The Rover Boys at Colby Hall Part 23

"I'd like first rate to take a look around the town, too," said Randy.

"It looked like a pretty good sort of place."

"Maybe we can go to the moving picture show there," put in his brother.

"We'll have time enough."

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

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

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

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

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

"I think I know," answered Jack. "Spouter was telling me there is a girls' school on the other side of this town, called Clearwater Hall.

It's about as large as Colby Hall. More than likely those girls come from that school."

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

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

CHAPTER XVI

AT THE MOVING PICTURE THEATER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The four Rovers were soon absorbed in the stirring drama of the Alaskan gold fields, and for the time being almost forgot their surroundings.

In the midst of the last reel, however, Jack felt the girl beside him stirring.

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

"I'll get it," he returned promptly, and started to hunt in the dark.

He had to get up and push up his seat before the hatpin was recovered.

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

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

The photo-drama was presently finished and was followed by a mirth-provoking comedy at which the entire audience laughed heartily.

Then came a reel of current events from various portions of the globe.

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

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

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

"What's that?"

"Some explosion!"

"The theater's on fire!"

"Let's get out of this!"

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

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

"Where's my hat?"

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

"See the smoke pouring in!"

"Open the side door, somebody!"

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

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

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

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

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