The Rover Boys in Camp Part 14

"Don't you want to be sociable?" demanded the tall boy.

"It isn't that, Flapp. I--I guess I've had enough already."

"Oh, don't be a sissy, Davis. Here, I'll drink with you, and then I'll smoke a cigar with Moss. If you are going to be men you want to start right in. Eh, Rockley?"

"That's right, Lew," answered Rockley, as he lit a fresh cigar.

"What you need is another gla.s.s, Davis," came from Pender. "It will act as a bracer. Just try it and see."

"I--I don't want to get--get--" faltered Davis.

"Get what?"

"Intoxicated--really I don't--"

"Who said anything about that?" demanded Lew Flapp in apparent anger.

"Don't be a fool. One more gla.s.s won't hurt you. Here, take it," and he almost forced the liquor to Joe Davis's lips.

But before he could accomplish his wicked design d.i.c.k Rover leaped quickly into the apartment and hurled the gla.s.s from the big boy's hand.

"For shame, Flapp!" he cried. "For shame!"

"And that's what I say, too," came from Powell, who was close behind d.i.c.k.

Every cadet in the room was astonished, and all leaped to their feet.

"What's up?" cried Rockley.

"They have been spying on us!" came from Jackson.

"Talk about meanness! This is the limit!" added Pender.

"I want you to leave Joe Davis and Harry Moss alone," went on d.i.c.k, as calmly as he could. "It's an outrage to get them to drink and smoke against their will."

"Are you two alone?" asked Lew Flapp, glancing nervously over the newcomers' shoulders.

"We are."

"What right had you to come here?"

"Well, we took the right."

"Then you enjoy playing the spy?"

"No, Flapp," said d.i.c.k boldly, "but I do enjoy doing Davis and Moss a favor."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I am going to stand by them, so you shall not get them to drink any more or smoke."

"Humph! What right have you to interfere?"

"Maybe he's going to squeal to the captain," put in Jackson.

"If he does that I'll punch his head for him!" roared Lew Flapp, who had been drinking just enough to make him ugly and unreasonable.

"I did not come here to squeal on anybody," answered d.i.c.k.

"I know you did--and I'm going to pound you well for it!" howled Lew Flapp, and on the instant he leaped forward and aimed a savage blow with his fist at d.i.c.k's head.

CHAPTER XI

A QUARREL AND ITS RESULT

Had the blow landed as intended d.i.c.k Rover would have received a b.l.o.o.d.y nose and might perhaps have lost one or two teeth.

But d.i.c.k was on the alert and he dodged to one side, so the blow landed on Songbird Powell's shoulder.

"See here, what do you mean by that, Flapp?" demanded Powell, who was no weakling.

"I meant to hit Rover," was the answer.

"Hands off, Flapp!" cried d.i.c.k. "I didn't come here to fight, but I can defend myself."

"We'll see!" roared the unreasonable tall boy, and made another rush at d.i.c.k. But in a twinkling he found himself flat on the floor, where he had been thrown with a suddenness that took away his breath.

"Hi! that ain't fair," put in Rockley. "You let Lew alone."

"I will, when he leaves me alone," retorted d.i.c.k. He turned to Harry Moss and Joe Davis. "Do you want to stay here any longer?"

"No," answered both of the small cadets promptly.

"I didn't wish to come at all, but Ben Hurdy urged it," continued Harry Moss.

"And Pender said it would do no harm," added Joe Davis. "He said we were going to have nothing but sandwiches, root beer, and soda."

"Look here, Davis, you keep your mouth shut!" cried Pender. "You knew exactly what to expect. You know Mike Sherry don't run a temperance hotel," he continued, with a sneer.

At these words Joe Davis grew pale.

"Yes, I know it--now, and if I ever get out of it, I shan't come again."

"Oh, you're too good to live!" broke in Jackson. "You ought to be laid away in a gla.s.s case for safe keeping."

"Davis is all right, and he has more brains than you, Jackson," came from d.i.c.k. "If you want to make a fool of yourself by drinking and smoking, I shan't stop you. But you shan't drag Joe and Harry into it against their will."