHRISTMAS AT HOME
IX THE RAILROAD ACCIDENT
X THE RESCUE
XI ON THE WAY TO CEDAR LODGE
XII AT THE FROZEN-UP SPRING
XIII THE MEETING ON THE ROAD
XIV THE FIRST HUNT
XV A CRY FOR HELP
XVI UNDESIRABLE VISITORS
XVII NEW YEAR'S DAY IN CAMP
XVIII FISHING THROUGH THE ICE
XIX LETTERS FROM HOME
XX LOST IN THE WOODS
XXI A NIGHT UNDER THE CLIFF
XXII AT TONY DUVAL'S CAMP
XXIII SIX BIG SNOWBALLS
XXIV A CONVERSATION OF IMPORTANCE
XXV THE MYSTERIOUS HOUSE IN THE WOODS
XXVI WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED
XXVII THE COMING OF THE WOLVES
XXVIII THE MAN IN THE GREY OVERCOAT
XXIX WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LODGE
XXX THE EXPOSURE--CONCLUSION
CHAPTER I
THE BOBSLED RACE
"All ready, boys?"
"Wait a minute, Jack."
"Can't wait; life is too short!" cried Jack Rover gayly. He was seated
at the front of a long bobsled holding six boys. "Remember, we've got to
be back at the Hall in half an hour."
"Please don't mention it!" pleaded Randy Rover, his cousin.
"Hi, you fellows! are you going to race or not?" came from another youth
on a bobsled standing close by.
"You bet we're going to race!" sang out Fred Rover, who was at the tail
end of the first sled. "And we'll beat you, too, Bill Glutts!"
"You will, like fun!" grumbled the cadet addressed, a rather heavy-set
and by-no-means pre-possessing youth. "Come on now, unless you're
afraid."
"We're afraid of nobody!" sang out Andy Rover, and, leaning sideways
from where he sat on the bobsled, he scooped up a handful of loose snow
and threw it playfully at Glutts.
"Hi, you! what do you mean?" roared Bill Glutts in anger, as the snow
landed directly behind his right ear.
"Hello! I guess it must have begun to snow again," cried Randy Rover,
mischievously.
"I'll 'snow' you!" retorted Glutts. "I guess you fellows are afraid to
race. That's why you are cutting up."
"Never mind--race them anyway, Bill," came from a small, pasty-faced
youth, who was usually called Codfish on account of his broad mouth. "Go
ahead and show 'em what your new bobsled can do."
"That's the talk!" cried another cadet, a newcomer at the academy. "Show
'em that the _Yellow Streak_ can lick anything on this hill."
"That's a dream that will never come true!" cried Spouter Powell. "Come
ahead, Jack, let's start this race," he added to the oldest Rover boy.
The scene was Long Hill, a rise of ground located about midway between
Colby Hall Military Academy and the town of Haven Point. There was
something of a wagon road leading up the hill from the main highway
which skirted Clearwater Lake, and this road had been converted by the
cadets of the academy into a slide for their bobsleds.
From the top of the hill the slide ran down and over two smaller hills,
then crossed the main highway and shot down another road onto the lake,
which at this season of the year was covered with ice.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and, as usual, the cadets of the military
academy were making the most of their off time, some with bobsleds and
other with ordinary handsleds and what were locally called "bread
shovels."
For some weeks before this the boys, as well as many other residents in
that vicinity, had enjoyed skating on the lake. But a rather wet snow
had fallen which the wind had been unable to sweep away, and
consequently skating became a thing of the past. Then the lads turned to
their bobsleds, the Rovers getting out one they had used the season
before. This they painted and varnished very carefully and christened
the _Blue Moon_.
"Because, you see," explained Randy, with a wink, "it's only once in a
blue moon that she'll be beaten."
The Rovers and their chums, as well as many other cadets and boys and
girls from that vicinity, had been using the hill for a couple of hours
when the race between the _Blue Moon_ and the _Yellow Streak_ was
proposed by Nick Carncross, the new friend of Bill Glutts.
Now, as my old readers know, the Rovers and Bill Glutts were by no means
on good terms with each other. In the past Glutts had proved himself
anything but a friend, and they had had more than one personal encounter
with this freckled-faced bully.
But it was not in the nature of any of the Rover boys to refuse a
challenge to race, knowing well that if this was done many would think
they were afraid of being beaten. So the challenge was accepted, and
immediately the details were arranged.
Each bobsled was to carry six cadets, and they were to start down the
hill side by side, the _Blue Moon_ keeping well to the right and the
_Yellow Streak_ well to the left. The first sled to cross a mark located
out on the lake was to be declared the winner.
With the four Rover boys were their intimate chums, Spouter Powell and
Gif Garrison. With Glutts were Codfish, Carncross, and three other of
the bully's cronies.
"Gee! I wish I was in that race," came from Will Hendry, who, on account
of his unusual stoutness, was always called Fatty.
"Nothing doing, Fatty," remarked Dan Soppinger, another cadet. "You'd
make the Rovers lose sure."
"All ready?" questioned Walt Baxter, who had been settled on as the
starter of the race.
"All ready," answered Jack Rover, after a glance around to see that
nothing was out of order.
"Been ready half an hour," grumbled Bill Glutts.
"All right, then!" cried Walt. "One--two--three--go!"
As he finished Fred Rover, who was at the rear of the _Blue Moon_, gave
that bobsled a quick push and leaped aboard. At the same time Carncross
sent the _Yellow Streak_ forward and also sprang to his seat. Then, side
by side, the two bobsleds moved down the long hill, slowly at first, but
gradually gathering speed.
It was five o'clock of an afternoon in early December, and consequently
quite dark, even on the snow-clad hills. Many of the smaller children,
and also the girls, had gone home, leaving the place to the cadets and a
few others.
"I hope we win this," remarked Randy, as the two sleds continued to
speed forward side by side.
"Of course we'll win it," came promptly from Gif Garrison.
"We've got to win it!" added Fred Rover.
"If you don't win Bill Glutts will never stop crowing over you," put in
Spouter Powell.
"Hi, there, Glutts! Keep to your side of the run," warned Jack suddenly.
The _Yellow Streak_ had swerved over well into the middle of the road.
"I know what I'm doing," growled Glutts. "You tend to your own
business."
"Well, you know the rules," warned Jack. "You keep over on your own
side. If you don't there'll be trouble."
"Humph! you don't have to tell me what to do," growled the other cadet;
and then, striking a bit of extra smooth roadway, the _Yellow Streak_
bounded ahead, much to the delight of its riders.
"Hurrah! here is where we leave them behind," sang out Codfish.
"Nothing to it but the shouting," added another of Bill Glutts' cronies.
"We'll be a mile ahead by the time we reach the lake," exulted Nick
Carncross.
For half a minute it looked as if his prophecy might be true. The
_Yellow Streak_ was gliding over the icy surface of the long hill, and
consequently going ahead, while the _Blue Moon_ struck several soft
spots where going was anything but good.
"Oh, Jack! can't you pull out of this?" queried Gif Garrison anxiously.
"Pull over to the left where the going is harder. It's too soft here
entirely."
"I'm sticking to my side of the road, just as I was expected to do,"
said Jack grimly.
The _Yellow Streak_ disappeared over the first rise, and for a few
seconds was lost to view. But then the _Blue Moon_ came along, and
beyond this rise found going somewhat easier. Slowly but surely they
crawled up behind the other bobsled.
"Keep to your side of the road, Glutts!" yelled Jack, in a second
warning. "If you don't, there'll be trouble."
"And you'll get the worst of it," added Randy.
"I know what I'm doing," retorted Glutts. He had found the snow somewhat
soft on his side of the road, and was now running near the center, and
occasionally crowding to Jack's side.
"We'll run into 'em sure!" came from Spouter Powell in alarm. "Look out,
Jack!"
"Look out!" echoed Fred.
"Over on your own side, or we'll smash you, Glutts!" yelled Jack, for
the _Blue Moon_ had suddenly found going much easier and was forging
forward rapidly. "Get out of the way!"
The call was so peremptory that Glutts felt bound to obey. He swerved to
his side of the road, and with not a second to spare, for almost
instantly the _Blue Moon_ shot past and continued down the slope toward
the lake.
"We win! we win!" yelled Andy gayly.
"But the _Yellow Streak_ is just behind us!" cried Spouter, looking
back. "Here they come!"
"Yes, and on our side of the road, too!" cried Fred, in alarm. He turned
his head still further around. "Glutts, get to your own side!"
"Aw, dry up!" cried the other cadet, in disgust. "You don't have to act
as if you owned the whole road."
"You know the rules of the race," flung back Fred.
Crossing the highway which skirted the lake was not so easy, and beyond
this the snow was rather deep, and consequently the speed of the _Blue
Moon_ was slackened. The _Yellow Streak_ came dangerously close, and
then Bill Glutts seemed to lose his head completely. He slued around to
his own side of the road, but made such a short turn that in a twinkling
the long bobsled was upset and the occupants hurled in all directions.
"There they go! They are upset!" yelled Fred. And then he lost sight of
those left behind as the _Blue Moon_ shot out on the surface of the lake
and beyond the mark set for the end of the race.
"We win! we win!" cried Andy, leaping from the bobsled, and in the
exuberance of his spirits he turned a handspring in the snow.
"What happened to the other sled?" asked Jack, who had been so busy
steering the _Blue Moon_ he had paid little attention to what had been
going on behind.
"They had a spill," answered Fred. "But before they took it they came
pretty close to running into us."
"It was up to them to keep to their side of the road," said Gif
Garrison. "Why, we might have had a terrible accident if they had run
into us!"
There were about a dozen boys on the lake who had witnessed the finish
of the race, and these, along with those who had come down on the _Blue
Moon_, now turned back to see what had happened to the Glutts party.
They found the cadets who had been spilled picking themselves up and
brushing the snow from their garments. One was nursing a bruised ankle,
and another a bruised elbow, while Bill Glutts was wiping some blood
from a scratch on his chin.
"Well, we won the race," said Jack briefly. He had no desire to crow
over his opponents.
"Huh! you didn't win it fairly," growled Glutts, glaring at him.
"Didn't win it fairly!" exclaimed Jack. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean you got in our way so we couldn't get past you--that's what I
mean!" growled the other.
"That is false, Glutts, and you know it," retorted the oldest Rover boy.
"See here, Jack Rover! you can't talk to me in that fashion," roared
Bill Glutts. He had been in a more or less bad humor all the afternoon,
and the defeat had not improved his temper. "I say you got in my way,
and that is why I lost the race."
"And I say your statement isn't true," returned Jack sturdily.
"It is true! And I won't let you or anybody else say any different,"
said Bill Glutts. And then, in sudden passion, he stepped forward and
gave Jack a shove which sent the oldest Rover boy flat on his back in a
snowbank.
CHAPTER II
ABOUT THE ROVERS
The attack upon Jack Rover was so unexpected that he had no chance to
save himself from going down into the snowbank. He went down so hard and
the snow was so soft that for the moment he was almost covered and had
to flounder around quite some to regain his feet.
"See here, Bill Glutts! what do you mean by attacking my cousin?" cried
Randy, leaping forward and catching the bully by the arm.
"He had no right to talk to me the way he did," retorted Glutts. "Let go
of me!" and he shook himself free.
"What Jack said was true," put in Fred quickly. "I was on the back of
our bobsled and watched you nearly all the time. You came over on our
side of the road at least three different times."
By this time half a dozen of the cadets were speaking at once, Carncross
and several others upholding Bill Glutts. In the midst of the discussion
Jack managed to regain his feet, and, leaping forward, he caught Bill
Glutts firmly by both wrists.
"Glutts, you listen to me," said he sternly, looking the bully in the
eyes. "If I wasn't an officer at the Hall, I'd give you a sound
thrashing for what you just did. As it is, I expect you to apologize or
else take the consequences."
"Huh! I suppose you mean by that you'll play sissy and report me," said
the bully.
"No, I won't report you, but I'll see to it that you get what is coming
to you," answered Jack.
"Knowing he is an officer and can't fight you, you took a mean advantage
of Jack," broke in Gif Garrison. "You ought to be thrashed for it,
Glutts."
"I don't think Bill meant to shove him down into the snow," put in
Codfish, somewhat timidly.
"He did mean to do it!" said Jack quickly. "And he'll either apologize
for his actions or he'll take the consequences."
"Well, I'll take the consequences, whatever they are," retorted Bill
Glutts, with a sickly grin. "I know that race wasn't a fair one. Come
on, fellows, let's get back to the Hall, it's almost supper time," and
with that he trudged away, he and his cronies pulling the _Yellow
Streak_ behind them.
"He sure is one sweet-tempered fellow," was Spouter's comment.
"Jack, why didn't you pitch into him, anyway?" questioned Andy
anxiously.
"I didn't have to," returned Jack briefly. "Just the same, I won't
forget the way he has acted. If it wasn't that I am captain of Company
C, and am expected not to fight, I'd have given him the thrashing of his
life."
To the many young folks who have read the former volumes in this series,
the Rover boys will not need an introduction. But for the benefit of new
readers a few words concerning my characters will be necessary.
In the first volume, entitled "The Rover Boys at School," I related how
three brothers, Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover, were sent to Putnam Hall
Military Academy, where they made a great number of friends, including a
cadet named Lawrence Colby.
From Putnam Hall the boys went to Brill College, and, after leaving that
institution of learning, joined their father in business in New York
City, with offices on Wall Street. They organized The Rover Company, of
which Dick was president, Tom, secretary and general manager, and Sam,
treasurer.
During their cadet days at Putnam Hall the three Rovers had become
acquainted with a number of charming girls, including Dora Stanhope and
her cousins, Nellie and Grace Laning. When Dick went into business he
made Dora Stanhope his life partner, and a short while after this Tom
married Nellie Laning and Sam married Grace. The three brothers
purchased a fine plot of ground on Riverside Drive overlooking the
Hudson River, and there they built three connecting houses, Dick and his
wife living in the middle house, with Tom on one side and Sam on the
other.
About a year after their marriage Dick and his wife became the proud
parents of a little son, who was named John after Mr. Laning. This son
was followed by a daughter, named Martha, after her Great-aunt Martha,
of Valley Brook Farm. Little Jack, as he was commonly called, was a
manly lad with many of the qualities which made his father so successful
in life.
It was about this time that Tom and Nellie Rover sprang a great surprise
on all the others. This surprise was in the shape of a pair of very
lively boy twins, one christened Anderson, after his grandfather, and
the other Randolph, after his Great-uncle Randolph of Valley Brook Farm.
Andy and Randy, as the twins were always called, were decidedly active
lads, taking after their father, "who was never still a minute," to
quote Grandpa Rover.
Shortly after the twins were born, Sam and Grace Rover came along with a
beautiful girl, named Mary, after Mrs. Laning. Then, a year later, the
girl was followed by a sturdy boy, who was called Fred, in honor of Sam
Rover's old and well known school chum, Fred Garrison.
Residing so close together, the younger generation of Rovers were
brought up very much like one big family. They usually spent their
winters in New York City, and during the summers often went out to
Valley Brook Farm, where their grandfather, Anderson Rover, still
resided with Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha.
When the boys and girls grew old enough they were at first sent to
private schools in the Metropolis. But soon the lads, led by Andy and
Randy, showed a propensity for "cutting loose" that their parents were
compelled to hold a consultation.
"We'll have to send them to some strict boarding school--some military
academy," said Dick Rover; and so it was decided.
Lawrence Colby, their old Putnam Hall chum, had since that time become a
colonel in the state militia and had then opened a military academy
called Colby Hall. To this institution, Jack, Fred and the twins were
sent, as related in detail in the first volume of my second series,
entitled "The Rover Boys at Colby Hall."
This military school was located about half a mile from the town of
Haven Point on Clearwater Lake, a beautiful sheet of water about two
miles long. The school consisted of a large stone building facing the
lake. It was a three-storied structure and contained the classrooms and
the mess hall, and also dormitories and private rooms for the students.
Besides the main building, there was a smaller structure occupied by
Colonel Colby and his family and some of the professors, and also an
up-to-date gymnasium and boathouses and bathing pavilions.
On arriving at the academy the younger Rovers found several of their
friends awaiting them, one of these being Dick Powell, the son of
Songbird Powell, a former schoolmate of their fathers. Dick was always
called Spouter because of a fondness for long speeches. Another cadet
was Gif Garrison, a son of Fred Garrison, after whom Fred Rover had been
named. There was also Walter Baxter, a son of Dan Baxter, who, years
previous, had been an enemy of the older Rovers, but who had since
reformed and who was doing well.
As mentioned, Colby Hall was situated about half a mile from Haven
Point. On the opposite side of the town was located Clearwater Hall, a
boarding school for girls. During a panic in a moving picture theatre
Jack and his cousins became acquainted with a number of these school
girls, including Ruth Stevenson, May Powell, Alice Strobell and Annie
Larkins. They soon found out that May was Spouter Powell's cousin, and
the whole crowd of young people became friends. Later on Mary and Martha
Rover became pupils at Clearwater Hall.
Ruth Stevenson had an old Uncle Barney, who in times past had had a
bitter quarrel with Ruth's parents. The Rover boys, while out hunting
one day, had occasion to save the old man's life. For this the old
fellow was exceedingly grateful, and as a result he invited them to
spend their winter holidays with him, which they did, as related in "The
Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island."
On this island the lads met two of their former enemies, Nappy Martell
and Slugger Brown, as well as Asa Lemm, a discharged teacher of Colby
Hall. The boys exposed a plot against old Uncle Barney, and in the end
caused the old fellow's enemies to leave in disgust.
"I guess we haven't seen the last of Nappy and Slugger," said Jack when
he and his cousins had left Snowshoe Island.
And he was right. Nappy and Slugger turned up once more, as related in
the volume previous to this, entitled "The Rover Boys Under Canvas." In
that volume I told how the cadets went into their annual encampment,
this being after a spirited election for officers in which Jack Rover
had been elected captain of Company C and Fred had been elected first
lieutenant of the same command.
Among the cadets who wished to become a captain was one named Gabe
Werner, a great chum at that time of Bill Glutts. Having failed of
election, Werner did all he could to make things uncomfortable for the
Rovers, and in his actions he was seconded by Glutts. But in the end
Werner and Glutts were discovered in some of their nefarious doings,
and, becoming alarmed, Gabe Werner left the school camp early in the
morning and did not return. Glutts was brought before Captain Dale, the
teacher in charge of the camp, and received a stern lecture and was
deprived of many liberties he might otherwise have enjoyed. He laid his
troubles at the door of the Rovers and vowed that sooner or later he
would pay them back for the way he had been treated.
While the Rover boys were at Colby Hall the great war in Europe had
opened and our country was now overrun with German spies and
sympathizers. During their time at the encampment the boys made several
surprising discoveries, and in the end helped the Secret Service
officers to capture a hidden German submarine. They also rounded up the
fathers of Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown. Mr. Brown and Mr. Martell
were sent to prison, while Slugger and Nappy were marched off to a
detention camp in the South, and that, for the time being, was the last
the Rovers heard of them.
"Well, one thing is certain--we're well rid of Slugger and Nappy and
their fathers," remarked Jack, as this news was brought to them.
"Yes, and I guess we're rid of Gabe Werner too," said Fred. "He seems to
have dropped out completely." But in his remark concerning Werner the
young lieutenant was mistaken. Gabe Werner was destined to turn up in
their path unexpectedly and cause them not a little trouble.
When the call for volunteers came, Dick Rover and Sam had lost no time
in enlisting. At first Tom Rover had been unable to get away. But now
the business in New York City had been left in reliable hands, and all
three fathers of the boys were in the trenches in Europe doing their bit
for Uncle Sam. They had been in several small engagements, and so far
had come through unwounded.
"But there is no telling if they will come through every time," was the
way Fred expressed himself anxiously.
"Right you are," answered Jack. "Do you know, I dread to look at the
lists of the killed and wounded in the newspapers for fear I'll see one
of their names."
"Oh, if only this awful war was over!" put in Randy.
CHAPTER III
NEWS OF IMPORTANCE
"Battalion attention! Shoulder arms! Forward march!"
Boom! Boom! Boom, boom, boom! The drums beat, and away marched the three
companies forming the Colby Hall battalion. They marched around the
school building, as was the custom, and then marched into the place, put
away their rifles, and entered the mess hall.
The roll call and brief drill and march took place less than half an
hour after the encounter on the hill following the finish of the bobsled
race. Captain Jack and Lieutenant Fred had lost no time in hurrying back
to the school, and their chums had gone with them. Bill Glutts and his
cronies had gone ahead, as already stated. And they did not show
themselves until the call came to appear on the parade ground.
As captain and lieutenant, Jack and Fred were in rather a delicate
position when it came to quarreling with the other cadets. In the past
Colonel Colby had laid down the rule that there should be no fighting at
the Hall, and this rule was particularly enforced when it came to
officers. Now that the master of the military academy had joined the
army and gone with the older Rovers to Europe, Captain Dale, who was in
general command, was enforcing this rule with more strictness than ever
before.
The afternoon spent coasting had given the Rovers and their chums good
appetites, and they fell to with gusto over the ample supper provided
for them. Unlike many boarding schools, the table at Colby Hall was
always a bountiful one, and it is needless to say that the growing
cadets always did full justice to everything that was set before them.
"What are you going to do about Bill Glutts, Jack?" questioned Fred,
after the meal was over and the two were on their way to get several
reference books from the school library.
"I don't know yet," was the young captain's answer. "He ought to have a
thrashing, but you know how matters stand."
"Of course. And Jack, we can't think of that with the end of the term so
near. You don't want to spoil your record, and neither do I."
"It's a confounded shame that Glutts didn't leave when Gabe Werner
went," continued the oldest Rover boy. "They were two of a kind."
"Did you hear what Andy said--that he thought Glutts had a lot of German
blood in him?"
"That might be. His face looks it, and the name sounds a little that way
too."
"Andy and Randy both want to pitch into him," continued the young
lieutenant.
"You warn them not to do it--at least, not until this term comes to an
end," warned Jack. "They have been cutting up so much since last
September that their averages are none too high as it is. They'd be
mighty sorry if Captain Dale sent home a bad report about them. It would
just about break Aunt Nellie's heart, I'm sure."
Having procured the reference books, the two made their way upstairs to
the rooms occupied by them. The Rovers had a suite of four rooms, one of
which was used as a sitting room and for studying. As they walked
through the upper hallway they passed Nick Carncross and Bill Glutts.
Glutts looked sourly at them but did not say a word, and they refused to
notice the pair.
"I guess you've got their goat, Bill," remarked Carncross, as they
passed on. "That race really belonged to you, and they know it."
"Of course it belonged to me," returned Glutts. "If they hadn't got in
my way I'd have won with ease. There isn't a bobsled anywhere around
that can beat the _Yellow Streak_."
"I'm glad you shoved him over in the snow, even if he is a captain,"
continued Carncross. "He's got too big an opinion of himself."
"He only got to be captain by a fluke, Nick. Gabe Werner should have had
that office," continued Glutts.
"Is that why Werner left?" questioned Carncross curiously.
"Oh, no. He left because he got sick of the discipline around here. He
said there was no chance for any fun," answered Glutts.
"Where is he now? Did his folks approve of his leaving school?"
"Oh, I guess they didn't care one way or the other. Old man Werner is
pretty rich, and he didn't get his money by being educated either. So I
guess he doesn't care much for education."
"Does he let Gabe have much spending money?"
"Quite a little--but, of course, not as much as Gabe would like to have.
You know Gabe is a good deal of a sport." Bill Glutts' face lit up with
satisfaction. "I expect we are going to have a bang-up time together
during the holidays."
"Then you expect to see him?"
"Yes; we're planning a trip together."
"Gee! I'll envy you," returned Carncross.
Andy and Randy had not yet come upstairs. Neither could resist the
temptation to have a little fun, and after supper they had gone outside
and begun to snowball Shout Plunger, the school janitor, and Bob Nixon,
the chauffeur.
"It's all in fun, you know," explained Andy, as he let fly a snowball at
the old janitor, who was always called Shout because he was so deaf.
"Hi there! you stop that!" roared Shout. And then, when they continued
to snowball him, he came after them with a wooden snow-shovel.
"Look out! Here comes the enemy!" cried Randy gayly, and let fly a
snowball which struck the upraised snow-shovel and sent a shower of
loose snow into the janitor's face.
"You young rascals!" roared Plunger, and then lost his footing on some
ice. In endeavoring to keep his balance he sent the snow-shovel whirling
through the air. It landed at Andy's feet, catching that fun-loving
youth in the shins and sending him flat on his face.
"Hurrah! One down!" came from Bob Nixon good-naturedly, and then the
chauffeur picked up a large chunk of snow and threw it high in the air,
to land directly on Randy's shoulder.
"Great pyramids of Egypt!" gasped Randy. "Is that a snowslide?" For some
of the snow had filled his ear and gone down his neck.
"Oh, we didn't begin this, you know," cried the chauffeur gleefully.
"Come on, Shout; let's show 'em what the older generation can do." And
then he picked up another chunk of snow and hurled it at Andy, nearly
burying that youth while he was endeavoring to regain his feet.
"Hi! Hi you!" spluttered Andy. "We went in for snowballing. We didn't go
in for avalanches."
"When you start something, always be sure you can finish it," admonished
Bob Nixon. And then he picked up a third chunk of snow; but before he
could make use of it the Rover twins had dived out of sight around a
corner of the school building.
"I guess that's the time we got the worst of it," remarked Andy
ruefully.
"And maybe we deserved it," was Randy's ready response. "Come on and
snowball some of the other cadets."
A number were willing, and an impromptu snowballing battle took place
which lasted the best part of a quarter of an hour. Then one of the
teachers came out and ordered the youths upstairs, for this was the
study hour.
On Sundays such of the cadets as desired to do so were permitted to
attend one or another of the churches in Haven Point. All of the Rovers
went to church, and there met, not only Mary and Martha, but also Ruth
Stevenson, May Powell, and some of the other girls.
"Well, Jack, I suppose this snowy weather puts you in mind of the time
you went to my Uncle Barney's place on Snowshoe Island," remarked Ruth
Stevenson, with a bright smile at the young captain, who, of course, was
dressed in his best uniform.
"That's what it does, Ruth," he answered. "And, my, what a good time we
did have! How is your uncle getting along?"
"Very well indeed. He is a changed man since he stopped quarreling with
my folks and since it has been proved that Snowshoe Island is really and
truly his property."
"I'm glad we were able to help the old man."
"Have you decided on what you intend to do during the coming holidays?"
continued the girl from Clearwater Hall.
"Not exactly, Ruth. More than likely we'll go home with the girls and
spend some time with our mothers. They probably feel pretty lonely now
that our dads have gone to Europe."
"Yes, I can imagine how that must be."
"You girls ought to come down with Mary and Martha."
"We're talking of doing that," put in May Powell. "You see, we wanted
them to come up to my house first, and then Ruth wanted them. But as
their mothers are now all alone in New York they thought it best that we
should spend the time down there. We could have something of a house
party, and that would help cheer the older folks up."
"A good idea!" came from Fred. "Do it by all means!"
"Yes, you girls can have a fine time in New York during the winter
holidays," added Randy.
"I suppose you boys will want to go off hunting," said May, pouting a
little. "I wish I was a boy and could do that!"
"Gee! I wish we could go off hunting, like we did that time at Snowshoe
Island," cried Randy wistfully. "Such an outing would suit me right down
to the ground."
"Gif Garrison said something a few days ago about going off on a hunt,"
remarked Fred. "He says his father some years ago bought a place known
as Cedar Lodge. He didn't tell me very much about it. In fact, he acted
quite mysteriously."
"I suppose he didn't want to hurt your feelings, Fred," returned Jack.
"More than likely he knew you would feel bad to have him going off for a
good time up in the woods and have you and the rest of us staying at
home."
Two days passed, and the young cadets were so busy getting ready for the
examinations previous to the midwinter holidays that they had no time to
pay attention to anything else. They heard that Bill Glutts was openly
boasting that the _Yellow Streak_ could beat any bobsled in that
vicinity and that the _Blue Moon_ had won the contest by a foul. But to
this just then they paid no attention.
"I'll get at Bill later--just wait!" was the way Jack expressed himself,
and the others knew that the young captain would keep his word.
On Wednesday the boys received letters from home stating that word had
come in that their fathers were still in the trenches in France. No
serious fighting had so far taken place in their sector, and none of
them had been wounded and all were in the best of health.
"That's the best news yet," said Fred, with satisfaction, and the others
agreed with him.
Gif Garrison had also received a letter, and this he read with
tremendous satisfaction. His face was aglow as he called the Rover boys
to him.
"I've got an important announcement to make to you fellows," he said.
"Let us go up to your rooms and talk it over."
"What is the announcement?" questioned Andy eagerly.
"I'll tell you when we are alone," answered Gif.
CHAPTER IV
SOMETHING ABOUT CEDAR LODGE
"Oh, go ahead, Gif, and get it off your chest!"
"Don't keep us waiting."
"Has some one died and left you a fortune?"
Such were some of the remarks made after Gif Garrison had said that he
had an important announcement to make to the four Rover boys.
"Not another word until we get to your rooms," said Gif. "And, Andy,
won't you please run off and get Spouter Powell? I just saw him heading
for the gymnasium."
"All right, Gif. But don't you dare to let the others in on the secret
until I get back," returned the fun-loving Rover boy, and away he sped
on his errand.
A few minutes later all of the lads mentioned were assembled in the
Rover boys' sitting room, some on chairs, one on a table, and two on a
couch. Andy playfully started to throw a pillow at Fred, but Gif at once
put up his hand in protest.
"Any horseplay, and I'll call it all off," he warned.
"I'll be good, Gif!" cried Andy reluctantly, and got rid of the pillow
by using it for a back rest.
"This letter is from my Uncle Louis, who is a partner with my father in
the ownership of a large tract of land not far from the seacoast," began
Gif. "There is a small but comfortable bungalow on it, known as Cedar
Lodge. Nobody was going to use the Lodge this winter, and I suggested to
my folks and Uncle Louis that they allow us fellows to occupy it during
the holidays."
"And what did they say?" questioned Randy eagerly.
"They said I could go there if I wanted to, and I could take you Rover
boys and Spouter with me, provided you could get consent to go."
"Isn't that dandy!"
"Of course we'll go, Gif. Horses couldn't hold us back!"
"How is the hunting there? Can we get a deer or a moose?"
"How do you get there?"
These were a few questions hurled at Gif after he had made his important
announcement. He placed his hands over his ears in despair.
"One question at a time, please!" he begged. "What do you think I am,
anyhow--an encyclopædia? To get there you go from here to Portview, and
then along the coast to a place called Timminsport. From Timminsport you
have either to take a sleigh or else hike to the camp, which is about
five or six miles away. There is an old fellow, named Jed Wallop, who
lives near the property in a little shack some distance from the
bungalow. If we want him to, he will get a sled and drive us to the
place, and he will also assist us in getting settled, and in getting
what stores we may need--that is, provided you fellows can really go."
"You can count of me," declared Spouter promptly. "My folks said I could
do as I pleased during the holidays, provided I kept out of mischief.
And what mischief could a fellow get into in the midst of those grand
primeval forests where perhaps the woodsman has never dared to lay his
axe to the heart of the sturdy oak, and where the timid deer, in fancied
freedom, ambles through the darkening glades, and--"
"Turn off the spigot, Spouter, or you'll have us flooded!" burst out
Randy.
"Save your orations for the day before election," came from Fred.
"You can give us the rest of it, Spouter, when we are in camp some night
and have nothing to read and don't know what to do," suggested Jack.
"That's it--always cutting my rhetorical effusions short," remarked
Spouter reproachfully. "Some day, when you are aching to have me make a
speech, you'll find me dumb."
"Tell us more about this camp, Gif," cried Fred.
Thereupon Gif Garrison related all he knew concerning the camp, which
was located on a small stream of water that in the summer time ran down
to a bay emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. There was a good deal of
timber on the tract, and, so far as Gif knew, there was quite some small
game.
"I don't know about deer," he continued. "More than likely the big
animals have gone further north. But one might get a chance at a wolf or
a fox, and maybe some brook mink. We'll be sure to get plenty of rabbits
and squirrels and ducks, and most likely some partridges and maybe wild
turkeys. But, first of all, you Rovers have got to make sure that you
can go."
"Oh, we'll arrange that somehow, Gif," said Jack. "Of course, we'll want
to go home first and see our folks and cheer them up a bit. They are
pretty lonely now that our dads are over in France."
"Oh, I'm going home myself first. But we can have at least three weeks
up there, because the school is going to be closed more than a month
before and after Christmas."
Gif's announcement was such a pleasing one that the Rovers found it hard
work after that to settle down to their studies. Letters were at once
written to their mothers, and presently word came back that they might
go to the camp immediately after Christmas if they wanted to do so. Then
Jack telephoned to his sister at Clearwater Hall and got word back that
Ruth and May would go down to New York with Mary and Martha and remain
there until it was time to return to the girls' school.
"It's too bad we can't be at home while the girls are there," remarked
Jack to his cousins. He sighed deeply.
"You mean it's too bad you can't be there while Ruth is there," put in
Andy slyly.
"That's the time you struck the nail on the head!" cried Randy.
"Humph! you needn't rap me about it," returned the young captain
briefly. "I guess you'd like to see the girls yourselves."
Now that they knew what they were going to do during the midwinter
holidays, the Rover boys and their chums were eager to have the school
session come to an end. But they did not neglect their studies, nor did
Jack and Fred neglect their duties as officers.
Jack had an essay to write on "The Real Training of a Soldier," and he
spent a great deal of time over this.
"Not but what there is a good deal about it that I don't know," said
Jack to his cousins. "I guess dad could write a better essay than I can
turn out. He's seen some of the real side of a soldier's life."
"What wonderful things our dads will have to tell when they get back,"
said Fred. "That is, if they ever do get back," he added anxiously.
"Oh, they've got to come back, Fred! They've simply got to!" returned
Jack. But his face, too, showed his worry. The Rover boys did not care
to admit it to each other, yet each day every one of them worried over
their parents. It was dreadful to think that one's father, or one's
beloved uncle, might be killed by the Germans, or even badly wounded.
On the Saturday following the bobsled contest the boys assembled once
more on the long Hill, and this time they were accompanied by many of
the girls from Clearwater Hall. Jack and his cousins gave Ruth and the
others many rides down the hill, much to their mutual delight.
"Here comes Bill Glutts with his _Yellow Streak_," cried Fred presently.
"Here's a chance to have another race with him, Jack," said Fatty
Hendry. "He says you won the other race by a foul."
"That's the talk, Jack!" cried Dan Soppinger. "Show him and the whole
crowd that you beat him fairly."
At first Jack did not care to pit himself again against Glutts. But
there was so much talk that at length he consented, but insisted upon it
that the whole course of the slide must be policed by the cadets.
"All right, we'll do that," said Major Ralph Mason, and then ordered all
the cadets he could collect to station themselves on each side of the
slide from the top to where it ran out on the lake.
"Oh, Jack, I hope you do win again!" said Ruth anxiously.
"I intend to do my best," he answered.
"You have got to win, Jack Rover!" cried his sister Martha. "If you
don't beat that great big clumsy Glutts, I'll never speak to you again."
With so many cadets stationed along the course, Bill Glutts felt that
his chances of winning the race were diminishing. He had thought that he
could crowd Jack as he had done before, but now Walt Baxter laid down
the law in such a manner that it could not be misunderstood.
"I will toss up a coin," said Walt, "and if you guess right, Glutts, you
can take your choice of sides, and whichever side you or Jack Rover
select, that side you must stick to from start to finish."
The coin was tossed up, and Bill Glutts called out "tails" and won. Then
he said he would take the right side of the slide, that which Jack Rover
and his chums had previously used.
"All right, then, Glutts," announced Walt. "Now then, remember that you
have got to keep to the right all the way down; and you, Jack Rover,
must keep to the left. If either of you crosses the middle of the
course, that one will be disqualified and the race will be given to the
other."
"All right, Walt, I will stick to the left from start to finish; just
watch me and see," declared Jack.
"And I'll stick to the right," announced Bill Glutts. But his face
showed anything but a happy expression as he spoke.
Jack had the same crowd on board that he had before, but Glutts made
several changes. He retained Nick Carncross and Codfish, but for the
other three cadets substituted youths who were slightly built, and
consequently rather light in weight.
"He's saving all the pounds he can," whispered Randy.
"Jack, do you think the right side of the course is better than the
left?" questioned Gif.
"I don't know. One looks about as good as the other to me," was the
young captain's reply.
Professor Frank Grawson had come up and was quite interested in the
proposed contest.
"I used to do a lot of bobsledding myself," said the professor, who was
well liked by nearly all the cadets. "I used to have a home-made sled
which was my pride for several seasons. Now, to make this more
interesting, I'll put up a prize for the winner."
"Fine, Professor! Fine!" was the cry.
"What's the prize?"
The teacher thought for a moment.
"Well, every boy likes a good pocket knife," he said presently. "Now, to
the one who wins this race I'll give a first-class, four-bladed,
buck-handled knife. I saw some very good ones down in the hardware store
at the Point, and I'll get one Monday."
"That's splendid, Professor!" cried Jack. "I'll do my best to win that
knife."
"You'll see that knife coming to me!" exclaimed Bill Glutts, glaring at
the young captain.
Walt Baxter now called for the contestants to get ready. In a minute
more the two bobsleds stood side by side, each with its load of
passengers, and with Fred ready to push one to the front and Nick
Carncross ready to shove the other.
"All ready!" shouted Walt. "One--two--three! Go!"
And away both bobsleds dashed, and the great race was on.
CHAPTER V
THE DEFEAT OF THE BULLY
"Go ahead, Jack! You've got to win!"
"Don't let 'em beat you, Bill. Put it all over those Rovers."
"Oh, Jack, don't let them get the best of you!" cried Ruth.
"You've got to win!" screamed Martha.
"Here is where Glutts shows 'em what the _Yellow Streak_ can do!"
So the cries ran on as the two bobsleds slowly gathered momentum and
started down the long slope leading to Clearwater Lake.
At the beginning Glutts had a little the better of it, because the right
side of the slide seemed to be more slippery than the other. He was the
first to gain the top of the nearest rise and he shot over this while
Jack's bobsled was still climbing the slope.
"Hurrah! Bill Glutts is ahead!"
"He said the _Yellow Streak_ could beat any thing in this vicinity."
"Oh, do you really think Glutts will win?" questioned Ruth anxiously, as
she turned to Dan Soppinger.
"Well, I should hope not!" answered Dan.
"If he does win there will be no holding him down," put in Ned Lowe,
another chum of the Rovers. "He'll crow to beat the band all winter."
Forward went the two bobsleds, each steersman doing his best to guide
his sled where running might be the easiest.
Just as Jack topped the first rise and started to speed down on the
other side, he saw Bill Glutts start to resume his old tactics. The
bully was running close to the center of the course, and now he
overlapped the other side by at least six inches.
"Hi, there, Glutts! Get over on your side!" yelled one of the cadets who
was helping to police the course.
"That's right, Bill. Get over, or you'll be disqualified," added
another.
"Keep to the right! Keep to the right!" was the cry from several others.
And then, knowing that the eyes of all the cadets in that vicinity were
upon him, the bully slowly steered over to his side of the course. And
he was not any too quick, for otherwise there might have been a serious
disaster. Down the slope of the first hill rushed the _Blue Moon_. Jack
was on his side, but had not more than six inches to spare. Had Glutts
kept on as he was running the _Blue Moon_ would have sideswiped the
_Yellow Streak_, and there would undoubtedly have been a serious
accident.
"Here comes the _Blue Moon_!"
"Say, but they are gathering some speed!"
"Hurrah, the Rovers are ahead!"
"Go on, Glutts! Go on! Don't let 'em beat you!"
It was true that the _Blue Moon_ was now ahead and was slowly but surely
increasing the distance between the Rovers and those aboard the _Yellow
Streak_.
"Push her ahead, Bill! Push her ahead!" yelled Nick Carncross
desperately.
"We've got to win!" cried Codfish.
"I'm doing the best I can," muttered Bill Glutts between his set teeth,
and his eyes glowed with hatred as he saw the _Blue Moon_ vanishing over
the second rise of the course.
After that, as Fatty Hendry remarked, "it was all over but the
shouting." Down toward the highway skirting the lake shot the _Blue
Moon_. Then it ran swiftly along the final lap of the course and came
out on Clearwater Lake, shooting several hundred feet beyond the
finishing mark. The line was crossed while the _Yellow Streak_ was still
on the roadway beyond the lake shore.
[Illustration: DOWN TOWARD THE HIGHWAY SHOT THE _BLUE MOON_.]
"Hurrah! The _Blue Moon_ wins!"
"My, but that was some run, believe me!"
"What will Bill Glutts have to say now?"
"He can't say this wasn't a fair race."
The run for the _Blue Moon_ had certainly been a swift one, and while
Jack was congratulated on his victory, he was also praised for the way
in which he had handled his speedy bobsled.
"We certainly came down fast," remarked Randy. "I thought my ears were
going to blow right off my head," and this remark caused a general
laugh.
Glutts had finished the race twelve seconds behind his opponent and was
in anything but a happy frame of mind.
"There were a number of sticks and stones on my side of the slide, and
they held us back," he protested lamely. "I guess some of the fellows
who didn't want to see the _Yellow Streak_ win put 'em there."
"I can't believe that, Glutts," answered Major Mason flatly. "I looked
over the course, and it was just as clear on one side as it was on the
other."
"Don't be a sorehead, Bill, just because you lost," put in Fatty Hendry.
"Be a good sport and shake hands with Jack over your defeat."
"I'll do as I please," roared the bully. "I don't need any advice from
you. You fellows are all against me." And with this remark he turned his
back on the crowd, and soon he and his cronies were making their way up
along the lake shore, dragging the _Yellow Streak_ behind them.
"It was a well won race, Captain Rover," said Professor Grawson. "You
can be proud of being the possessor of such a speedy bobsled. On Monday
I shall take great pleasure in getting that knife for you."
"Thank you, Professor. And I'll take great pleasure in accepting the
knife," said Jack, with a grin.
"Well, that's the time you squared up with Bill Glutts," remarked
Spouter, after the fun on Long Hill had come to an end and the boys had
said good-bye to the girls and were on the return to Colby Hall. "You
certainly paid him back for shoving you into that snowbank."
"I don't know whether I did or not," answered the young captain.
"Evidently Glutts doesn't know when he's had enough. I suppose he'll be
more bitter now than ever against me."
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Glutts," put in Gif. "He's nothing but a
great big overgrown butcher boy." He said this because it was a
well-known fact that Bill Glutts was the only son of a wholesale butcher
who had made a small fortune in manufacturing and selling frankfurters.
"I don't see how a fellow like Nick Carncross can take up with him,"
remarked Fatty Hendry.
"I know why he does that," came from Ned Lowe. "Bill has had plenty of
money to spend lately--an uncle or somebody sent him quite a wad--and
Nick's pocketbook, I imagine, is rather thin."
"Say, Ned, come around to our rooms to-night and give us some music just
to celebrate this glorious event!" cried Fred, for Ned Lowe was quite a
performer on the mandolin and usually had some very funny songs to sing.
"All right, I'll be glad to come," answered the mandolin player. "Any
eats?"
"Oh, maybe we can scrape up something," answered Randy. The idea of a
little spread on the quiet appealed to him.
The idea of a little spread appealed to the others, too, and as a
consequence it was arranged between the Rovers and their chums that two
of them should go to Haven Point for some things for the spread. This
task was delegated to Andy and Fred, and they hurried off early in the
evening, returning with several packages containing sandwiches, cake,
candy, nuts and a large hand of bananas. In the meantime, the other
Rover boys and Ned Lowe had gathered in Gif Garrison's room, and there
enjoyed themselves singing and listening to Ned's playing of the
mandolin.
As soon as the monitors had gone their rounds to see that everything was
quiet for the night, Spouter, Gif, Fatty, Ned, Dan, Walt and several
others found their way to the Rover boys' suite.
"Now, don't make too much noise," admonished Fred, who let them in.
"Remember Bill Glutts and his gang will be only too glad to find out
what is going on and report us."
"And we don't want to get any black marks when it's so near the end of
the term," added Jack.
"Right-o," came from Andy.
The new arrivals proceeded to make themselves at home, and then the
Rovers passed around the good things which had been obtained.
"Say, this is all right," declared Walt, munching a tongue sandwich.
"Couldn't be beat," came from Gif, who had his mouth full of layer cake.
"Here, Fatty, have some nuts!" cried Andy gayly, and let several almonds
slide down the fat youth's collar.
"Hi, there! Let up!" cried Fatty. "I don't eat nuts that way," and he
made a pass at Andy with a pillow.
"No horseplay, now! Cut it out, Andy," warned Jack.
After that the cadets conversed in low tones and at the same time
enjoyed the many good things to eat.
"What are you going to do with those banana skins, Andy?" questioned his
twin, as he saw the youth place several of the skins in a bit of
newspaper.
"Oh, I've got a plan to use them," was the answer.
"Well, if there is any fun on foot, let me in on it," went on Randy
promptly.
"I was thinking we might send some of these good things over to Bill
Glutts, Codfish and Nick Carncross," went on the fun-loving Rover. "It
might make 'em feel better over their defeat."
"What! Give up some of these good eats to them?" demanded Fred.
"Well, I don't know whether they would be very good eats or not,"
answered Andy, closing one eye suggestively. "Do you see what I've got
in this little package?" he went on, bringing a small paper bag from his
pocket. "Smell it."
Fred did so, but with caution. Then he gave a sudden sneeze.
"Cayenne pepper!"
"Right you are, Freddie boy! How did you guess it?" and Andy grinned
broadly.
"Say, that's the talk!" burst out Randy. "Let's send them over a few
sandwiches and a couple of slices of cake, all well doctored with
cayenne pepper."
"They'll be suspicious, especially if you take them over," remarked
Jack. "We ought to get some outsider to do the job."
"I'll do it if you want me too," responded Walt Baxter promptly. "I
don't love those chaps any more than you do. You just fix up some
sandwiches and the cake, and I'll go around and explain that Dan and Ned
and Fatty, and some of the rest of us, are giving the Rovers a little
spread in honor of the victory and that we don't think it any more than
right that they should have some of the good things."
So it was decided, and a little while later the cover of a pasteboard
box was fixed up as a tray, containing several tempting looking
sandwiches, some slices of layer cake, and two bananas. Then Walt Baxter
marched off with the things in the direction of the room occupied by
Bill Glutts.
"Come on and listen to what happens," said Andy, and presently, having
slipped off their shoes, he and the others followed Walt down the
corridor, but kept well in the background.
When Baxter arrived at Bill Glutts' room he heard low voices, and was
much pleased to learn that Glutts was talking to Nick Carncross. When he
knocked lightly on the door there was an uneasy stir within.
"Maybe it's one of the monitors come back," whispered Carncross
uneasily.
"Who is there?" questioned Glutts sharply.
"It's I--Walt Baxter," was the answer. "Open the door, Glutts. I've got
something good for you fellows."
The door was opened cautiously, and Walt explained his errand, at the
same time holding out the improvised tray.
"I don't know that we want anything," said Glutts rather sourly.
"Oh, well, we might as well take it," put in Carncross hastily. He was a
growing cadet, and always hungry.
"We'd like to have Codfish have some of this, too," said Walt. "Will you
see that he gets some?"
"Sure!" answered Carncross readily. "He's right across the hall. I'll
call him."
In a few minutes more Codfish came from his room clad in his pajamas and
slippers. He sneaked over into the room occupied by Glutts and
Carncross, and then the three began dividing the things Walt had brought
for them.
"I'll have to go now," said Walt hastily. "Remember, this is with
regards from our whole crowd," he added significantly.
"Thanks," muttered Carncross briefly, while Glutts and Codfish said
nothing.
Then the bully closed the door and he and his cronies prepared to enjoy
the things which had been brought to them.
CHAPTER VI
AT THE MOVING PICTURE THEATRE
"There'll be something doing in a minute or two," murmured Randy, as he
and the others came to a halt before Bill Glutts' door.
"You fellows be careful and don't step on any of these," whispered Andy,
as he bent down and laid the banana skins he had saved on the floor.
"Splendid doormat for them when they come out," he added, grinning.
Fortunately, those within the room were so busy dividing the sandwiches
and cake that they paid no attention to what was going on outside.
"Rather nice of them to remember us," remarked Codfish. "Thank you, I
don't think I care for any sandwiches, but I'll take that piece of cake
instead."
"Me for a sandwich, Bill," murmured Carncross. "I'm quite hungry."
Then the three began to munch away on the sandwiches and the cake at a
lively rate.
All had their mouths full when suddenly Codfish began to splutter.
"Hello! what's the matter?" cried Glutts. "Trying to swallow too much at
once?"
"You don't want to make a pig of yourself, Codfish," admonished
Carncross.
"Oh! Oh!" cried the sneak of the school. "Oh!"
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, I'm burning up! Oh, they must have poisoned me!"
"Gee! do you suppose they put something in that cake?" cried Carncross,
in sudden alarm.
"Oh, my mouth is on fire!" groaned Codfish.
To this neither Glutts nor Carncross made any answer. Each was beginning
to feel a sudden strange sensation on his tongue and in his throat. Both
began to feel as if their mouths were burning up.
"It's something they've put in the eats!" exclaimed Glutts. "They're
trying to poison us, or something!"
"It's pepper! That's what it is--cayenne pepper!" came from Codfish.
"Oh, give me a drink of water, or something! This is dreadful!"
The sneak made a dash across the room to where a water pitcher stood on
a stand with a glass beside it. But the pitcher proved to be empty.
"My gracious, this is terrible!" spluttered Carncross, and began to
cough.
In the meantime Glutts smelled of the food that remained on the
improvised tray, and suddenly gave a loud sneeze, followed by several
others.
"Hurrah! they are enjoying it all right enough," remarked Jack, in a low
tone.
"I've got to have a drink!" yelled Carncross recklessly. "Gee! I'm
burning up clean from my mouth to my stomach!"
"You're no worse off than I am," spluttered Glutts. "Oh, just wait until
I get hold of that Walt Baxter!"
"It was the whole bunch that did it. I'll bet the trick was gotten up by
those Rovers!"
The door was flung open, and all of the occupants of the room dashed out
into the hallway, bent upon getting to the nearest bathroom or water
cooler for a drink. Not one of them noticed the slippery banana skins
spread out on the floor, and on the instant Bill Glutts went sliding
along and came down flat on his back. Carncross did likewise, Codfish
tripping over him and pitching headlong.
"Say! what's this?" exploded Glutts. "Oh, my back! I guess I've broken
my shoulder."
"They must have soaked the floor," came from Carncross. "No! It's banana
skins," he added, in deep disgust. "Say, Codfish, take your feet off my
stomach, will you?"
"I--I couldn't help falling over you, you went down so suddenly,"
apologized the sneak. "Oh dear! let me get a drink of water--I'm all on
fire inside."
The Rovers and their chums had retreated to a distance, and this was
wise, for, had Glutts and Carncross been able to get hold of them, there
would certainly have been a fight. But as it was, the bully and his
cronies passed down a back corridor to the nearest bathroom, where they
proceeded to wash out their mouths and get a long drink.
"Now we'd better get back to our rooms and get into bed as soon as
possible," said Jack. "They may report us, and some of the professors
may come around to investigate."
"Let them come! We'll all be asleep like so many innocent lambs,"
remarked Randy.
"They'll find that I've been asleep for the last two hours," added Walt
Baxter, and at this the others had to smile.
The crowd separated, and the four Rovers returned to their rooms, where
they lost no time in getting rid of all the evidences of the feast. Then
they undressed, turned out the lights, and crept into their beds.
"I don't believe they'll dare to report this," whispered Andy to his
twin. And in this surmise the fun-loving Rover was correct. Glutts and
his cronies did a good deal of grumbling, but there the matter, for the
time being, ended.
"But I'll get square some day! You just wait and see!" Glutts told the
others.
The school term was now drawing to an end, and it was definitely
announced that, owing to the war conditions, Colby Hall would remain
closed for a period of six weeks for the winter holidays. This would
give the Rovers and their chums a full month's vacation after New
Year's.
"And what a good time we will have up at Cedar Lodge!" cried Fred.
"It certainly was grand of Gif to ask us to go up there with him and
Spouter," added Jack.
The Rovers and their chums, and especially Walt Baxter, kept a close eye
on Bill Glutts and his cronies. But beyond scowling at them whenever
they passed, the bully did nothing regarding the peppered food which had
been presented.
"He's laying low for something, I suppose," said Walt. "However, I'm not
going to worry."
One day he received a "soaker" of a snowball in his left ear while
hurrying to the gymnasium. He did not know who threw the missile, but
was satisfied in his mind that it came from either Glutts or Carncross.
The examinations for the term were held, and much to the Rover boys'
satisfaction all acquitted themselves creditably. Spouter and Gif did
very well too, and were equally elated.
"Let us go down to town this evening and celebrate," suggested Jack that
afternoon. "I think Captain Dale will let us go, and I understand they
are giving a very good war picture at Mr. Falstein's moving picture
theater."
"That will suit me," answered Fred.
The matter was talked over by a number of the cadets, and they went to
see Captain Dale about it; and as a result nine of them set out for
Haven Point, where was located the moving picture theater at which Jack
and his cousins first met the girls from Clearwater Hall.
"This looks like a pretty good picture," remarked Gif, as he pointed to
one advertised on the billboards. "A real war play with some of the
scenes taken at the front."
"Either at the front or on the Hackensack Meadows," remarked Randy
dryly. "They tell me that more than three-fourths of those so-called war
pictures are faked up."
"Well, you wouldn't expect the moving picture actors to go right out in
the middle of a battlefield and perform, would you?" queried Jack.
"Here's a good comic, too!" put in Fatty Hendry. "That suits me all
right. I like a good laugh."
"Fatty, you ought to go in the movies," remarked Fred. "You would make a
hit as the Living Skeleton."
"He would unless his face broke the camera," added Ned Lowe.
"I understand some of those fat fellows in the movies get a couple of
hundred dollars a week for acting," said Fatty. "I wouldn't mind doing
some of those stunts myself at that price."
The cadets purchased their tickets and were soon inside the showhouse.
An educational film was being thrown on the screen, and they were much
interested in seeing the details of tanning leather and making leather
belts, handbags, and shoes.
"Gee! how easy it is to learn about these things in a moving picture,"
remarked Gif.
"What a pity it is they can't teach a fellow algebra and geometry in the
same way," sighed Randy.
The educational film was followed by the war play, and whether this was
given with faked-up backgrounds or not, it proved to be a very
interesting production, especially to the Rover boys. There were
pictures of life in the soldiers' camps and on the transports bound for
Europe, and then scenes of life in the French trenches, culminating in a
terrific bombardment by big cannons, and then a thrilling charge over
No-Man's Land.
"Gee, isn't that immense!" murmured Fred. "Think of dad being in such a
charge as that!"
"It brings the war pretty close, doesn't it, Fred?" asked Jack.
The scenes of the mighty conflict not alone thrilled the Rover boys but
also sobered them, especially when there came a picture of the dead and
the dying, with the ambulances rushing hither and thither to take the
wounded to the field hospitals.
Poor Fred felt the tears coming into his eyes, and was glad that the
moving picture house was rather dark, so that he might use his
handkerchief without being noticed.
The war picture was followed immediately by one depicting the trials and
tribulations of a fat man who obtained a position as a bell-boy in a
country hotel. He did some wonderful stunts, and managed to break up a
great deal of crockeryware and innumerable pies, and this set all the
cadets, as well as the majority of the audience, to roaring with
laughter.
"I guess those fellows earn their money," remarked Spouter to Fatty.
"Just think of being slammed around in front of the camera like that!"
"Yes. And think of having three or four pies plastered all over your
face," returned the stout youth. "I guess, after all, I'd rather go into
ordinary business."
"I imagine some of those so-called stunts are only trick pictures--I
mean those things like climbing up the side of a house and holding on to
the top of a church steeple," remarked Jack. "Just the same, those
moving picture actors have to risk their lives more than once,
especially when they take wild rides on horse-back or in automobiles, or
get in railroad smash-ups."
Immediately following the comic picture, all the lights in the theater
were turned on and a gentleman stepped on the stage to address the
audience.
"I wonder what he's going to talk about," whispered Randy.
"Liberty Loan, or something like that, I suppose," answered his twin.
He was right. There was a new drive on to raise money for the Government
to be used for war purposes, and this gentleman, as a member of the
local committee, had come forth to urge every man and woman in the
audience to invest in Liberty Bonds.
"That is what my father was doing in and around New York before he went
to war," explained Andy to Walt Baxter. "He made quite a success of it,
too. He was on a whole lot of committees."
"And he did a lot of work for the Red Cross, too," added Randy.
While the lights were turned on the cadets had a chance to look around
the showhouse. They thought that possibly some of the girls from
Clearwater Hall might be present, but they were disappointed.
The talk about Liberty Bonds had come to an end, and several men and
women were passing through the audience trying to get subscribers for
the bonds when half a dozen newcomers entered the moving picture
theater. One of the number was in cadet uniform, and as he came down the
aisle and took a seat on the other side of the showhouse, Jack caught
Fred by the arm.
"Look who's here, will you?" he whispered excitedly.
"Why, it's Bill Glutts!" returned Fred.
"Exactly! And do you see who is with him?"
"No. I can't make out. Who is it?"
"Gabe Werner!"
"Gabe Werner! Are you sure, Jack?"
"Positive! I saw him full in the face just before he sat down."
Soon the lights in the showhouse went out once more, and the moving
picture performance continued.
CHAPTER VII
THE END OF THE TERM
"What can Gabe Werner be doing around here?" questioned Randy, who had
heard the conversation between his two cousins.
"I'm sure I don't know," answered Jack. "He doesn't live anywhere in
this vicinity, and I thought after he left the school he went home."
"Evidently Glutts must have known about his being here, otherwise they
wouldn't be together," said Andy.
Jack stood up so that he might get a better view of the other side of
the showhouse. He noticed several vacant seats directly behind those
occupied by Glutts and Werner.
"I'm going to slip over there just as soon as the lights are turned
down," he said to Fred. "If they are hatching out any mischief perhaps
we'll hear something worth listening to."
"I'll go with you," was the ready reply.
The pair explained to the others what they were about to do, and then
slipped out of their seats and made their way to the back of the moving
picture theater. Then, when the lights were being turned out, they moved
forward and slipped into two seats directly behind Glutts and Werner
without being noticed by the two bullies.
The educational film was now being shown again, and this caused Glutts
to give a snort of disgust.
"I don't care for that sort of stuff," said the wholesale butcher's son.
"I wish they would put on the war play. Tell me some more about this
scheme you've got for spending the winter holidays."
"Oh, it's a dandy scheme, all right, Bill," responded Werner. And then
he began a description of a winter's camp and told how he had permission
to go there and how he wanted Glutts to go with him.
While Gabe Werner was speaking some people sitting next to him had
arisen and were trying to get out. Gabe and Bill arose, and as they did
so the former turned around and caught sight of the two Rovers.
"Say! what do you know about this?" he cried in astonishment.
"Jack Rover and Fred Rover!" murmured Glutts, and his face likewise
betrayed astonishment.
"Did you fellows follow us into the theater?" demanded Werner.
"We certainly did not," returned Fred quickly. "We were in the theater
long before you came in."
"Huh!" Werner was stumped for a moment. "I didn't notice them here, did
you?" he questioned his crony.
"If I had I should have taken a seat elsewhere," was Glutts' ready
reply. He glared at the Rovers. "I suppose you have been listening to
everything we said."
"If you don't want to be heard you had better not talk in a place like
this," replied Jack.
"I don't care what they did hear," grumbled Werner. "I'm not ashamed of
what I am doing or intend to do."
"If I were you, Glutts, I'd cut Werner," advised Fred. "Captain Dale
won't give you any credit for sticking to him after what happened at the
encampment."
"I suppose you are going to tell Captain Dale you saw me with him,"
retorted Glutts.
"I shan't say a word unless I am questioned."
"I haven't forgotten what happened at the encampment," said Gabe Werner,
turning to Jack. "Some day I'm going to square accounts with you."
"When that time comes I think I'll be able to defend myself, Werner,"
answered the young captain coldly.
By this time a number of people in the audience were turning around,
evidently annoyed by the conversation. One heavy-set man turned back and
tapped Werner on the shoulder.
"Say, if you fellows want to hold a talk-fest, go outside and do it," he
growled. "We want to look at the pictures."
"Come ahead, Jack," whispered Fred. "It won't do us any good to stay
here, now that Glutts and Werner have discovered our presence."
"Right you are," was the answer. And a moment later the two Rovers
slipped out of their seats and made their way to the rear of the
showhouse. Here they were joined by the others of their crowd; and all
went outside and across the street to a drugstore, where Jack treated
the others to hot chocolate soda.
"They are hatching out something, that is sure," remarked Jack.
"As near as I could make out, Werner is going off into the woods on a
hunt and wants Glutts to go with him," returned Fred. "I wonder where
they are going?"
No one could answer that question, and presently the crowd began to talk
of other things, and especially of the war play they had just witnessed.
"Gosh! but a play like that brings the war pretty close to a fellow,"
said Randy, with a sigh.
"Makes a fellow think of how our dads are making out over there, doesn't
it?" said Fred.
"When they showed those ambulance scenes with all the dead and dying
lying around it gave me the cold shivers," came from Andy. "I tell you
what--war is a terrible thing."
"Yes, and you have got to see something like that to realize how really
terrible it is," put in Jack.
Several days later the term at Colby Hall came to an end. There was
something of an entertainment, with prize speaking in which Spouter
distinguished himself, and then came the final drill and parade around
the campus. Following this the cadets indulged in several snowball
fights and in quite some horseplay, and then rushed off to their rooms
to pack their suitcases and other baggage so as to be ready to depart
for home in the early morning.
"Wow! but it feels good to know I haven't got to look at a grammar or an
algebra for the next few weeks," cried Randy, with satisfaction.
"Say! it makes me feel as happy as a clown in a circus," declared Andy,
and, in high spirits, he began a jig and ended by turning a flip-flap
over one of the beds. Then he and his twin indulged in a pillow fight,
in which Fred joined.
"Hi, you fellows! stop your rumpus," cried Jack, who was trying to pack
his suitcase. "You keep on, and you'll have the ceiling of the floor
below down."
"Can't help it!" cried Andy gayly. "We've got to break loose once in a
while," and he playfully landed a cake of soap in the open suitcase.
"I'll soap you!" cried the young captain, and, taking the article in
question, he made a leap over the bed, caught his cousin by the neck,
and allowed the cake of soap to slip down Andy's back.
"Great salt mackerel!" ejaculated the fun-loving Rover, and, pulling his
coat tight, he arched his back. "Anybody notice the camel's hump?"
"It isn't a hump, Andy. It's only a wart on your backbone," answered his
twin.
"Well, hump or wart, it isn't going to stay there very long," remarked
the other, and immediately proceeded to stand on his hands, shaking his
body in such a manner that presently the soap rattled out on the floor.
Then quietness was restored for the time being, and the Rovers continued
their packing.
A conference was held with Gif, and it was decided that all of the crowd
were to go home for Christmas. Several days later the Rovers were to
meet Gif and Spouter at Portview, and then all would proceed to Cedar
Lodge.
"And don't forget to bring your guns and all your other traps," said
Gif.
"You trust us for that!" responded Fred.
"We'll be there with everything that is necessary outside of the
provisions. Those, of course, we can get at Portview or at Timminsport."
"I hope we get a chance at a moose," sighed Randy.
"Gee! Why don't you make it a lion or an elephant or a polar bear while
you are at it?" cried his twin. "Might as well wish for everything in
the menagerie. It doesn't cost any more," and at this there was a
general smile.
"I know what I'd like to get," said Jack. "I was reading about one in
the paper the other day. They must be beautiful creatures."
"What's that?" questioned Gif.
"A silver fox."
"Oh, say, Jack! that would be fine. But I imagine silver foxes are
exceedingly rare."
"Oh, I know that. Just the same, I'd like to bag one. The fur would make
a very fine piece for some lady to wear."
"Ruth Stevenson, for instance," murmured Andy; and at this his cousin
made a playful pass at him with his fist, which the fun-loving Rover
easily dodged.
The next morning the cadets had an early breakfast, and a short while
later saw many of them on their way by carriage and automobile to Haven
Point. Many girls were also coming in from Clearwater Hall, so that the
railroad station present an unusually lively appearance.
In the crowd was Bill Glutts, but he took care to keep away from the
Rovers. Gabe Werner was nowhere to be seen, and the Rovers rightfully
conjectured that he had left the town.
The boys had hardly arrived when a carry-all came in from Clearwater
Hall containing Mary and Martha, as well as Ruth and May and a dozen
other girl students. There was a general handshaking, and then all took
a stand on the station platform to wait for the coming of two trains
which were to bear the various students in opposite directions.
Everybody had already procured a ticket, and the trains which were
expected were extras, for it would have been impossible for the ordinary
locals to have taken care of such heavy traffic.
"I am sorry you're not going to travel with us to New York," said Jack
to Ruth.
"Well, I'm sorry you're not coming my way," answered the girl, with a
smile.
"But you'll be down to our house directly after Christmas, won't you?"
"Yes, we'll be down the day after--May and I."
"Well, that will give us a whole day together, anyhow, before us fellows
start for Cedar Lodge," went on the young captain. Then he nudged Ruth
in the elbow. "Come over here," he whispered. "I want to show you
something that I don't want the others to see."
Together they slipped out of the crowd and around the corner of the
little railroad station. Then Jack brought out a large flat package from
an inner pocket of his overcoat. "I had these taken as a Christmas
surprise to mother and Martha. What do you think of them?" and he
brought forth several photographs of himself taken in his cadet uniform.
They had been taken by the leading photographer of Haven Point who made
a specialty of work for the two schools, and they certainly showed the
young captain at his best.
"Oh, how lovely, Jack!" cried Ruth in genuine pleasure. "I declare, they
are splendid pictures."
"Then you like them?" he queried anxiously.
"I certainly do! I don't think they could be better." She looked at the
three poses presented critically. "If it's all the same to you, I'll
keep this one," she said finally.
"Oh, Ruth, you don't want my picture, do you?" he questioned, and there
was a trace of wistfulness in his voice.
"Of course I do, Jack. I can keep this one, can't I?" and the girl
looked full at him in a manner that spoke volumes.
"Why, sure! if you want it," he answered quickly. "But, say! don't I get
one of yours in return?" he added.
"Well, I'll see about that," she hesitated.
"Oh, now, Ruth--"
"I haven't had one taken in an awfully long time, Jack."
"Never mind, you will let me have one of them anyhow, won't you?"
"I--I guess--maybe so. I'll give it to you for a Christmas present. Only
don't tell the others."
"I won't, Ruth. And you can keep about my picture to yourself, too,"
added the captain. And thereupon the decidedly interesting conversation
between the pair had to come to an end as one of the trains came puffing
in--that which was to carry Ruth and some of the other girls, as well as
many of the cadets, away.
CHAPTER VIII
CHRISTMAS AT HOME
"Well, here we are at last. I wonder if anybody will be at the station
to meet us," said Martha Rover.
"Oh, I'm sure somebody will come down," answered Mary.
The six Rovers had had a long and uneventful train ride from Haven Point
to the Grand Central Terminal, Forty-second Street, New York City. They
had had to change cars at the Junction, where some months before they
had had such fun with Mr. Asa Lemm, the discharged teacher of the Hall,
as related in detail in the volume previous to this. The train had been
crowded with passengers, but the Rovers had managed to get seats
together, much to their satisfaction; and they had also managed to get
pretty fair accommodations when it came time to go into the diner.
They had telegraphed ahead concerning their coming, and found two
chauffeurs employed by Dick Rover and Tom Rover on hand to receive them
and take charge of their baggage. Then they went out to the street,
where they found two automobiles awaiting them, one containing Jack's
mother and the other the mothers of Fred and the twins.
"Hello, Ma!" cried the young captain, as he rushed forward to embrace
his parent. "How are you? You are looking pretty good."
"Oh, I am feeling quite fair," answered Mrs. Dick Rover with a smile.
"Home again, and glad of it!" exclaimed Fred, as he embraced his mother.
"My, my, but I'm glad that that term at the school is at an end!" cried
Andy, as he gave Mrs. Tom Rover the hug he knew she would be expecting,
a hug which was speedily duplicated by his twin. "Hope you've got a good
big dinner waiting for us. Traveling has made me hungry."
"Not but what we had a pretty good meal on the train," added his twin.
"You'll get all you want to-night," answered Mrs. Tom Rover
affectionately.
In the meantime Mary and Martha had come up and joined their parents.
There was a good deal of kissing and questioning, and while this was
going on the chauffeurs assisted the young people to their seats and
stowed away their handbaggage. There were no trunks to come, for all the
young folks had left a large part of the belongings at the schools.
There was only one thing which saddened the home-coming of the young
people, and that was the absence of their fathers. Although Jack had
said that his mother was looking well, still he had not failed to notice
that her face showed a certain paleness and some lines of care.
"Don't worry, Mother. I'm sure dad will come back all right," he said
later on, in an endeavor to comfort her.
"I am hoping so, Jack. But, oh! how I wish this awful war would come to
an end," and Mrs. Dick Rover sighed deeply.
All too quickly the next few days passed. Young folks and old folks were
busy doing their shopping for Christmas, and in addition to this, the
boys went out to purchase a number of things they thought they might
need while at the camp.
"I'm afraid we're in for it," said Randy dismally, on the afternoon
before Christmas. "This looks like a regular blizzard."
It certainly did look like a blizzard, with the snow coming down thickly
and the wind blowing it first in one direction then in another. By
nightfall the streets were almost impassable, and in the morning traffic
along Riverside Drive was practically suspended.
"Merry Christmas!" shouted Randy, who was the first to get up.
"Merry Christmas!" replied Andy. "And how do you like to live at the
North Pole?" he added, as he glanced out of the window at the
storm-bound street and the river and the Palisades beyond.
There was a grand reunion of the three families in the Dick Rover
residence, and presents were exchanged all around. The boys had
purchased a number of small but appropriate gifts for their mothers and
the two girls, and also for the various servants of the families. In
return they received a number of gifts, both useful and ornamental,
including gold-mounted stylographic pens, which each one had desired,
and also some new hockey skates and story books.
Martha had knit a bright sweater for her brother, and Mary had done the
same for Fred, and the girls between them had likewise knit sweaters for
the twins.
"We sure are the lucky kids," remarked Andy, when all of them were
looking over their gifts. "This sweater suits me to a T. And, my! just
wait until I get on those hockey skates. There won't be a thing in New
York or on Clearwater Lake that will beat me."
"I see you doing some tall skating to-day," replied his twin, with a
grin. "What you will need is a snow shovel if you want to get anywhere."
The storm kept up until noon of Christmas, and then cleared away almost
as rapidly as it had come, the night being clear and cold, with a
beautiful moon and twinkling stars shining from above.
"I hope it stays clear so that May and Ruth will have a chance to come
down," remarked Fred during the course of the afternoon.
"I guess we all hope that," answered Jack.
With so much to think of in connection with their proposed trip to Cedar
Lodge, the Rover boys put in a busy time all of that day and part of the
next. Then they went down to the Grand Central Terminal with the girls
to meet the expected visitors.
"There they are!" cried Martha, after the long train had rolled into the
station. And a moment later she and Ruth were in each other's arms,
while Mary was embracing May. Then the boys shook hands, and all drove
away to the Rover residences.
"Did you get that picture for me, Ruth?" questioned Jack, as soon as he
could get a chance to speak to the girl in private.
"Oh, you don't want any picture," she declared mischievously.
"Aw, come now," he pleaded, "don't try to put me off that way. You know
what you promised."
"Well, can't you wait until we get to the house?"
"Oh, sure! But I wanted to make certain that you had brought the picture
along."
"You'll be scared when you see it," declared Ruth. "I look a perfect
fright. The man snapped the picture before I was half ready."
But later on, when Jack received the gift, he declared that the picture
was a very good one indeed, although it did not look half as pretty as
Ruth did herself. The two had quite a little fun over the picture, and
then Jack placed it in his pocket.
"Now you've got it, what are you going to do with it?" questioned Ruth
curiously.
"I'm going to carry it right here," he declared, for he had it in an
inside pocket over his heart.
"Oh, you big goose!" cried Ruth, but then she blushed and looked pleased
nevertheless.
It was announced that part of the lake in Central Park had been scraped
clear of the snow, and the following day the young folks went skating
and had a most glorious time. Then in the evening all attended a
theatrical performance at one of the leading theaters.
"Oh, my! but I am having a splendid time," said Ruth to Martha.
"It's too bad the boys are going away," was the answer. "But I don't
blame them for wanting to go on a hunt. If I were a boy I'd like to go
on a hunt myself."
On the following morning came a letter from Dick Rover, stating that
matters were still somewhat quiet in the sector in France where they
were located, but that word was being passed around that they were to
make an advance in the near future.
"Hurrah! I guess they'll show those Huns what Americans can do," cried
Jack.
"Oh, I dread to think of their going into battle!" said his mother.
"Ma, while we are away don't forget to send us any news that may come
in," said Jack quickly. "You can telegraph to Timminsport, and we will
leave word there at the telegraph office so that any important message
will be delivered to us."
"I'll certainly do that, Jack." And later on Mrs. Tom Rover and Mrs. Sam
Rover promised to do the same thing.
"There is no telling what may happen to our dads if they get into a
regular first-class battle," remarked Fred, that night when the four
boys were holding a little conference among themselves.
"Well, we've got to take what comes," returned Randy briefly. "However,
I'll be as much worried as ma until this war is at an end or until our
dads come home."
The boys had looked over their traps with care and examined their rifles
and shotguns, and had even gone down into the cellar of one of their
residences to try out the weapons to make certain that they were in
working order.
With a shotgun in his hand Andy wanted to have some fun with one of the
servant girls, but Randy quickly stopped him.
"Nothing doing, Andy," he said. "You'll only make ma nervous, and she is
nervous enough already, thinking about dad. You save your tomfoolery
until we are on the way or up at the camp."
At length came the time for the boys to take their departure. Jack hated
to think of running away from Ruth, and Fred was equally sorry to leave
May Powell behind, yet the thought of what was ahead brightened all of
the lads considerably.
"We ought to have the time of our lives," declared Fred. "That is, if
hunting is half as good as Gif Garrison said it was."
"And if I can get that silver fox," added Jack.
"Nothing but a moose for me," declared Randy. "Either a moose or a
six-legged jack rabbit."
"Wouldn't you like to shoot a bear that weighed about a thousand
pounds?" questioned Jack.
"And lug the carcass to camp yourself?" came from Fred.
"Speaking about carrying a thousand-pound bear puts me in mind of
something," cried Randy quickly. "A fellow was telling me of a man here
in the city who carried twelve hundred pounds."
"Twelve hundred pounds!" exclaimed his twin. "It can't be done."
"Why, that's more than a half a ton!" said Jack incredulously.
"Never mind, the fellow carried the twelve hundred pounds," went on
Randy. "A whole lot of people saw him do it."
"Where was this?" questioned Fred.
"It was down at one of the Broadway banks," answered Randy innocently.
"The fellow was an English army officer. He had twelve hundred pounds in
English money that he was exchanging for good old U. S. A. coin."
"Fooled!" cried Fred, and this was followed by a general laugh.
CHAPTER IX
THE RAILROAD ACCIDENT
The four Rover boys journeyed from New York City to Baxton and there
changed from one station to another nearby and took the next train for
Portview.
Arriving in Portview they took a taxicab to the leading hotel, and were
there met by Gif and Spouter, who had come in a few hours earlier and
had already signed for their accommodations.
"Mighty glad to see you got here," declared Gif. "I read about the awful
storm you had down around New York, and I thought you might be delayed."
"Well, I see they have had some of the snow up here," answered Jack.
"Although it isn't as heavy as it was down our way."
"Don't worry about snow, Jack. You'll get all you want of it after we
reach Cedar Lodge."
The Rover boys were tired out from their all-day trip, and as Gif and
Spouter had likewise had their fill of traveling for the time being, all
were glad enough to retire for a good night's rest, even Andy being too
worn out to play any of his jokes. But the following morning found the
youths as bright and fresh as ever and eager to continue their journey.
"We can get a train for Timminsport at ten-thirty," announced Gif. "That
will give us plenty of time for breakfast and to do a little shopping if
we need anything. Portview has as good stores as many big towns. When
you get to Timminsport, you will find it nothing but a one-horse country
town."
They had a substantial breakfast, and then wandered down the main street
as far as a small park, and then came back on the other side of the
thoroughfare. They made a number of small purchases, including some
cakes of choice chocolate and a bag of almonds, of which Spouter and
Randy were particularly fond.
"When we get to Timminsport don't forget to add a good big bag of sugar
to our stores," said Randy. "Then, if we are snowed in sometime, we can
spend a few hours making some home-made candy."
"Yes, and we can try our hands at some cookies," added Fred. "I've
watched our cook make them quite a few times, and I think I could make
some myself if I tried real hard."
"Anyway, you might be able to turn out some sinkers," said Andy, with a
grin. "And if we couldn't eat 'em we could take 'em back to Colby Hall
and present 'em to some of the teachers for paperweights." And at this
there was a laugh.
With the bundles the boys returned to the hotel, paid their bill, and
with their suitcases in hand, returned once more to the depot. Here in
the smoky trainshed the cars were already waiting, and they climbed
aboard; and a few minutes later were on their way to Timminsport.
The coast in this vicinity is very irregular, so that the train did not
run close to the shore. They skirted a bay, and then branched off at a
small place called Leeways for the town for which they were bound. At
Leeways they met several heavy lumber trains, and also met a gang of men
bound for one of the lumber camps.
"We are certainly getting away from the big towns now," remarked Fred.
"I just saw a few hunters with their guns!" cried Randy. "That looks
interesting to me!"
There was no diner on the train, but around noon it stopped at a
way-station where there was a lunch counter, and here the young
travelers had ten minutes in which to satisfy their appetites.
"Maybe we'd better take a few sandwiches along," remarked Jack. "We may
not have another chance to eat until we get to the Lodge."
"Oh, there is a little restaurant at Timminsport," declared Gif. "It's
not a very nice place, but we'll be able to get as much as we want
there."
Soon the train was on its way again, having backed up at Leeways to drop
a passenger car and take on one of mixed freight. The character of the
passengers had largely changed, and most of them were now country folks,
lumberjacks, and city people bound for a season of hunting. The steam
heat had died out in the car which the boys occupied, and it was growing
colder and colder.
"The train doesn't go any farther than Timminsport," explained Gif, "and
I suppose the engineer is saving on steam."
"Say, Gif, I didn't think you were going to give us such a cold
reception!" cried Randy.
"Never mind the cold reception!" exclaimed Spouter, who was gazing out
of the window at the scenery. "Just look at this truly wonderful
picture! See those hillsides with massive pines, and those clusters of
bushes, all bent down with their weight of snow. And see how the
sunshine sparkles, making each snowdrop look like a diamond. It's a
wonderful sight, and it fills one's soul with a feeling of awe and
admiration for--"
"Hurrah! Spouter has come into his own again," cried Andy. "That's
right, Spout, warm up good, and maybe you'll help warm this car."
"If those snowdrops were really diamonds, Spouter, what do you thing
they'd be worth a dozen?" came from Randy.
"Aw, that's just like you fellows!" grumbled the would-be orator, in
disgust. "You haven't any poetry in your souls."
"Haven't any poetry in my soul?" cried Andy. "You bet I have--tons and
tons of it! Just listen to this," and he chanted gayly:
"I love to see a snowdrop
Ahanging on a tree,
Aglistening in the sunshine
As happy as can be."
"Great red-headed snakes!" burst out Jack. "Andy has turned poet!"
"Don't you think you ought to take something for it, Andy? Cough
mixture, or measles eradicator, or something like that?" questioned
Fred.
"I think what he needs is a good dose of codliver oil, served hot," came
from Gif.
"No codliver oil for me!" cried the fun-loving Rover. "You deal that out
to Spouter. It will help oil his tongue and make his flow of oratory
better."
"Speaking of cough mixtures, I think I'll get a bottle of some sort when
we get to Timminsport if they have a drugstore," said Jack. "Some of us
may catch cold and need it."
With such talk going on, the journey continued. They were now running
for a small station named Enwood, where they were to pick up two extra
cars from a small side road coming down from the north. In this section
there was a good deal of snow, and the train, consequently, had to run
rather slowly.
"I think I could get out and walk almost as fast as this train is
moving," remarked Spouter presently.
"It isn't as bad as that, Spouter," returned Jack, looking out of the
window. "We are making at least fifteen miles an hour, and you couldn't
hoof it as quick as that."
"It certainly seems awfully slow," remarked Fred. He was beginning to
grow sleepy, and now he rested his head on the back of the seat and
closed his eyes.
"Perhaps we won't be able to get through to Timminsport," came from
Randy. "That would be a fine state of affairs, eh?"
"I don't see any houses along the line. We'd have one sweet job finding
a place to go to if the train became snowbound," said Andy.
"They generally manage to keep this road open, no matter how bad the
storms are," declared Gif. "You see, the hunters are coming and going
all the time, as well as the lumbermen and the folks that live in and
around Timminsport and Enwood. They don't like to be cut off from the
rest of the world, even for a day or two."
"I hope we don't have to wait for that other train when we get to
Enwood," said Spouter. "That may be awfully late, you know."
"I asked the conductor awhile ago, and he said they hoped it would be on
time. It comes down hill most of the way, and that is in its favor. If
they had to pull uphill much, they might get stuck."
Presently they passed a small lumber camp, and one of the other
passengers told the boys they were now within half a mile of Enwood.
"And that is only twelve miles from Timminsport," said Gif. "We ought to
be there in about half an hour or so."
They had struck a portion of the track which was comparatively free of
snow, and the engineer of the train was now trying to make up some of
the lost time. The boys were congratulating themselves on this when they
suddenly heard a shriek of the locomotive whistle, followed instantly by
the sudden application of the steam brakes. The train shuddered and
shook, and two seconds later there came a crash from the front, and then
the train came to a sudden stop.
The Rover boys and their chums had leaped to their feet at the first
shock. The second threw Spouter headlong, and Randy went down almost on
top of him. Fred was awakened from his brief nap by having his forehead
bumped upon the seat ahead of him.
"What's the matter?"
"What did we strike?"
"Are we going to upset?"
"Let me get out of here! I don't want to be smashed up!"
Such were some of the cries which rent the air while the train was still
in motion and after it came to a standstill. Every passenger had been
shaken up, and not a few were knocked down. Fortunately, however, no one
in that particular car seemed to be much hurt, although several were
bruised and every one was more or less nervous.
"Are you hurt, Fred?" questioned Jack quickly, as he saw his young
cousin feeling of his forehead.
"Well, I got a pretty good bump," answered the youngest Rover, "and I
guess I'm going to have a lump there as a consequence."
"We'll get out and see what's doing, and then you can put some snow on
it."
Some of the passengers were already leaving the car, and the Rover boys
and their chums quickly followed. The trouble was all ahead, and they
had some difficulty in wading through the snow alongside the track to
get to the front of the train.
Here it was plain to be seen what had happened. The train from the north
had come in and tried to take the siding, as was the custom. But the
switch had become blocked with snow, and the train had been thrown out
on the main track, which at this point, crossed the track on which the
train from Portview was coming. The big locomotive of the latter train
had ploughed through the middle of the train from the north, hitting the
latter between two of the cars and sending those cars in either
direction to the sides of the track.
"Gee! this is some wreck!" exclaimed Gif.
"I should say it was!" declared Jack. "It looks to me as if somebody
might be killed."
From the two wrecked cars came cries of pain and yells for help. One of
the cars still stood up, but at a dangerous angle, while the other had
turned completely over and rested on its top in the snow.
All was excitement, and for the time being everyone seemed to be so
dazed that but little was done. Passengers were leaping from both of the
wrecked cars, some coming through the doorways and some through the
broken-out windows. Jack and Randy ran to one of the cars, and were able
to assist a woman with a little girl to alight and reach a place of
safety. In the meanwhile, the other lads assisted two elderly men. One
had his foot hurt, and they carried him into the railroad station, where
they laid him on one of the benches.
"Look! Look!" cried Fred suddenly, forgetting all about his hurt
forehead. "Look! That car over yonder is on fire!"
The car he mentioned was that which had turned over and was resting on
its top in the snow. From the interior thick black smoke was coming, and
this was presently followed by a tongue of flame. The car was a
combination baggage and smoker, and it was afterwards learned that one
of the passengers had been carrying a can of kerosene which had broken
open in the smash-up, and had evidently become ignited by some
thrown-down cigar or cigarette.
"Those people will be in danger of burning up!" gasped Randy.
"They will be unless they get out in a hurry," answered Spouter.
From the interior of the car came more cries, and presently all outside
heard a man yelling in a tone of agony:
"Help! Help! Somebody save me! My leg is caught fast, and I can't get
out! Save me!"
CHAPTER X
THE RESCUE
"There's a man left in there!"
"He says his leg is caught fast!"
"Help! Help!" came more faintly from the interior of the burning car.
"Help, or I'll be burnt to death!"
Only a few passengers seemed to hear these cries, for most of the men
who had come from the other train were gathered near the car which was
still standing. The Rover boys and their chums listened in horror to the
call for assistance. Jack was the first to leap forward.
"We'll have to save that fellow if we can," he cried determinedly.
"I think he is close to one of these windows," said Randy, pointing to
several broken-out windows through which some other passengers in the
car had climbed.
"Wait! I've got an idea!" exclaimed Fred. "See that stick of wood? Why
can't we place that against one of the windows and climb up on it?"
He had pointed to a plank one end of which, in some manner, had become
torn up from the roadbed. All of the boys rushed for this plank and
turned and twisted it until they had the fastened end under the snow
loose. Then they rushed over to the burning car and placed the plank on
a slant from the snow to the broken-out window which, because the
overturned car was not on a level, was two or three feet above their
heads.
Jack was the first to get on the plank, and speedily crawled up to the
window. Fortunately a draft was taking most of the smoke to the other
side of the car, so that he could see into the interior quite plainly.
A scene of great confusion met the eyes of the young captain. A number
of broken seats had fallen down on the ceiling of the car and in the
midst of this wreckage lay a short, stocky man with several cuts and
bruises on his face from which the blood was flowing. The man had his
arms and one leg free, but several seats and some handbaggage were
wedged in across his left leg and his stomach in such a manner that he
seemed unable to extricate himself. The fire was creeping up to within a
few inches of his caught foot, and this had caused him to raise his wild
cry for assistance.
"Help! Help!" he repeated, as soon as he caught sight of Jack's face
framed in the broken-out window. "Get me out of here before the fire
reaches me!"
"We'll do it!" answered Jack. "Come on, Randy. I think the two of us can
do the trick," he added to his cousin, who had come up behind him on the
plank.
"Want any more help?" questioned the others simultaneously.
"If we do we'll let you know quick enough."
Jack dropped down into the car, and Randy followed. They landed among a
mass of broken glass and other wreckage, but to this paid no attention.
"Here, Randy, take hold of this seat and pull it back," ordered Jack;
and between them they set to work with vigor.
But it was no mean task to get all of the wreckage off of the trapped
passenger. There were half a dozen heavy suitcases among the broken
seats, and these the boys hurled through the broken windows, where they
were picked up by those outside and carried to a safe place. In the
meanwhile the flames were creeping closer, and now a sudden change in
the air caused a heavy volume of smoke to drift toward them.
"Gee! this is getting fierce," spluttered Randy, and began to cough,
while the tears started from his eyes.
"Don't leave me! Please don't leave me!" pleaded the passenger under the
wreckage. "I don't want to be burnt up!" and then he said something in a
foreign tongue which the others did not understand.
The last bit of wreckage was the hardest of all to get away from where
it rested across the man's stomach. This was wedged in between the
ceiling and the side of the car, and the boys had to use all their
strength before they could dislodge it. But at last it came loose, and
then the man was able to sit up.
"Here, we'll help you," cried Jack, as the passenger seemed to be too
weak to regain his feet. He and Randy caught the fellow under his arms
and, standing him upright, dragged him to the window upon which the end
of the plank rested. They shoved him out, and he went rolling and
sliding down the plank into the snow. Randy followed him quickly, and
then came Jack.
[Illustration: HE WENT ROLLING AND SLIDING DOWN THE PLANK INTO THE
SNOW.]
The rescue had occurred none too soon, for the wind was now coming up,
and soon the overturned car was a mass of smoke and flames from end to
end. The boys left the plank where it was, and assisted the rescued
passenger to the little railroad station, where all the others who had
been injured had already been taken.
The short, stocky man was very much excited and he thanked the lads over
and over again for what they had done.
"I wish I was a rich man," he said sadly, and now they noticed that he
spoke with a decided accent. "If I was rich I would pay all of you well
for what you have done. It was very noble--very noble indeed! I shall
never forget it."
"We don't want any reward," answered Jack.
"You young gentlemen do not look as if you needed any reward," said the
man, with a little smile, as he noted how well dressed the youths were.
"I am a poor man, so I can offer you nothing but my thanks, but those I
give you with all my heart. And now may I ask your names?"
They told him, and all shook hands. He said his name was Herman Crouse,
and that he was a farmer working a small place some miles away. He was
plainly dressed and evidently far from wealthy.
While the boys were assisting Herman Crouse to the little railroad
station, others had gone into the burning car and picked up such baggage
and other things as could be gotten out. Then the car, which was nothing
but an old rattletrap affair, was allowed to burn up.
Of course the accident had caused a great deal of excitement, and
telegrams were at once dispatched to Leeways and Timminsport for
assistance.
"I think I'll send word home that we are all right," said Jack. "The
folks may hear about this accident and worry over it," and as soon as he
had an opportunity he sent a message, and Gif and Spouter did the same.
As the trains from the north ran no farther on that branch than Enwood,
all of the passengers on board had been bound for either that place or
Timminsport. Consequently many of those who were injured remained in the
town, while the others were made as comfortable as possible on the other
train and taken to Timminsport. Fortunately, no one had been killed or
fatally hurt. Herman Crouse remained at Enwood. He thanked the boys
again most heartily when they left him.
"Maybe some day I shall be able to pay you back for your goodness to
me," said he. "If it comes that way, I shall certainly do it," and then
he shook hands once more.
"I guess he's a German all right enough," remarked Jack, when the boys
were once again in the train and it was moving forward, the track having
been cleared. "He spoke with a very strong German accent."
"Yes, and his name is undoubtedly German," said Randy. "But he was a
pretty decent sort, anyway."
"Oh, a good many of the German-Americans, so-called, are all right,"
said Gif. "Why, there are thousands of them in the army and in the navy,
as well as in the air service. And they are fighting just as hard and
loyally for Uncle Sam as anybody."
"Sure!" declared Andy. "Look at Hans Mueller, who used to be a great
chum of our dads at Putnam Hall. He's as loyal as they make 'em, and
he's in the army too, and will undoubtedly give a good account of
himself."
"Oh, I don't doubt but what a lot of the Germans are loyal to this
country," came from Spouter. "Just the same, it's a good thing to keep
your eyes on them."
"Right you are!" cried Andy. "Don't forget those German spies we ran
into at the offices in Wall Street--the same chaps who were in with Mr.
Brown and Mr. Martell."
"I tell you one thing," remarked Gif, changing the subject. "This
accident is going to get us into Timminsport very late, and I don't know
whether Jed Wallop will be there to meet us or not." They had sent word
ahead for the old fellow who lived near the Cedar Lodge property to come
with his boxsled for them and their traps.
"Probably he was hanging around the railroad station waiting for the
train to come in, and, if so, he must have heard about the accident, and
he would be very anxious about you, Gif," remarked Jack.
"Well, we'll see when we get there. But if Jed isn't there, I don't know
what we can do for the night. I don't believe Timminsport has any hotel
fit to stop at, and it wouldn't be a very nice hike of five or six miles
to Cedar Lodge in the dark and through the snow."
With so many hurt passengers on board, the engineer was careful, and so
did not run very fast, and as a consequence it was well after dark by
the time they rolled into Timminsport. Quite a crowd was collected at
the depot, anxious to get the particulars of the accident, and also to
meet those who needed assistance. The two doctors living in that
vicinity had been summoned and were on hand to give all the aid
possible.
"There is Jed Wallop now!" cried Gif presently, and pointed to a tall,
angular individual wrapped up in a shaggy overcoat and wearing an
equally shaggy cap with the eartabs tied down under his chin.
"Hello, Jed!" he cried cheerfully, and shoved his way forward to greet
the man.
Jed Wallop proved to be so excited that he hardly paid attention to
Gif's greetings nor to his introduction to the other youths from Colby
Hall.
"I'm lookin' fer a cousin o' mine--Tim Doolittle," he exclaimed. "I
heard as how he was in the accident. Did you see him?"
"I don't know the man, Jed," answered Gif. "The hurt ones are all in the
forward car."
Jed Wallop pushed his way through the crowd and soon found the man he
was seeking. The poor fellow had one arm in a sling and had several cuts
on his face, and declared himself very much "shook up" and rather weak.
"Well, by gosh! I'm mighty glad you wasn't killed, Tim," declared
Wallop. "Now, what you goin' to do with yourself? You can't go up to
Burke's Camp in that condition."
"No, I can't," answered Tim Doolittle. "I've got to rest up fer a spell
and git this sprained arm o' mine fit fer work agin. I was thinkin' I
might ride over to Uncle Joe's place if I could git anyone to take me."
"I can take you there myself. I can git a sleigh from Hank Miller and do
it--that is, if these young fellers would be willin' to drive over to
Cedar Lodge alone," added Jed Wallop, looking anxiously at Gif and his
companions.
"I suppose I could do that," answered Gif slowly. "I don't know the way
very well, but I think I could make it."
"Oh, it's a putty straight road, Gif," said Wallop. "You can't miss your
way if you keep your eyes open. Whenever you strike the crossroads keep
to the right every time, and then you won't git left," and he chuckled a
little over his joke.
"How are the team and the boxsled?"
"All right. You know them horses--Mary and John, a very reliable team.
They won't run away, and they'll make good time."
"All right then, Jed. Just show me where the sled is, and then you can
go off and take care of your cousin," said Gif. "We'll have to stay in
town for a while and see if we can't pick up some grub and at least
enough supplies to last us for a few days."
So the matter was arranged, and a few minutes later Jed Wallop went off
to see what he could do about caring for his injured cousin.
"It's all right for him to look after his cousin," remarked Gif. "But
that leaves us to go on alone. I hope we find everything at Cedar Lodge
all right."
"Oh, it will be a lark to go on all alone!" cried Fred. "We don't want
that fellow along. We can get along alone very well."
"I know what I want to do first of all," declared Andy. "I want to get a
bite to eat. That sandwich I had didn't satisfy me at all."
"All right, we'll go to that restaurant I spoke about," said Gif. "Then
we'll get our provisions and be on the way to the Lodge."
CHAPTER XI
ON THE WAY TO CEDAR LODGE
The restaurant Gif had in mind was a small affair located on a side
street directly behind the railroad station. Leaving their handbaggage
at the station in a pile with numerous other bags, and their guns with
the station-master, they made their way to this resort. Ordinarily at
this time of night the restaurant was doing very little business, but on
account of the accident many people had dropped in, so the tables
presented a lively appearance.
"We'll have some difficulty in finding seats, I guess," remarked Jack,
looking around.
"There are a couple of small tables over in the alcove," came from
Spouter. "We might shove them together, and I guess they'll hold us
all."
This was done, and after a wait of several minutes a girl came to take
their orders.
"What have you got ready?" questioned Gif. "There is no use of our
waiting to have anything cooked to order," he continued to his chums.
The girl named over a variety of things, including hot pork and beans,
roast beef with potatoes and turnips, and also several kinds of
sandwiches and pies, and also tea and coffee.
"Those things will do first rate, I guess," cried Fred. "Me for a dish
of pork and beans and a good hot cup of coffee!"
It did not take the cadets long to give their orders, and the girl
bustled off to serve them. While the lads were waiting for the things to
be brought, Andy happened to glance across the restaurant at the other
patrons and suddenly gave a low whistle of surprise.
"Look who's here, will you!" he exclaimed.
All looked in the direction pointed out, and there, at a side table, saw
Bill Glutts, Gabe Werner and Henry Stowell.
"My gracious! what do you know about that?" ejaculated Randy. "Glutts,
Werner and Codfish!"
"What can those fellows be doing in Timminsport?" demanded Spouter.
"Say! I think I know the answer to that question," returned Jack
quickly. He looked at his cousin Fred. "Don't you remember what Bill and
Gabe said in the moving picture theater about going up to some camp to
hunt? I wager that camp is located somewhere in this vicinity."
"That must be it!" answered Fred.
"However did they get poor Codfish to come along with them?" queried
Andy. "They'll plague the life out of that little sneak."
"They'll make a regular servant of him, that's what they'll do!"
answered his twin.
"If they came up here to hunt, I hope they are not going to settle down
anywhere near Cedar Lodge," remarked Gif. "I'd hate to have those
fellows saddled on me while I was trying to have some fun."
"I wonder if they saw us?" questioned Fred.
"Let's not take any notice of them," advised Jack. "I'd rather go my way
and let them go theirs."
To this the others readily agreed. They were soon served with the things
they had ordered and lost no time in making away with the food. Then
they hurried out of the resort, leaving Glutts, Werner and Codfish still
at the table which they occupied. The two bullies had lighted
cigarettes.
"Now let's skip over to one of the general stores and see what we can
get in the way of provisions," said Gif. "We'll have to hurry up, or the
storekeeper may close up on us."
"I've got the list here, Gif," declared Jack. "Show us where the store
is, and then you bring around the team with the boxsled. By that time
maybe we'll have most of our things bought."
The store proved to be a low, rambling affair filled with a hundred and
one varieties of goods, some looking quite fresh and others with the
appearance of having been in stock for some years.
The storekeeper was pleased to serve them, especially when he realized
that their purchases would be for cash. Jack and the others knew exactly
what they wanted, and picked out everything with care.
"I guess you young fellows have been up in the woods before," remarked
the storekeeper, with a shrewd look.
"We have been, although not around here," answered Jack.
"Thought you had by the way you're ordering. Some of them fellows that
come up here have no more idee about what is wanted in a camp than
nothing at all. They take along the most ridiculous things, and
sometimes leave out coffee and sugar and salt and bacon and things like
that which a feller has jest got to have."
Gif had brought around the boxsled, and into this the storekeeper's
assistant piled the various boxes and bags which contained the
provisions they had purchased. The things made quite a load, so that the
six cadets had about all they could do to get in themselves.
"We sure would have been crowded had Jed Wallop been along," remarked
Fred, who was squeezed in on top of some boxes with Randy on one side of
him and Spouter on the other. Gif was up in front driving, with Jack and
Andy beside him.
"Let her go!" cried Andy gayly. "Hurrah for Cedar Lodge!"
"Hold on!" exclaimed Jack suddenly. "Are you fellows going up there
without your suitcases and guns?"
At this there came a groan from nearly all of the others.
"Gee! I forgot all about those suitcases and firearms."
"Where in the world are we going to place them?"
"If we put the suitcases in, we'll surely have to walk!"
"Oh, we'll stow 'em in somehow," declared Gif. "You fellows don't know
how to load a boxsled."
"I know what we can do!" cried Jack. "Let us get a few loose
packing-case boards and stand them up around the back of the sled. We
can place the boxes against them, and then pile the suitcases on top,
and the tops of the boards will hold them in. The guns can go in
anywhere."
"That's the stuff!" said Spouter and he and Gif and Andy hurried back to
the store to get the boards and arrange them as suggested.
In the meantime, Jack, Fred and Randy hurried in the direction of the
railroad station to get the six suitcases and the guns which had been
left there. They found the crowd had thinned out somewhat, although
quite a few people were still present.
It did not take the three lads long to find the six suitcases, and,
armed with two each and with all the guns, they trudged back to where
they had left the boxsled. Then the suitcases were piled up and tied
fast to the upright boards and to the boxsled itself, so that they might
not be jounced off. The guns were placed in the bottom alongside the
boxes.
"Now then, pile in, and we'll be getting to the Lodge," cried Gif. "I
can tell you fellows I am mighty anxious to see the old place, to see if
it looks like it did when I was here last."
The youths were just stowing themselves away on the sled when there came
a cry from out of the darkness, and three fellows came hurrying through
the snow from the direction of the railroad station.
"Hi, there! Stop!" called out the foremost of the trio. "Stop, I tell
you!"
"Why, it's Gabe Werner!" exclaimed Randy. "What can he want of us?"
In a moment more the big bully was beside the sled, and Glutts and
Codfish followed him.
"Thought you were mighty smart, eh?" cried Gabe Werner angrily. "Another
minute, and I suppose you would have been gone!"
"What do you want, Werner?" demanded Jack.
"What are you fellows doing in this neighborhood?" questioned Fred.
"What we are doing here is our business," answered Werner sourly. "What
I want of you is my suitcase."
"Your suitcase?" queried several of the others.
"Yes, my suitcase! Oh, you needn't play the innocent! I know you've got
my suitcase somewhere on this boxsled. But you're not going to get away
with it. Hand it over, or I'll call a policeman."
Gabe Werner was very much in earnest, and his face was red with anger
and resentment. He reached up and caught hold of the lines which Gif
held in his hands.
"Drop those lines, Werner!" cried Gif quickly. "Drop them, I say!"
"I want my suitcase! You had no business to touch it!"
"I don't know anything about your suitcase," declared Gif. He turned to
the others. "We haven't anything but our own bags, have we?"
"I don't think we have," declared Jack.
"I know better!" grumbled Werner.
"I'll bet they've got it and are hiding it away," declared Bill Glutts.
"They took a whole lot of bags away just as we were coming up. The
baggage master saw 'em."
"I'm glad they didn't get my bag!" cried Codfish, who was lugging a
good-sized Gladstone.
"If we took your bag it must have been by mistake," said Randy. "I
looked at the markings pretty carefully though."
"So did I," said Fred.
"Well, we'll make sure," remarked Jack, and brought out a flashlight
which he had taken from his own suitcase for possible use on the road.
He flashed the light in the direction of the six suitcases, and he and
his chums looked over all of the markings with care.
"How is your bag marked?" questioned Gif.
"G. A. W.," answered Werner.
"Well, you can see for yourself that there is no such marking on any of
these bags," declared Jack. "There is my own. These two belong to Andy
and Randy. This is Fred's, and here is Gif's and that one is Spouter's."
"Maybe they've got it hidden under the blankets, or something like
that," suggested Glutts.
"There are no other suitcases in this boxsled," declared Gif flatly.
"We'll take a look and make sure."
"You'll do nothing of the sort, Gabe Werner!" and now, with flashing
eyes, Gif raised his whip as if to bring it down over the bully's head.
"Hold on, Gif! Don't do anything like that," advised Jack. "Let them
look around the sled if they want to. Then they will know we're telling
the truth. If we go off without giving them a chance to look, they may
complain to the authorities here and make a lot of trouble for us."
"All right, then, go ahead and look," answered Gif, leaping from the
boxsled. "But don't you harm any of our things, or you'll hear from me."
Jack flashed the light into the sled, and Werner and Glutts made an
examination of the contents. Of course, they found no other baggage, and
so drew back in disgust.
"I don't understand it," said Werner lamely. "I left that bag there in
the station master's care while I and the others went to get something
to eat. Now my bag is gone."
"Well, that is none of our affair," answered Jack. "Come on, fellows,
it's getting late. Let's be on the way."
"I'll get that bag back, or I'll make the station master pay for it,"
grumbled Gabe Werner, and then he and his cronies turned on their heels
and walked back in the direction of the railroad station.
"Gee! somebody must have walked off with his bag while he was eating,"
remarked Fred. "Rather tough luck if he had anything of real value in
it."
"Serves him right--for being so cross and cranky," was Andy's comment.
But the bag had not been stolen. It had been simply misplaced, as was
afterwards proven.
Once more the boys adjusted themselves on the boxsled, and then Gif took
up the reins and spoke to the team. Off they started at a walk, but soon
broke into a slow trot as the sled began to go down a long slope leading
in the direction of Cedar Lodge.
The way was little more than a woods road, winding in and out among the
trees. They had to mount several small hills, and on these the horses
settled down to a very slow walk.
"I guess Jed Wallop was right about Mary and John not running away,"
came from Randy. "I don't think anything short of an earthquake could
start 'em into a gallop."
"They are lumber-camp horses, used to drawing pretty heavy loads,"
explained Gif. "They may not be very much on speed, but on the other
hand you can depend on their pulling us out of any tight hole where
fancy horses might get stuck."
CHAPTER XII
AT THE FROZEN-UP SPRING
On and on went the boxsled carrying the Rovers and their chums, deeper
and deeper into the woods. Occasionally the road was so narrow that they
brushed the snow-laden bushes on one side or the other.
"Hi there, Gif, look out!" cried Randy presently. A bush had been turned
aside by those ahead, and now it slipped back, covering Randy's face
with loose snow.
"I'm sorry, Randy," returned Gif. "But we've got to take this road as it
comes. You'll have to watch out, just as the others are doing."
There was a smoky lantern dangling from the front of the boxsled, but
this gave little light. The moon was down beyond the trees, and only the
diamond-like stars glittered overhead.
"How much further have we got to go?" questioned Jack presently, after
they had passed a crossroads and kept to the right, as Jed Wallop had
directed.
"I think we have covered about half the distance, Jack," was the reply
of the young driver. "Still, I'm not sure. You know a boxsled isn't like
an auto--it doesn't carry a speedometer."
"Gee! an auto would have been there and back two or three times since we
started," was Fred's comment.
"Not in this snow," came from Spouter. "I think you'd get stuck in some
of these deep places."
"They do use a few cars up here in the winter, but not many," said Gif.
"It's too uncertain."
To make the time pass more quickly, Jack started one of the old school
songs, and the others joined him. Then they ended with the well-known
Colby Hall cry:
"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!"
"I wonder what the neighbors will think if they hear us," remarked
Randy.
"I don't think there are any neighbors very close," answered Gif. "There
was a house some distance back, but I don't know of any others between
here and Cedar Lodge. The other places are beyond the point where we
turn off to go down to the bungalow."
They had now to make several sharp turns, and at these spots the road
was unusually rough. One runner of the boxsled went up on some rocks,
and for a moment it looked as if the turnout would upset.
"Look out there, Gif!"
"You'll have us in the snow with the sled on top of us!"
"Git along there, Mary and John!" cried the young driver. "Git along!"
and he cracked his whip, and soon the team had pulled the boxsled from
the rocks, and then going became better.
"We ought to be coming to a signboard soon," declared Gif a few minutes
later. "I remember there used to be one on the road, pointing to a
number of camps north of this place."
In a few minutes they came to the spot he had mentioned, but to his
disappointment there was no signboard to be seen.
"Someone must have taken it down, or else it fell of itself," he
remarked.
"Are you quite sure you're on the right road?" questioned Andy.
"It would be fierce to have to turn back this time of night," added his
twin.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure this is the right road," answered their chum.
Nevertheless, his face showed a doubtful look. Not to find the signboard
which had been a landmark in that vicinity for many years puzzled him.
A little later they came to where the road branched out in three
directions, the road on the right being narrow and running directly into
a thick patch of woods.
"Whoa!" cried Gif to the team, and then he looked around more puzzled
than ever, and shook his head.
"What's wrong now?" asked Jack.
"I guess I'm stumped," was the slow reply. "I can't remember this spot
at all."
"Oh, Gif, don't tell us we're on the wrong road after all!" exclaimed
Andy.
"Jed Wallop told us to keep to the right," announced Spouter. "We've
been doing that, and we might as well do it now."
"But that road doesn't look as if it leads to anywhere," declared Fred.
"It's a mighty narrow road, too," returned Gif. "We might get down in
among the trees and be unable to turn around, and then what would we
do?"
"Better stay here, Gif, while I walk ahead and investigate," said Jack.
"Better take a gun along, in case you stir up something you don't want
to meet," warned Fred.
"Not a bad idea," and, reaching down into the boxsled, Jack brought out
one of the weapons that had been placed there.
"If you see a moose shoot him on the spot!" cried Randy.
"What spot?" queried his twin gayly. "A spot on the end of his tail or
the tip of his ear wouldn't be of much account."
"I don't see how you can joke, Andy, when we're lost away out here in
the woods and it's past midnight," came ruefully from Fred. "I'd give as
much as a dollar to be at the Lodge and lying down in front of a roaring
fire. I'm getting pretty cold."
They were all cold, for since nightfall the thermometer had been going
down steadily. More than this, the wind was rising, and this in the open
places was anything but pleasant to the cadets.
"I'll go with you, Jack," announced Spouter, and he, too, armed himself
with his gun, a double-barreled affair of which he was quite proud.
Holding his flashlight so that they might see where they were walking,
Jack led the way, and Spouter came close behind. They walked a distance
of several hundred feet, and here found that the road came to an end
among some rocks which were now covered with ice.
"It's a road to a spring, that's all," said Jack. "The water is frozen
now, but I suppose in the summer time the lumbermen and the other folks
around here occasionally travel in for a drink. We may as well go back."
"Well, it's a mighty good thing we didn't drive in here. We might have
had a job turning around on that rough ice," answered Spouter.
The frozen-up spring was a beautiful sight, the water standing out in
columns and waves as if made of milky glass. Behind the columns there
was still a trickle of water.
To get a better view of the sight, Jack swept the rays of the flashlight
first to one side and then to the other. As he did this he caught a
glimpse of a pair of gleaming eyes from the brushwood and snow behind
the spring. The eyes looked full of curiosity and fright.
"Look, look, Spouter!" he cried, and then dropped the flashlight into
his overcoat pocket.
"What is it?"
"I just saw the eyes of some wild animal back there. See! There they are
now!"
As Jack spoke he raised his gun and blazed away. This shot was followed
by one from Spouter.
The reports were followed almost immediately by a snarl and a whining
cry, and they heard some animal thrashing around wildly in the bushes
behind the spring, sending the loose snow flying in all directions.
"We hit it, whatever it is," announced Jack.
"What do you suppose it can be?" questioned Spouter quickly. "It wasn't
a deer, was it?"
"I don't think so, Spouter. It was too low down for that. Maybe it was a
fox, although it didn't sound like it."
"Perhaps there are brook mink around this spring."
"Maybe."
"Are you going back there to find out?" went on Spouter, for the sounds
in the brushwood had now ceased.
"Sure, I'm going back there! You don't suppose I'm going to let any game
get away from us!"
"Be careful, Jack. That animal may be playing possum, you know, and may
spring out at you."
"Don't worry; I'll be on my guard," answered Jack.
He had slipped another charge into his gun, and Spouter quickly did
likewise. Then, with their weapons ready for use and with the flashlight
held so that it cast its rays ahead, they cautiously moved around to one
side of the frozen spring and made their way in the direction of the
bushes and rocks in the rear.
"Hello there! what are you shooting at?" The cry came from where the
pair had left the boxsled. It was Gif who was calling.
"We don't know yet," answered Jack.
"We saw a pair of eyes, and we shot at them," added Spouter.
"Gee! what do you know about that?" exclaimed Fred. "Hunting before we
even reach the Lodge!"
"Let's go ahead and see what they struck," came from Randy.
"That's the talk!" added his twin.
Gif was willing, and in a moment more the four lads had scrambled down
from the boxsled and were making their way along the road leading to the
spring. By this time Jack and Spouter had advanced through the brushwood
and over the rocks close to the spot where they had last seen the
gleaming eyes. As they went on Jack imagined once or twice he saw
something moving through the snow, but of this he was not certain.
"Here is where we hit it, whatever it was," declared Spouter, when they
reached the point directly behind the spring. "See how the snow is dug
up?"
"Yes, and here are some drops of blood," said Jack, as he turned the
flashlight on the snow. "But whatever it was, it got away," he added
disappointedly.
"What have you got?" sang out Gif, for he and the others had come up on
the opposite side of the spring.
"We haven't got anything," answered Spouter dolefully. "We hit
something, but it got away from us."
"It wasn't a moose, was it?" queried Randy with great interest.
"No, I think it was a three-horned elephant," replied Jack, who was not
then in the best of humor. He hated to have the first thing he shot at
get away from him.
"Well, this seems to be the end of this road," remarked Gif, looking
around.
"Yes, it only led down to this frozen-up spring," answered Spouter.
"I move we go on," said Fred. "I'm cold, and I'm sleepy too."
"I think we're all that way," answered Gif. "Come on, you fellows. No
use of remaining around here. If that animal got away it probably moved
off quite a distance."
"That would depend on how badly it was wounded," answered Jack. "Just
wait a minute, and I'll see if I can't find its trail."
Aided by the flashlight, he looked around carefully, and presently made
out some tracks in the snow leading in the direction of a nearby
thicket. He moved to this, coming presently to several low-hanging
trees.
"See anything?" questioned Fred impatiently.
"Not yet. But the trail is here as plain as can be."
"Maybe those are only rabbit tracks," remarked Randy.
"Or tracks of the animals that came down to the spring for a drink," put
in Gif.
Jack did not answer. He was flashing the light around carefully,
inspecting all the trees and bushes in that vicinity. Suddenly the light
was flashed upward, and as the rays ran along one of the branches of the
tree directly in front of the youth there came a sudden snarl of rage
and protest.
"It's a wildcat!" ejaculated Spouter, whose eyes had also been following
the rays of light. "A wildcat!"
"Yes, and it's the animal we wounded," answered Jack. "See how it is
holding up one of its front paws."
"Be careful!" sang out Gif, in alarm. "A wounded wildcat is no beast to
play with."
Scarcely had he uttered the words when the wildcat gave another snarl of
rage. Then the tail of the beast began to quiver, and suddenly, with a
cry, it leaped down from the tree, striking the ground directly in front
of the surprised boys.
CHAPTER XIII
THE MEETING ON THE ROAD
That the wildcat was in a savage mood and prepared to fight to a finish,
there could be no doubt. Evidently the wounded paw had made the beast
more savage than usual, and hardly had it struck the ground than it
tried to make a leap forward at Jack.
"Look out, Jack!"
"He means to claw you to death!"
Bang! went Spouter's gun, but he did not dare to take too close an aim
for fear of hitting Jack, and as a consequence the charge of shot merely
damaged the wildcat's tail.
It must not be thought that the oldest Rover was slow in moving. Had
this been true, the wildcat would undoubtedly have fastened its claws
and its teeth into the youth and done serious damage. As the animal came
forward, the young captain leaped to one side and the wildcat landed in
the snow, facing the others who had come up.
"Shoot him! Shoot him!" came from Fred excitedly.
"Plug him quick!" added Andy.
None of those who had followed Jack and Spouter were armed, so the fight
rested entirely upon the shoulders of that pair. Circling around so as
to avoid the others, Jack pulled the trigger and fired. The wildcat
began flipping and flopping on the snow, badly wounded. Then Spouter
discharged his firearm once more, and after this the creature lay quiet
where it dropped.
"Is--is he dead?" questioned Fred, who was the first to speak. The
youngest Rover was very much excited, and with good cause.
"Wait! Don't go forward!" ordered Jack, as he stepped back a few paces.
"He may be playing possum. Anyway, we had better load our guns first,"
he added to Spouter.
This advice to load immediately after discharging a weapon was one which
had been well drilled into the cadets, and so now the pair lost no time
in putting new charges into their weapons. Then they approached with
caution, and Jack turned the wildcat over with the barrel of the gun,
keeping his hand meanwhile on the trigger ready for action.
But the beast was quite dead, the charges from the two guns having gone
completely through its body.
"What are you going to do with the carcass?" questioned Randy, after all
had made an inspection.
"Might as well leave it here," declared Fred. "It isn't good for
anything. Even the skin is all torn from the shot."
"No, we might as well take it along. We can hang it on the back of the
boxsled," said Gif. "Perhaps we can use the meat to trap some other wild
animals."
A strap which one of the boys happened to carry was fastened around the
neck of the wildcat, and then they carried it from the spring to where
they had left the boxsled. The excitement for the time being had caused
all of the cadets to forget how late it was and how cold and windy it
was growing. But now, when they were once more ready to drive off,
several of them began to shiver.
"It's going to be mighty cold before morning," announced Randy.
"Yes, and I wish we were at that bungalow in front of a good log fire,"
added Andy.
"Now that we've discovered that wasn't the road, which way do you
propose to go, Gif?" questioned Jack.
"We won't count that as a road, and we'll take the other one on the
right," was the reply. "I don't know of anything else to do," Gif added,
somewhat helplessly.
None of the others could give advice, for the reason that this territory
was entirely new to them. Even Spouter, who had visited the woods a
number of times, had never been in that vicinity.
Onward they went once more, up a gentle hill and then down the slope on
the other side. At the foot of the hill the road became rougher and
rougher, and presently the horses had all they could do to make any
progress.
"Gif, this can't be the right road," declared Jack at last. "If it was
as rough as this, Jed Wallop would have told us about it. He said we
wouldn't have any trouble at all in reaching Cedar Lodge."
"Yes, and besides, we must have come at least five or six miles," added
Spouter.
"I'll bet we've come all of eight miles," broke in Fred.
"That's just what I think," declared Randy. "I'll bet an elephant
against a mouse we're on the wrong road."
"Well, I won't dispute that, Randy," answered the young driver of the
boxsled. "But you'll all bear witness to it that I followed directions
and kept to the right."
The road now ran along the side of a hill. Here the heavy fall of snow
had slid down over the rocks and the going was anything but safe. The
faithful old horses had all they could do to keep their footing.
"We'll upset the first thing you know!" exclaimed Fred, and he had
scarcely spoken when the runner on the up side of the road struck a
series of rocks, and the next minute all of the boys, including Gif,
went tumbling from the boxsled, and some of their provisions followed.
"Whoa there! Whoa there, Mary and John!" called Gif to the team. But
this command was not needed, for the tired old horses were only too glad
to stop, and had come to a halt the moment the youths tumbled off.
All had landed in the snow, which at this point was rather deep; so none
of them was seriously hurt, although somebody stepped on one of Randy's
hands and Spouter got a scratch on his ear from some nearby bushes.
"Well, here's a mess!" exclaimed Fred, as he picked himself up. "Now we
are in a pickle."
"Oh, it might have been worse," declared Jack, as cheerfully as he
could, because he could easily see that Gif was in a state of mind
bordering on desperation. "Nobody is seriously hurt, I hope?"
All scrambled up, and then looked at the roadway immediately ahead. Here
was a somewhat level spot, and to this the sled was driven, and the lads
picked up the stuff which had fallen off in the snow and replaced it,
this time tying it down with some ropes and straps which were handy.
"I don't believe I'll drive any further on this road," said Gif. "It
doesn't seem to lead to anywhere, and I'm quite certain now that it
isn't the way to Cedar Lodge."
"What will you do?" asked Andy. "Go back to that other road?"
Everybody was stumped, and for several seconds nobody made any reply.
"Might as well go back," said Spouter.
Fred and Randy walked on ahead, trying to determine where the road led
to. But all they could see was the blackness of the forest, and the
roadway seemed to grow rougher and more perilous at every step.
It was no easy task to turn the team and the boxsled around without
spilling everything again. But it was accomplished at last, and then
slowly and painfully they climbed along the hill until they reached the
point where there had been another split in the road. Here they came to
a halt.
"Listen!" cried Randy suddenly.
All did as requested, and from a distance heard the low musical jingle
of sleigh bells.
"There's a sleigh!" exclaimed Gif. "And unless I'm mistaken, it's coming
this way!"
They listened again, and were overjoyed to note that the sounds were
gradually coming nearer. Then they stepped out behind the boxsled, and
presently discerned a large two-seated sleigh, drawn by a powerful pair
of horses, approaching.
The steeds were making good time, despite the roughness of the road and
the depth of the snow.
"Hi there! Hi there!" called out Gif, and then Jack sent the rays of his
flashlight toward the on-coming turnout.
There were exclamations of astonishment from those in the sleigh, and
for a moment it looked to the boys as if the occupants were bent upon
passing them without paying any attention to their call. But then Gif,
Spouter, and Fred took a position directly in front of the on-coming
horses, and the driver brought them snortingly to a sudden stop.
"What do you fellows want?" demanded a heavy guttural voice from the
sleigh.
The words were uttered in a German accent, and by the look of his face
the speaker, who sat on the front seat beside the driver, was evidently
of Teutonic origin. He glared suspiciously at those in the roadway, and
Jack and Gif afterward declared that they saw the gleam of a pistol in
the man's hand as it was thrust in the flap of his overcoat.
"We've lost our way," said Gif, coming a few steps closer. "We thought
maybe you folks could direct us."
"Huh! I don't know about that," said the man in his thick German accent.
"Where do you want to go?"
"We want to go to Cedar Lodge. It's located somewhere up here, about
five or six miles from Timminsport."
"Cedar Lodge!" said one of the men who were seated on the rear seat of
the sleigh. "Do you mean the hunting lodge that is owned by the
Garrisons?"
"Yes."
"Then you are on the wrong road to get to that place," said the man.
"You'll have to go back the way we came for about half a mile, and then
take the road to the left. It is in from this road, I think, about a
quarter of a mile."
"Is it the first road we shall come to from here?" questioned Gif, bound
to fix matters so that he could not make another mistake.
"Yes."
"Thank you. That is all we want to know."
"What are you young fellows going to do at that place?" queried the
German who was on the front seat.
"We came up here for a season of hunting," answered Jack.
"The place belongs to my father and my uncle," explained Gif. "My name
is Gifford Garrison."
"I see. Well, have a good time," said the man on the front seat of the
sleigh. But he did not seem to be particularly pleased.
"Have you a hunting lodge around here?" questioned Fred curiously.
"No. We are just taking a little trip to visit some friends up here,"
answered the man on the back seat who previously had not spoken. "We
shall stay only a day or two," he added. Then the man on the front seat
spoke to the driver, and away they went once more, and were soon out of
sight, taking the road the cadets had just been thinking of pursuing.
"Well, I'm mighty glad we met those men," declared Gif. "Now I know
where I am. Thank goodness! we are not so very far out of the way after
all."
"Don't crow, Gif, until you are out of the woods--or at least until we
are in sight of the Lodge," cried Andy.
"I didn't like the looks of those fellows," declared Jack.
"They were a bunch of Germans, and not very nice Germans at that," said
Fred.
"Isn't it queer that we are running into so many Germans?" remarked
Spouter. "First that Herman Crouse on the train, and now these chaps."
"Oh, hurry up, fellows! Don't stand here and gas!" ejaculated Randy.
"Let's see if we can't find that lost Lodge. I want to get warmed up,
and I want to go to bed."
Then the boxsled was turned around once more and the journey to Cedar
Lodge was resumed.
CHAPTER XIV
THE FIRST HUNT
The six cadets from Colby Hall found the side road the Germans had
mentioned with ease; and after that it was not long before they came to
a spot which looked familiar to Gif.
"Thank fortune! we're on the right road at last," cried the young driver
of the boxsled. "See those peculiar trees over there?" He pointed to
three all growing together. "I know those very well. We ought to come in
sight of the Lodge now in a few minutes."
"Well, you can't get there any too quick for me," declared Fred, as he
gave a deep yawn.
The way was over a small bridge which spanned the river Gif had
mentioned to the Rover boys, and then they passed through a patch of
woods and to a clearing about half an acre in extent. In the center of
this clearing was located the Lodge.
It was a substantial and artistic log structure, a single story in
height, with a broad veranda running the length of the front. Right at
either end of the lodge was a huge cedar tree, and more cedars were at
the edge of the clearing. Behind the bungalow was a small barn and also
a fair-sized woodshed and close by was a small building which Gif
explained to them was used in the summer time for a kitchen.
Gif was the first out of the boxsled, and he lost no time in unlocking
the front door for the party. Jack brought his flashlight into play, and
they lit two lamps after filling them with oil which had been brought
along.
"Now we'll get the stuff in from the sled, and then I'll have to put the
team away," said Gif.
"Let me do that, Gif," said Jack. "Just show me where they are to go,
then you and the others can light the fire."
"Yes, and we'll fix something to eat, too!" declared Randy.
"I'll go out to the stable with Jack," came from Spouter, who was no
shirker when it came to doing his share of the work.
It was not a hard task to transfer the baggage and provisions, as well
as the guns and team was driven around to the stable, where ammunition,
to the Lodge, and, this done, the sled was run in under a shed. Then
Jack and Spouter proceeded to make Mary and John at home for the night.
In the meantime all of the others had gone to the woodshed and returned
to the Lodge with sticks of various sizes for the fire. The building of
this was left to Gif, as it was felt that he was, in a certain sense,
the host. Yet all were ready to help, and soon they had a big blaze
roaring up the wide chimney and gradually filling the bungalow with its
warmth.
The arrangement of the Lodge was very simple. The living room occupied
the center, with a sort of winter kitchen and entryway behind it. To
each side of the living room were located two bedrooms, one in the front
and the other in the rear. Above the living room was a loft which could
be reached by a rustic pair of stairs, a loft which could be used only
for a storeroom, since it was less than five feet high in the center,
sloping to the eaves, front and back. The big chimney was in the rear of
the living room, and behind it, in the kitchen, was a stove for cooking.
"Say, this is just all right," declared Fred, after he had warmed up a
bit and taken a look around. "We ought to be as snug as bugs in a rug
here."
"We'll have to arrange about sleeping quarters," remarked Gif. "Two of
the rooms have a double bed each, and the other rooms have two single
beds each." The doors to the various rooms had been left open so that
the heat from the fire might draw through the entire Lodge.
It was great sport for the boys to divest themselves of their heavy
overcoats and caps and then get to work preparing the Lodge for
occupancy. All of the bedclothes had to be shaken out and warmed, and
they also had to get out some linen which had been packed away. Gif,
assisted by Andy and Randy, did this, and meanwhile Jack, Spouter, and
Fred brought out the dishes and other things and set the table and also
began to boil water for some hot chocolate, which they had decided to
have, along with some smoked beef and cheese sandwiches and some
doughnuts that had been brought along.
Soon the boys were seated around the big square table the living room
contained enjoying themselves to their hearts' content. The steaming
chocolate and the things to eat put them in the best possible humor, and
their troubles with Bill Glutts and Gabe Werner, and also with the
wildcat and on the road, were, for the time being, forgotten. Outside
the wind was rising, making a mournful sound as it swept through the
cedars and the other trees in that vicinity. But inside the fire
crackled merrily and the heat of the fitful flames as they roared up the
chimney filled the lads with satisfaction.
"We sure had a tough time getting here," declared Randy, "but it was
worth it."
"Isn't this just peachy!" cried his twin, as, with a final doughnut in
hand, he sank deep in a rocking chair at one side of the fireplace.
"This suits me right down to the tips of my toes."
"I should think it would suit anybody," declared Spouter. "Why, this
whole surroundings has the most artistic setting I ever beheld. Just
think of this rustic bungalow nestling away in the midst of this
gigantic forest, and think of this deep-throated fireplace with the
flames soaring upward, casting their flickering shadows hither and
thither over the bright faces--"
"Of six well fed and sleepy young fellows who ought to be in bed this
minute," broke in Jack. "I move we adjourn for the night and let Spouter
finish his oration in the morning."
"That's it! Always cutting me short when I have some beautiful
sentiments to express," grumbled the would-be orator. "Never mind, I'll
get square with you some day."
"Never mind, Spout. Don't take it too hard," broke in Andy. "Remember
that even slipping down on a banana peel is a good deal of a skin game."
"To bed it is," announced Gif. "Unless, of course, Andy and Fred want to
remain up to wash the dishes."
"Nothing doing," yawned Fred. "I could go to sleep sitting in this
chair. I'll wash the dishes to-morrow morning before breakfast."
It was decided that the twins should occupy one of the rooms with a
double bed. Gif and Spouter took the other double bed, and Fred and Jack
went into one of the rooms containing two single beds.
"We'll keep the fourth room for possible visitors," announced Gif. "You
know, Glutts and Werner may call on us," he added quizzically.
"Of course they'll call--when they are invited!" declared Jack. "Not but
what it's your house, Gif," he added quickly.
"They'll never come here on my invitation," was the ready response.
Their previous experience in camping out stood the six cadets in good
stead, and they knew exactly how to leave their fire so that it would
keep burning until morning without doing any damage. Then, one after
another, they speedily shoved off to bed and soon all of them were
slumbering peacefully after a long and arduous day's traveling.
In the morning Jack was the first to arise and he was speedily followed
by Gif and Spouter.
"Might as well let the others sleep for a while," said the oldest Rover
boy. "They were pretty well tired out, Fred and Andy especially."
"Sure, let 'em sleep as long as they want to. Our time is our own, and
there is no use in hurrying. Just the same, I bet Fred wakes up pretty
quick when he smells boiling coffee and pancakes."
Some pancake flour had been brought along, and soon the appetizing odor
of the cakes, along with the odor of steaming coffee, filled the Lodge.
Then came a call from one of the bedrooms, and, sure enough, it was Fred
speaking.
"Hi there! don't you eat all those good things up before I get there,"
he called out. "Say! this air certainly gives a fellow an appetite."
By the time breakfast was ready all of the boys were dressed. Jack and
Spouter had gone outside for more wood, and they reported that it had
begun to snow hard.
"All right, let it snow," said Randy. "Now that we are here, what do we
care?"
"Well, we don't want to get snowed in," remarked Spouter.
"Oh, I don't think the storm will be as bad as that," returned Gif.
"Just the same, I'm glad we didn't get caught last night in a downfall.
We might have had worse luck than ever in getting here."
By the time breakfast was finished it was snowing heavily. There was a
fairly strong wind blowing, and this sent the fine particles flying in
all directions. When they went out to feed the horses they found the
snow already an inch or more in depth.
"I think this is going to add quite a little to what is already on the
ground," said Jack. "If it keeps on for any length of time it will make
hunting rather difficult."
"Why can't we go out and do some hunting before the storm gets too bad?"
questioned Fred. Now that he had reached the Lodge he was exceedingly
anxious to try his skill with a gun.
"When I was here before there was quite a rabbit run on the other side
of the cedars behind this bungalow," declared Gif. "It isn't a long way
off. We could easily go that distance even through the snow."
"There wouldn't be any chance of our losing our way?" queried Spouter.
"Oh, no. It's not far enough off for that."
"Then let's go before the storm gets any worse," cried Andy.
"Yes, but how about the dishes to be washed?" asked Gif.
"Oh, Gif, can't we do them just as soon as we get back?" questioned
Fred.
"Last night's dishes are still standing in the kitchen," declared Jack,
looking somewhat sternly at his cousins.
"We'll get at them the minute we get back from our hunt for rabbits!"
exclaimed Fred. "Won't we, Andy?"
"That's a contract," declared the fun-loving Rover.
"All right then, see that you keep your word," answered Jack. "Remember,
Gif, no more grub for anybody until the dishes are washed."
"It's too bad we didn't bring some wooden dishes with us," remarked
Randy. "Then, after we had used them, we could put 'em in the fire."
"Lazybones!" called out Spouter. "You are as bad as the tramp who said
he didn't care to eat prunes because it was such a job to spit out the
pits;" and at this there was a general smile.
A little later the boys were ready for their first hunt. They had
discarded their overcoats for a number of hunting jackets of which the
bungalow boasted, and had also donned leggings and caps. Each looked to
see that his weapon was in first-class order and that he had a
sufficient supply of ammunition.
"We'll take only the shotguns along," said Gif. "You won't find any big
game in this immediate vicinity."
Fixing the fire so that it would keep until they returned, they locked
up and then started away. The snow was still coming down steadily, and
they were glad when they reached the shelter of the woods.
"You don't suppose Jed Wallop will come here during our absence?"
questioned Jack.
"If he does he'll know what to do," answered Gif. "He knows where the
key to the bungalow is, and I left a note for him in the stable, stating
that if he wanted to take the team away he could do so. He usually keeps
the horses up at his place, which is about half a mile from here."
Forward they trudged along a narrow trail leading through the woods. Gif
was at the front, with Spouter and Jack close behind and the others
following. Feeling that the rabbits might be on the alert, they relapsed
into silence, making practically no noise as they advanced.
They had covered a distance of several hundred feet when Jack, happening
to glance overhead, saw something that interested him very much. A flock
of wild ducks was circling about, and he pointed them out to Gif.
"I have often seen 'em around here," whispered Gif. "But you'd have to
go a long distance to get 'em unless you could shoot 'em on the wing.
They never settle down in the vicinity of the bungalow."
"Some day I'm going to take a crack at them," said Jack. "That is, if
they fly low enough."
Presently Gif slowed his pace and motioned for the others to do
likewise. They had come out to where there was a small clearing. Here
all gazed around sharply, trying to find some trace of the rabbit run
Gif had mentioned.
"I see one!" exclaimed Spouter presently. "See him? Over yonder," and he
pointed with his hand.
"Yes! And there is another!" answered Jack.
"I see four or five of them," put in Gif.
"Oh, say! there is our chance," ejaculated Fred excitedly. "Let's get
busy at once," and he made as if to raise his shotgun.
"Don't fire yet," cautioned Jack. "We're not close enough."
"Come on! I'll show you a place where we'll have a good chance to get at
those rabbits," said Gif. "Come, follow me."
CHAPTER XV
A CRY FOR HELP
Making as little noise as possible, the other lads followed Gif back
into the woods and then along a snow-laden trail skirting the clearing.
Less than two minutes' walk brought the young hunters to a spot where
were located a series of rough rocks, and here Gif motioned for his
companions to halt.
"I think you will find the rabbits in the hollow just on the other side
of these rocks," he whispered. "Now get you guns ready before you show
yourselves."
Slowly and cautiously they mounted the rocks and then lay down in the
snow on top. They peered into the hollow below, and presently made out
the forms of at least a dozen rabbits running to and fro, evidently
trying to find something among the trees and bushes opposite that would
be fit to eat.
"We might as well fire all at the same time," said Jack. "Because after
the first shot those bunnies will do their best to get to cover."
It was quickly decided that some of the hunters should shoot at the
rabbits directly ahead, while others were to shoot at those to the right
or to the left.
It must be admitted that Fred and Andy were trembling with excitement,
and Randy was also agitated. The others were quite calm, or else they
did not allow their real feelings to show. It was decided that Jack
should give the order to fire.
"All right," said the oldest Rover boy. "Now take aim, and when I say
three, shoot."
There were several seconds of silence during which all of the young
hunters got in readiness to shoot. Then, while they were still aiming
their weapons, one of the rabbits suddenly stopped running around and
sat upright, directly facing them, with his long ears pointed skyward.
"Quick!" exclaimed Jack excitedly. "They see us! One--two--three! Fire!"
The six shotguns spoke almost as one piece, and as the reports echoed
across the clearing and through the woods, several of the rabbits were
seen to leap into the air and then fall back lifeless. Several others
were seriously wounded, and these were speedily put out of their misery
by a second shot from Gif and Spouter.
"Hurrah! Seven rabbits!" exclaimed Fred, running forward. "That's what I
call a pretty good start."
"Come on, let us go after the others! Leave these where they are," cried
Jack, and plunged into the wood where he had seen several of the rabbits
seeking refuge. He managed to bring down one of them, and Randy brought
down another. The others got away.
"Nine rabbits is by no means a bad haul," was Gif's comment, after the
boys had brought the dead game together.
"Enough for a splendid potpie, and then some," came from Spouter.
"Do you suppose we can get any more?" exclaimed Andy. He was quite
certain he had brought down one of the bunnies.
"We can try, Andy," answered Gif. "It isn't late yet, and the snow isn't
so deep but what it might be deeper."
Having divided the rabbits between them, so that each lad might carry
some of the game, they moved forward, across the little clearing, and
then through the woods for the best part of a quarter of a mile. During
that time they saw several squirrels, but were unable to get a shot at
the frisky animals.
"A squirrel is as quick as they make 'em," declared Gif. "You've got to
act like lightning to catch 'em."
By this time it was snowing so heavily that all concluded it would be a
wise move to return to Cedar Lodge. The wind was rising, shaking the
tops of the trees violently and causing a strange moaning sound through
the thickets which was anything but pleasant.
"I'd hate to be caught out here all alone and in the darkness," remarked
Randy to Fred, as they trudged along.
"Would give a fellow the creeps, wouldn't it?" was the reply.
As they continued on their way they kept their eyes wide open for the
possible appearance of more game. But no animals showed themselves, nor
did they see any birds circling through the snow, which seemed every
moment to be coming down thicker than ever.
"If this snow continues and the wind keeps on rising, we'll have a
regular blizzard before morning," announced Gif.
"Don't say a word about the wind," panted Andy, who had dropped a few
paces behind, "My nose and my ears are almost frozen."
"Well, thank goodness, Andy, we're not very far from the Lodge. You'll
soon be able to warm up."
They were still deep in the woods when from a distance they heard a
peculiar whistle twice repeated.
"That's Jed Wallop's whistle," announced Gif. "He must have just come
in."
He whistled in return, and presently they came out at a point where the
cedars fringed the clearing in the midst of which was located the
bungalow. They saw Jed Wallop standing outside the little stable and
waved their hands to him, and he waved in return.
"Thought you might have gone out huntin'," announced Wallop, when they
came up. "Had some luck, too, I see."
"Nine rabbits," said Fred, a bit proudly.
"Good enough! I guess that means some good, old-fashioned rabbit stew
to-night," and Jed Wallop grinned.
He had not seen Gif's note, and so the lads explained the situation, to
which the man listened with much concern.
"Well, by gum! what do you know about that?" he ejaculated. "I certain
did mix it when I give you them directions. I might o' told you about
turnin' to the left when it come to the road past this lodge. You see, I
got all twisted up in my mind as soon as I heard about my cousin, Tim
Doolittle, bein' hurt."
"That's just the way I figured it, Jed," answered Gif. "However, as we
got here at last it doesn't matter."
"Goin' to have a pretty good fall o' snow, boys;" and Jed Wallop looked
anxiously at the sky.
"Do you think we shall be snowed in?" questioned Randy.
"Might be--if the storm keeps up long enough. But you got plenty o'
provisions, ain't you?"
"Oh, we've got enough to last us for a week or ten days," answered Gif.
"Then I guess you'll be all right. But say! maybe you fellers would like
me to stay here with you?" continued Jed Wallop. "Not but wot you're big
enough to take care of yourselves."
"We'll get along all right, Jed. Don't worry," answered Gif.
"Then I'll be a-takin' the team and gettin' over to my own place,"
announced the man. "And I won't lose no time, nuther. I don't want to
git stuck on the road with Mary and John. They are a purty good team,
but they are apt to loose heart if the wind gits to blowin' too strong
agin 'em."
"How is your cousin getting along?" questioned Jack kindly.
"Oh, he's a-doin' tolerable. I took him over to our Uncle Joe's, you
know, and the women folks over there will give him the best o' care."
The boys assisted Jed Wallop to hook up the team to the boxsled, and in
a few minutes more the man was off with a crack of his whip, which sent
the team away at a fairly respectable pace.
"Now, have a good time!" he called back to the boys. "And don't shoot
all the game in the State."
"When will you be back?" sang out Spouter.
"In a few days. If you want me before that time give the signal;" for it
had been arranged that when the boys wanted Jed Wallop to come over from
where he lived they were to shoot a gun two times twice in succession.
"He won't have any sweet job of it getting to his place," announced
Fred.
"Fortunately, it isn't a great distance off," answered Gif. "If he had
several miles to go, I doubt if he would be able to make it."
Shutting up the stable and loading their arms with firewood from the
shed, the six cadets made their way into the Lodge. When they opened the
door the wind rushed in, causing the sparks and the ashes from the
smouldering fire to fly in all directions.
"Shut that door!" Gif cried quickly. "My, how that wind is rising!"
"Maybe it'll blow the bungalow over," remarked Randy.
"Oh, I don't believe it will get as bad as all that, Randy," said Jack.
"This looks as if it was a pretty substantial building."
"You're right," came from Gif. "Those logs are good and heavy, and they
were put together by some of the best workmen around here. This house
won't go down unless the woods go down with it. But I am mighty glad we
are under shelter where we can take it comfortable."
"Do you know what I think?" said Fred. "I think we ought to bring in
more of that firewood. There is no telling if we'll be able to get any
of it by morning if this snow keeps coming down."
"A good idea, Fred," said Jack. "Let us go out at once and pile all the
wood we can in the entryway beside the kitchen."
Leaving Gif to stir up the fire so that the Lodge might get warm once
more, the others hurried out to the woodshed. They made four trips from
that place to the entryway beside the kitchen, each time bringing in all
the logs they could carry.
"There! that wood ought to last us for two or three days," declared
Jack, when the task was done.
"Now I know what I'm going to do," said Fred, as they re-entered the
main building.
"What's that?" queried Spouter.
"I'm going to get at those dishes."
"So are we!" declared Andy and Randy in a breath.
Water was heated, and it did not take long to dispose of the dirty
dishes. While the three boys were doing this, the others cleaned up the
living room of the bungalow, and also straightened out their beds. From
time to time all gazed out of the small-paned windows, to see that the
snow was coming down as thickly as ever.
"We're in for it, and no mistake," said Gif finally. "I don't think
we'll be able to do much hunting for a day or two."
"Well, that will give us a good chance to rest," declared Jack. "I don't
know but what I would just as lief take a nap after lunch. That tramp in
the wind after the rabbits made me sleepy."
All were rather tired, and as a consequence the lunch was an informal
affair, the boys warming up and opening a large can of pork and beans
and making themselves a large pot of steaming chocolate.
"We'll have dinner to-night," said Gif, and to this the others agreed.
Then they cleared the dishes away and took it easy, some resting in
front of the fire and others on the beds in the rooms.
"If it gets much colder we'll have to pull some of those beds out into
the living room and close the doors to the bedrooms," announced Gif. "I
remember we did that one time when I was up here."
By five o'clock the boys felt rested, and then began preparations for a
regular dinner. Several of the rabbits were cleaned and cooked, and they
also boiled some potatoes and onions. Then Gif and Jack prepared a pan
of biscuits and a pot of tea.
"Some day I'm going to take a few hours off and make some pies and
cakes," announced Randy. He had always had a great liking for desserts.
"Yes, and don't forget we're going to make some candy, too," added his
twin.
In the evening the boys read some magazines they had brought along, and
Jack and Spouter played checkers. Before retiring, they looked out of
the windows, to find that it was snowing and blowing just as furiously
as ever.
"It's going to be a wild night, believe me," announced Spouter. "I don't
believe there will be many people traveling around in this vicinity."
They retired as they had done the night before, and soon, despite the
whistling of the wind, all of the lads were sound asleep.
Suddenly Jack awakened with a start. How long he had been asleep he did
not know. He sat up quickly, for he realized that some sound from
without had awakened him.
"Help! Help!" came from outside the bungalow. "Help! Let us in! We're
freezing to death!"
CHAPTER XVI
UNDESIRABLE VISITORS
"Wake up, Fred! There is somebody at the door trying to get in!" called
out Jack, as the cry from outside was repeated.
"What's that? What's the matter?" came sleepily from the other Rover
boy.
From outside came a feeble kicking and pounding on the main door to the
Lodge. Two boys were calling piteously for assistance.
"Get up, everybody!" sang out Jack, as he jumped up and stuck his feet
into a pair of slippers which were handy.
His call and the noise from outside aroused Gif and Spouter, as well as
Fred, and soon the four cadets were hurrying into the living room. They
wore nothing but their pajamas, and slippers, but now each slipped
hastily into his overcoat.
"Who is it?" demanded Gif, for he had no desire to have the Lodge
overrun by a crowd of noisy and possibly half-drunken lumberjacks.
"It's us--Bill Glutts and Gabe Werner," was the faint reply. "Please
leave us in before we are frozen to death."
"Werner and Glutts!" ejaculated Fred. And now the continued noise
brought Andy and Randy on the scene.
"What can they be doing out here this time of night?" demanded Fred.
"Say, let us in, won't you?" came pleadingly in Gabe Werner's voice.
"You don't want to let us freeze to death, do you?"
"What brought you here this time of night?" demanded Jack.
"We're on our way to Tony Duval's place," answered Gabe Werner. "But the
storm is so fierce we couldn't get any further. Our horse is completely
winded."
"You are sure you are alone?" demanded Gif.
"Yes, yes! Please let us in. My nose and ears are frozen."
"And I don't know whether I've got any feet left or not," broke in Bill
Glutts piteously.
The main door to the bungalow had not only been locked, but also barred.
Now the door was unfastened, and Gif, with the others beside him,
allowed the portal to swing open a few inches.
A terrible scene met their eyes. The snow was piled up against the door
to the depth of two feet or more, and the wind was swirling the white
particles in all directions, so that the snow came into the living room
in a perfect cloud. In this mass of white stood Bill Glutts and Gabe
Werner, their heavy clothing covered with a ghost-like mantle. Behind
them was a one-seated sleigh drawn by a horse that looked ready to drop
from exhaustion.
"Come in," said Gif briefly.
No such invitation was needed, for as soon as the door was opened wide
enough Bill Glutts staggered into the living room, followed by his
crony. A swirl of snow followed them, and continued until Gif and Jack
managed to close the door once more.
"Gee! I'm all in," gasped Glutts, as he sank down on a chair close to
the smouldering fire.
"I thought we'd drop before we got you fellows up," added Werner. "You
sure are some sleepers," he grumbled, as he too sank down on a seat.
Ordinarily the Rovers and their chums would have treated these two
bullies with scant courtesy. But now Glutts and Werner appeared to be
suffering so much from the cold that they had not the heart to find
fault with their enemies.
"I'll stir up that fire a little," said Gif, and did so while Andy and
Randy went out into the entryway, to bring in some additional sticks of
wood.
"We can't leave that horse out there," remarked Jack. "He'll be frozen
to death."
"Well, I'm not going out to take care of him," declared Gabe Werner
quickly. "I wouldn't go out in that storm again for a thousand dollars."
"Neither would I," growled Glutts. "The nag can look after himself."
"That's a shameful way to treat any animal, Glutts," declared Gif. "But
as you fellows seem to be so exhausted, we'll look after him," he
continued.
"If you go out, Gif, I'll go with you," said Jack quickly. "But we had
better slip some of our clothing right over our pajamas. I'll bet it's
as cold as Greenland's icy mountains around that stable."
While the newcomers continued to make themselves comfortable before the
fire, and Spouter and Fred prepared a pot of hot tea for them to drink,
Gif and Jack hurried into their clothing and then went outside.
The blast that struck them as they hurried toward the exhausted horse
was terrific, and for the moment they thought they would have to turn
back and abandon the animal. But then they took another grip on
themselves, and finally managed to turn the horse in the direction of
the stable.
They saw that the sleigh was filled with provisions and other things,
and so managed to haul it under the shed where it would be partly
protected. Then they placed the horse in the stable, gave him a drink,
and likewise left some hay for him to chew on.
"We may not be able to get here in the morning," said Gif; "so we'll
leave him some supper and some breakfast at the same time."
"I don't much like the idea of Glutts and Werner loading down on us in
this fashion," remarked Jack, as the pair prepared to go back to the
Lodge.
"Like it!" exclaimed his chum. "I should say not! But what are we going
to do about it, Jack?"
"Oh, we'll have to make the best of it."
"If this storm keeps up we may have those fellows on our hands for some
days."
"Well, if they stay here that long they can pay their own way," declared
Jack. "They have some provisions in that sleigh, and there is no reason
why we should feed them for nothing. If we divide up our stuff they can
divide up theirs."
"It wouldn't be any more than fair."
"Where is this Tony Duval's place they mentioned?" continued the oldest
Rover boy.
"It's about two miles from here, off to the eastward--in fact, the road
on which this Lodge is located ends at Duval's place. He is a
French-Canadian, and he hasn't a very good reputation in these parts.
Some of the old hunters used to think Tony was a good deal of a
thief--that he would go around in the night or early morning and empty
their traps. He came from down east."
"What do you suppose Werner and Glutts are going to do there?"
"Of late years Duval has made a specialty of hiring out his place to
hunters. There are two or three shacks on his land, and he lets the
various crowds have those buildings, and then, if the hunters want it,
he cooks for them, for he is said to be quite a handy man with a
coffeepot and a frying pan. More than likely, from what you heard at the
moving picture theater, Gabe Werner has a chance to use one of those
shacks and has got Glutts to go with him."
"I wonder why Codfish isn't with them--he was at that restaurant in
Timminsport."
"I'm sure I don't know, except that Codfish may have got cold feet when
it came to traveling up this way in such a snowstorm. You know there is
nothing brave about that little sneak." And in this surmise Gif was
correct. Stowell had found a boarding place in the town and had said he
would remain there until the storm cleared away and the others returned
to get him.
In the meantime Glutts and Werner were seated at the living-room table
drinking the hot tea which had been prepared and eating some doughnuts
which Fred and Andy had offered. The bullies had become thawed out, and
their usual aggressiveness was beginning to assert itself.
"Of course we could have kept on until we got up to Tony's place; but
what was the use on such a wild night as this when we knew this place
was handy?" remarked Werner.
"I'm afraid you're going to be snowed in with us," said Spouter.
"Huh! I don't know as that will be very pleasant," grumbled Glutts.
"Have you fellows got enough for all hands to eat?" he demanded eagerly.
"We've got some provisions," answered Fred cautiously. "We shot nine
rabbits to-day," he added proudly.
"Nine rabbits!" exclaimed Werner. "How did you do it?"
"They must have driven the poor rabbits together in a bunch and then
slaughtered them," was Glutts' comment.
"We did not!" cried Fred.
"I'm sure we'll get all the rabbits we want when we reach Tony Duval's
place," continued Werner boastfully. "I believe hunting up there is much
better than it is around here."
"And they tell me Tony is one of the best guides in these parts," added
Glutts. "We expect to get a deer or two and a whole lot of other game."
"Say, have you fellows got a place where we can sleep?" questioned the
other bully, looking around the living room.
"There is a bedroom here that is not being used," answered Spouter. "But
you'll have to ask Gif about that. This bungalow, you know, belongs to
Mr. Garrison and his brother."
When Gif and Jack returned the situation was explained to them, and Gif
said that for the balance of the night the two newcomers could occupy
the bedroom which was not in use.
"And then we'll see what can be done to-morrow morning," he added.
"Of course we'll pay for our accommodations," said Werner, in his most
lordly manner.
"We don't want any pay, Werner," declared Gif. "But if you have to stay
here very long you'll have to divide your stores with us. It is quite a
task to get new stuff all the way from Timminsport; so if you've got
anything in the sleigh outside it won't be any more than fair for you to
divide with us."
"What did you do with the sleigh and the stuff?"
"We placed it under the shed next to the stable and covered your stuff
with a horse blanket. The snow is sifting in there some, but I don't
think anything will get hurt; unless, of course, you've got some stuff
that might freeze."
"Let it freeze," grumbled Glutts. "I'm not going out again, now I'm
comfortable here."
As there was no love lost between the newcomers and our friends, the
conversation languished after this. Gif showed Glutts and Werner where
they might sleep in the bedroom which had not been occupied, and gave
them the necessary bedding and some extra blankets. Then the pair shoved
off without even saying good-night and closed the door behind them.
"Real loving and thankful--I don't think," whispered Randy.
"I don't see why those fellows were wished on us," growled his twin.
"I'd just as lief have a skunk in the place as to have either of that
pair."
"Well, we couldn't leave them out in the storm to perish," answered
Jack, in a low tone; "so we'll have to make the best of it."
"Just the same," whispered Fred, "I'm going to keep my eyes and ears
wide open while they are here."
CHAPTER XVII
NEW YEAR'S DAY IN CAMP
When Randy and Andy retired it was a long while before the merry twins
could get to sleep again.
"We ought to play some good joke on them," was the way Andy expressed
it. "Something they would remember."
"I'd do it in a minute, Andy, if it wasn't that they are so worn out,"
responded his twin. "But I don't think Jack and Fred would like it at
all if we disturbed 'em. And, besides, you must remember that while we
are here we're Gif's guests."
Gif and Jack were the first to get up in the morning, and they had the
fire revived and breakfast underway before any of the others showed
themselves.
"Where are Glutts and Werner?" questioned Spouter, when he appeared.
"They haven't showed themselves yet, Spouter," answered Jack. "Might as
well let them sleep as long as they want to. They can't leave here in
such a storm as this."
The snow was still coming down and the wind was blowing almost as
fiercely as it had during the early part of the night. Gazing through
the windows, the cadets saw that all of the cedars were bent down with
the weight of the fine white crystals. The snow had swept up along one
side of the little barn until there was an unbroken line reaching up to
the very top.
"Well, I never!" ejaculated Jack, turning around suddenly to his chums.
"Happy New Year, everybody!"
"Happy New Year!" came from the others, including Fred and the twins,
who had just got up.
"Gosh! I forgot all about it's being New Year's," exclaimed Fred.
"This looks like a real New Year's Day, and no mistake," remarked Randy.
"Look outside! Isn't it just like a picture on a New Year's card?"
"It is assuredly a spectacle to fill one with awe and reverence," came
from Spouter. "Just gaze upon that magnificent stretch of snowy mantle
and those tall cedars bending low before the wintry blasts! Can you
imagine what this must be in the solemn depth of the mighty forest,
where not a footfall is heard nor a--"
"Jack rabbit can get as much as a turnip to eat?" finished Randy gayly.
"Spouter, if you are going to orate, why don't you stand on the table
when you turn on the spigot?"
"Let us have a regular New Year's dinner!" cried Gif, "and then Spouter
can do the speech-making--"
"While we do the eating," finished Randy. "Say, Spout, how about it?"
"Nothing doing," was the prompt reply. "I want my share of the eats
every time."
"We'll make a regular rabbit potpie to take the place of turkey,"
announced Gif.
"And for dessert, how about that canned plum pudding we brought along?"
queried Fred.
"Great thought, Fred!" answered Randy. "And we can have some of those
nuts, too. And to-night we'll try our hand at some candy making."
"One thing you fellows are forgetting," remarked Gif. "And that is that
we have Werner and Glutts with us. They'll certainly want their share of
the good things."
"What! Plum pudding and all?" questioned Fred, with a gloomy look
settling over his face.
"We can't deny them anything that we have ourselves, Fred," replied
Jack.
"I don't think Glutts or Werner deserve it!" exclaimed Randy. "I think
as soon as this storm clears away they ought to be sent about their
business. It isn't so very far to that Tony Duval's place, and with
their horse and sleigh they ought to be able to make it somehow."
Randy had scarcely finished speaking when the door to the bedroom the
two bullies occupied was flung open and Werner strode into the living
room.
"Fine way you have of talking about us, Rover!" he said, with a sour
look on his face. "We didn't come here because we wanted to. We came
because it was necessary."
"And we said we would pay for whatever we had to eat or drink," added
Glutts, who had followed his crony.
"I told you before that you wouldn't have to pay a cent," broke in Gif.
"Just the same, Glutts, we might as well come to an understanding. You
know as well as I do that there is no love lost between you fellows and
our crowd. You are welcome to stay here and have your dinner, and if you
think you can't get out to-day you can stay here for supper and sleep
here again to-night. By that time I think the storm will have cleared
away, and you will be able to get over to Tony's place without trouble."
"You can take it from me, we won't stay here an hour longer than we have
to," declared Werner. And then he turned back into the bedroom to finish
his dressing, closing the door behind him.
The presence of the two bullies put a good deal of a damper on our
friends, and as a consequence the breakfast was rather a silent one.
Then Gif suggested that Glutts and Werner go out and look after their
horse, and this they agreed to do.
"If you won't take any pay we'll stand for our share of the grub,"
announced Werner just before he went out. "We've got some goods in the
sleigh, as you know. What shall I bring in?"
"Bring in whatever you think is fair," said Gif, after a few whispered
words to Jack and Spouter.
The two bullies were gone the best part of an hour, and during that time
the Rovers and their chums cleaned several of the rabbits and also got
ready some potatoes and turnips for dinner.
"That will give us quite a meal, along with the dried lima beans that I
put to soak last night," said Gif. "Of course, we'll have the plum
pudding, well steamed, as Fred suggested."
"And we'll make a pan of biscuits, too," added Spouter. "Gee! by the
time we get through up here, fellows, we'll be able to get jobs as chefs
in some of the first-class New York hotels."
When Glutts and Werner returned they carried two packages which they
threw on the living-room table.
"There are some dried apricots and a package of rice," said Werner.
"They ought to help out for a New Year's dinner."
"Very well, we'll cook what we need for the meal, Werner," said Gif
briefly, "and the rest you can take with you."
Gif and Spouter made a small rice pudding, and also stewed some of the
apricots. All told, the New Year's dinner proved to be quite a bountiful
affair, and after all of the lads had eaten their fill, it must be
confessed that everybody felt in better humor. The plum pudding
especially came in for a large share of their attention, as well as did
the nuts and the small amount of raisins which followed.
"I think we'll go and take a nap," announced Werner presently. "I didn't
get very much sleep last night."
"And I'll do the same," added Glutts.
"What about washing those dishes?" remarked Fred, with a significant
look at the two bullies.
"That's right, Glutts and Werner!" cried Jack. "You ought to be willing
to do your share of the dish-washing."
"Me wash dishes!" roared Bill Glutts. "I never did anything like that in
my life!"
"You washed your own dishes at the encampment," answered Spouter
sharply.
"Oh, well, that was different."
"Oh, don't gas," grumbled Werner. "We'll wash our own dishes, anyway,"
and he went to work without another word, although with very bad grace,
and presently Glutts followed him.
Gif and the other boys also took hold, so the dish-washing and the pot
cleaning did not take very long.
The majority of the boys felt sleepy, so the rest of the day was spent
in taking it easy or in reading. Then, toward night, they had a light
supper, and Fred and the twins started to make some home-made candy.
By this time the storm had cleared away; no more snow was coming down
and the wind had also ceased. Overhead the stars glittered like so many
diamonds.
"It will be a great day to-morrow," announced Gif.
"Perhaps we can get out and get on the track of a deer!" cried Fred.
"Say, Fred, you must think the deer in this vicinity are standing around
just waiting to be shot," came from Jack, with a smile.
"I don't care, Jack. I'm going to get a crack at something worth while
before I go home," announced the youngest Rover.
Declining to partake of the taffy and the nut candy the twins and Fred
had made, Glutts and Werner retired early.
"We'll be going in the morning if the storm will permit it," said Werner
to Gif. And then he added curtly: "Much obliged for taking us in."
"Don't mention it, Werner," answered Gif, just as briefly.
"Remember, we'll pay you if you'll tell us how much it is," added
Glutts.
"You can't pay me anything, Glutts."
"Just as you say."
Then the door to the bedroom was closed as before, and Gif and his chums
were left to themselves.
"Some New Year's Day, believe me," was Fred's whispered comment. "The
presence of those fellows is about as cheering as a funeral."
Randy and Andy had their heads close together and were whispering.
Presently Randy got up and stretched himself.
"Now that it has stopped snowing I am going to go out and get a little
fresh air in my lungs," he remarked.
"And I'm going along," responded his twin quickly.
"So am I," broke in Fred.
"And that means we can wash the dishes," said Jack. "All right, there
are only a handful anyway. Go ahead, only don't walk too far and get
lost."
The three lads were soon outside, ploughing around through the deep
snow. Then Randy caught Fred by the arm.
"Come on down to the stable," he said. "Andy and I have a little
something up our sleeves."
"Just what I thought," chuckled Fred, "I bet you're planning to play
some trick on Glutts and Werner."
"Can you blame us?" demanded Andy.
"Certainly not. I'm with you. What do you propose to do?"
"We want to find out first what those fellows are carrying in the way of
provisions. Quite something, I imagine."
Reaching the stable, the three Rovers passed around one corner to where
was located the shed. Here they found the sleigh and its contents just
as it had been left by Glutts and Werner when they had procured the rice
and the apricots. Randy carried a flashlight, and this was turned on so
they might see what was stored there.
"A pretty complete lot of stuff," was Randy's comment, after they had
looked over the various bundles and packages, each one of which was
marked.
"Here is a bag of sugar and another bag of salt," announced Andy. "I
think the flavor of each will be vastly improved by mixing them up a
bit," and he grinned.
"And here's a bottle of vinegar and two bottles of catsup and maple
syrup," came from Randy. "I think a little mixing up here will help
matters also."
"Say, don't go too far!" cried Fred in alarm.
"Too far!" exclaimed Randy. "You couldn't go too far with Gabe Werner
and Bill Glutts! Just remember what they did to us at Colby Hall and at
the encampment. Both of those fellows are nothing but rascals. They
didn't deserve to be taken in."
After that Fred joined the twins in "doctoring up the provisions," as
Andy expressed it. The three had quite some fun doing this, and all
returned to the bungalow grinning broadly.
"There will be something doing when they start to use those stores,"
chuckled Andy. "My, won't Glutts and Werner be mad!"
"They won't know we did it," returned his twin.
"They won't know it," answered Fred, "but they'll take it for granted,
nevertheless. I'll tell you, fellows, I don't know about this," he added
dubiously.
"Oh, don't worry," answered Andy gayly. "Gabe Werner and Bill Glutts
deserve all that they are getting, and more too."
CHAPTER XVIII
FISHING THROUGH THE ICE
With nothing of importance to do and nobody to awaken them, the Rover
boys and their chums slept late the next morning. Gif was the first to
get up, and, seeing that the others were still asleep, he made as little
noise as possible when he went out into the living-room to stir up the
smouldering fire and place upon it a couple of extra logs.
"Hello, Gif! Up already?" came from Spouter, when the other cadet came
back to finish his dressing. "What sort of a day is it?"
"Clear as crystal, Spouter. It couldn't be better."
"Then perhaps we'll get a chance to go out hunting."
"Perhaps." Gif looked doubtful for a moment. "I don't know that I care
to leave this place until Glutts and Werner have gone."
"I don't blame you, Gif. It would be just like those mean chaps to try
to do some damage before they left. They are not the kind to appreciate
in the least what we have done for them."
"Hardly--after the way they kicked up about washing a few dishes. It
made me sick."
Gif and Spouter began preparations for breakfast, and while they were at
this the four Rovers appeared, one after another. The door to the room
turned over to Glutts and Werner remained closed.
"Those fellows are certainly putting in some sleep," was Jack's comment.
"Shall I wake 'em up?" questioned Fred quickly.
"No. Let them take their own time," answered Gif. "With such fine
weather they ought to have no trouble in getting away, and there is no
use of another row before they start."
The lads prepared a generous breakfast of pancakes and some sausage meat
that had been brought along from Timminsport, washed down with a copious
supply of hot coffee. As they ate they cast sundry glances at the closed
bedroom door, but saw no sign of Glutts or Werner.
"Gee! they must be sleeping like rocks," was Andy's comment.
"You'd think the smell of the pancakes and sausage would wake 'em up on
such a cold morning as this," added his twin. "My! but it's good!"
"Perhaps they thought they wouldn't bother us about breakfast and take
it out in sleep instead," suggested Fred.
"Say, did any of you fellows get up during the night to get something to
eat--crackers or cheese, or anything like that?" questioned Gif quickly.
All of the others shook their heads.
"What makes you ask that question, Gif?" remarked Jack.
"Why, I saw a lot of crumbs scattered over the kitchen table and on the
floor."
"Maybe Glutts and Werner got up to get something--" began Fred, and then
a sudden idea came into his mind and he gave a start. "Gee! what would
you say if they were gone?"
"Gone!" echoed the others.
"Maybe they're not in that room at all!" added Jack.
"I'll soon find out!" answered Gif, and, leaving the breakfast table, he
went over and tried the bedroom door. It was unlocked, and he opened it
and went inside.
"They're gone, all right enough," he called out, and immediately the
others followed him into the room. Here they found the beds mussed up
and empty. All of the things belonging to Glutts and Werner were gone
and the single window of the room was wide open.
"That's a fine way to leave, I must say," grumbled Gif.
"Yes, and to leave this window wide open so the room can get as cold as
a barn!" added Spouter, as he pulled down the sash. "Some mean fellows,
believe me!"
"Let's see if the horse and sleigh are gone too!" cried Randy.
In a few minutes he and Fred were ready to go out, and they lost no time
in hurrying down to the barn and the shed. Sure enough, the horse and
sleigh were gone, and the barn door had been left wide open.
"I wonder when they went," remarked Fred.
"Most likely as soon as it was daylight. They probably had this all
fixed last night. That's why they went to bed early."
"Well, it doesn't hurt my feelings to have them missing."
"I'd like to know if they took any of our things with them."
The two Rovers returned to the Lodge, and there told of what they had
discovered. A search around the Lodge was immediately instituted, the
boys looking over their clothing and firearms and then their stores and
the regular belongings of the bungalow.
"As far as I can make out, there is only one flannel blanket from the
bed missing," said Gif. "I suppose they took that along to keep warm on
the ride. They didn't have but one small robe in the sleigh."
"I don't know about these stores," announced Spouter, who had been going
over them carefully. "It seems to me we had more canned stuff than
this--some green corn and asparagus, and also some canned salmon and
sardines."
"I wouldn't put it past 'em to take anything they thought they needed,"
declared Fred. "They are just that sort, and everybody here knows it."
"All I can say is, 'Good riddance to bad rubbish,'" said Randy.
"And may we fail to see 'em again while we're in this vicinity," added
his twin.
"My! but it's a real relief to have them gone," announced Jack. "Now we
can do as we please and have the best times ever," and his face showed
his pleasure.
Everybody felt glad to think the two bullies were gone, and soon they
were chatting gayly. Then, after the breakfast dishes had been put away,
all went outside and there indulged in a snowball fight which lasted the
best part of the morning.
After such a glorious time in the open, all the cadets ought to have
felt in the best of spirits, but it was observed by Jack at dinner time
that Fred and the twins looked rather preoccupied. They were whispering
together, and presently Randy spoke.
"I and Andy and Fred have been thinking that perhaps it would be best
for us to let you other fellows know how matters stand," said he. "Maybe
you won't approve of what we did. Just the same, we think Glutts and
Werner deserve it." And thereupon he and the others related what had
been done the evening before down at the shed. All of the others had to
grin at the recital, yet Jack and Gif shook their heads.
"I don't blame you," said the oldest Rover boy. "Just the same, it may
lead to more trouble."
"If they find out that you did it, they'll probably come here and try to
pay us back," was Gif's comment.
"Let them come," announced Spouter. "I guess we can hold our own against
them. I am glad we did something for them to remember us by, especially
if they walked off with some of our stuff."
That afternoon the boys went hunting again, but on account of the heavy
fall of snow did not go any great distance. They managed, however, to
get two more rabbits, and also two squirrels, and two quail.
"Well, that's something, anyhow," declared Fred, who had laid one of the
squirrels low. "A bird and squirrel potpie won't go bad for a change."
"Right-o!" cried Andy.
"Say, Gif, what's the matter with trying our hand at fishing through the
ice?" questioned Jack. "The deep snow ought not to interfe
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