The Rover Boys in Camp Part 27

"Where are you going to take me?" he asked anxiously.

There was no reply, but in a twinkling his hands were caught and bound tightly behind him, and a bag was thrust over his head and fastened around his throat. The bag was so thick that he could not see a thing before him.

"Let him take the cold water cure," said a voice, and he was forced to move forward.

"It's rather deep there," whispered a voice, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Not over his waist," whispered another voice.

"What! It's twice over his head," was the answer. "I tested the water this afternoon."

"Never mind, he's got to take the test anyway."

Now Tubbs was by no means a good swimmer, and the idea of being thrown into the water with his hands tied behind him and his head in a sack was frightful in the extreme.

"Le--let me go!" he whined. "Let me go, I say!"

"Forward with him!" was the heartless reply, and he was pushed on until he suddenly found himself in water up to his ankles.

"Stop! stop!" he cried, in a m.u.f.fled voice. "Stop! I don't want to drown!"

"Will you obey your superiors?"

"Yes, yes--anything!"

"Will you join the Order of Black Skulls?"

"Anything, I told you, only don't let me drown!" cried the frightened William Philander.

"And will you promise to keep mum about what has happened here to-night?"

"Yes, yes!"

"Very well, you shall not be allowed to drown. But you must take the plunge."

"Oh, dear me! I can't--"

"Forward, and be lively about it. We will fish you out with a crab net."

"But I--I can't swim with my hands tied behind me!" chattered poor Tubbs.

"Yes, you can. Forward now! Ha, fellows, he will not go. Jab him with the pitchfork!"

At this a student stepped behind Tubbs and p.r.i.c.ked his back with a pin.

The fashionable youth let out a yell of terror, and then, certain that he was about to take an awful plunge into some deep part of the lake, made a desperate leap forward.

A wild shriek of laughter rang out as Tubbs made the leap. He had jumped across a narrow brook not six inches deep and landed sprawling on the gra.s.s beyond.

"You are now initiated," said one of the masked cadets, when the laughter had somewhat died away. And at once Tubbs' hands were untied and the bag was taken from his head.

"Well, I never!" he murmured, as he gazed in amazement at the brook.

"Thought it was the lake front sure!"

"As you are now one of us, Tubbs, you must wear these," said a cadet, and furnished the fashionable youth with a mask, cap, and pair of horns.

"We have now disposed of number two," said another cadet. "What of number three?"

"Number three must--"

At that moment a gun-shot rang out on the still night air.

"Hullo, something is wrong!" cried one of the hazers, in quick alarm.

"There goes the drum, fellows!" came in the unmistakable voice of Sam Rover. "We've got to hustle back to camp or we'll be exposed!"

"Right you are," came from Songbird Powell. "Come, fellows, and mind you don't let anybody see the masks and other things."

And away they scooted, under the trees and then along a row of bushes running fairly close to the first line of tents. In the meantime the drum continued to roll and the whole camp was astir. Captain Putnam himself was out and was soon followed by Major Larry and Captain Fred Garrison. d.i.c.k Rover knew what was up and took his time about showing himself, since he did not wish any of the hazers to be captured.

"Call the roll!" said Major Larry, after making a round of the company streets. But he himself was in no particular hurry.

Almost out of breath with running, the hazers came into camp, accompanied by Hans and Tubbs. Masks, caps, and horns were pushed out of sight under cots, and then all sallied forth to join their various commands. Calling the roll was already in progress.

"All present or accounted for," came the declaration, five minutes later.

"All present, eh?" mused Captain Putnam. "That's queer. Who fired that gun?"

"Private Jackson."

"I will interview Jackson," said the master of the school, and he ordered Jackson to his private tent.

"What made you raise the alarm, Jackson?" he questioned sharply.

"I thought some of the cadets were out of camp, sir," was the answer.

"Did you see them go?"

"Not exactly, sir, but I thought I saw three or four of them sneaking along near the woods."

"Humph! You should be sure of what you are doing, Jackson. It is not commendable to arouse the whole camp at midnight for nothing."

"Well, I thought I was sure," insisted the crestfallen cadet. He knew for a certainty that some of the cadets had been out but saw no way to prove it.

"In the future be more careful while on guard duty," said Captain Putnam coldly; and there the subject was dropped.

"Who fired that shot?" asked Sam, on the morning following the hazing.

"Jackson," replied a cadet named Gilson, who had been one of the hazers.