The Rover Boys in Camp Part 9

"Or mumps? Tell me, now, she really hasn't got the mumps, has she?"

"See here, Master Tom, didn't I jest tell you--"

"No, you didn't tell me, and that's why I'm so anxious to know. If she's got the mumps, and the chilblains, and the ingrowing warts--"

"Oh, crickey! I knew it!" groaned Peleg Snuggers. "I says to myself as I was a-drivin' over, 'if thet Tom Rover comes back, I might as well throw up my job, for he won't give n.o.body a rest!' If you would only--"

"All right, Peleg, I see you are really and truly bound to go back on me. You hate me!" Tom drew his handkerchief from his pocket. "It is awful, after all I have tried to do for you in the past. I've got to-- to--cry! Boo--hoo!" And the boy began to wipe his eyes.

"Look a-here, Master Tom, it ain't nothin' to cry about," said Peleg half suspiciously. "I only give you warnin'--"

"You are so--so hard-hearted, Peleg. Boohoo! I want to go back home!"

And Tom began to sob.

This was too much for the driver, and his face fell.

"Don't you mind me, Master Tom," he said softly. "I didn't mean nothin', indeed, I didn't. You're all right. I like you better'n any of 'em."

"Oh, dear!" burst out Larry Colby. "Just to hear that!"

"Peleg, have you gone back on us?" demanded George Granbury.

"He ought to have a ducking for that," put in another.

"Let's dump him into the lake!"

"Come on, a cold bath will do him good!"

"No! no! Oh, crickey!" groaned the driver of the carryall. "This is a mess! I--I didn't mean nuthin', gents, indeed, I didn't--"

"He's mean enough for anything, that's what he means," came from a voice in the rear. "Pile in, before he runs away, and leaves us to walk to the Hall!" And into the carryall the boys tumbled, one over another.

d.i.c.k got a seat beside the driver, and away they went at a spanking gait, through Cedarville, and then along the winding road leading to the academy. Two or three of the cadets had brought tin horns with them, and they made the welkin ring as the turnout dashed on its way.

"A ginger-snap prize to the first fellow who spots the academy," cried Sam, as they made the last turn in the highway.

"I see the Hall!" shouted half a dozen voices in chorus. And in a few seconds they came out into full view of the broad brick and stone building, with its well-kept parade ground, and its trees and shrubbery. The parade ground came down to the edge of the wagon road, and off to the other side the land sloped gradually down to the lake, glistening like a sheet of gold in the rays of the setting sun.

The boys set up a loud shout and a wild blowing of horns, and in a moment a score of cadets came running forward to greet them, followed by Captain Victor Putnam, the master of the academy, and George Strong, his head a.s.sistant.

"I am glad to see you, young gentlemen," said Captain Putnam, as he shook one and another by the hand. "You look as if your vacation had done you good."

"It's done me a pile of good," said Sam. "But I don't know as I want another like it."

"You Rover boys have certainly had some remarkable experiences,"

continued the captain. "I congratulate you on escaping so many grave perils. Sometime you must give me all the particulars. But now it is time to prepare for supper. I dare say the trip on the lake has made you hungry."

"Dot is so," came from Hans Mueller. "I vos so hungry like four lions alretty."

"I have made some slight changes in your sleeping accommodations," went on Captain Putnam. "Mr. Strong will show you to your rooms." Then the boys marched into the academy, led by the head a.s.sistant.

The majority of the cadets had their dormitories on the second floor of the building. Each room held from four to eight students, and was both bright and clean. The rules of Putnam Hall were similar to those in force at West Point, and every pupil was expected to keep his clothing, his books, and his other possessions in perfect order. Each had a cot, a chair, and a clothes closet to himself, extra closets having been introduced in the rooms for that purpose, and each was allowed the use of his trunk in addition. Each cadet had to take his turn at keeping the room in order, although the dormitories were given a regular sweeping and cleaning once a week by the servants.

As before, the Rover boys were placed in one room, and into this came also Larry Colby, Fred Garrison, and George Granbury. The apartment was at an angle of the building, and next to it was another occupied by Songbird Powell, Tubbs, Hans, and three other cadets. Between the two rooms was a door, but this was closed, and was supposed to be kept locked.

"This makes one feel like home," said Sam, as he began to wash up for supper.

"Right you are," answered Larry Colby. "No matter where I go during a vacation, I am always glad to get back to Putnam Hall."

A little later came the evening parade of the cadets, who marched around the parade ground several times before entering the messroom, as the dining hall was termed. The late arrivals did not join in the parade, but they watched it with interest, and then hurried to their accustomed places at the long tables, where a plain, but substantial supper awaited them.

Only a little talking was allowed throughout the meal, but at its conclusion the cadets were given an hour off, in which time they could do very much as they pleased. In that hour some played games, others took walks, and not a few drifted over to the gymnasium, which stood at one corner of the grounds.

"I'm going over to the gym," said d.i.c.k to Larry Colby. "Want to go along?"

"Certainly," was the prompt answer. "I am going in for gymnastics this term, d.i.c.k."

"Want to win some of the prizes when we have our contests?"

"If I can."

"I don't see why you shouldn't, Larry. You seem to be in first-cla.s.s shape physically."

"I am going to try hard, d.i.c.k."

They were soon in the building, and Larry slipped off to the dressing room to don his gymnasium suit.

While d.i.c.k was waiting for his friend to reappear he looked on at the efforts of the other cadets present. Some were on the rings and bars, others were using the parallel bars and horses, and still others were at the pulling and lifting machines. In one corner two of the boys were boxing, while another was hammering a punching bag as hard as he could.

The boy at the punching bag was a tall, big-boned youth, named Lew Flapp. He was a newcomer at Putnam Hall, but though he had been there but three weeks he acted as if half of the place already belonged to him. At the start, he had made a few friends, princ.i.p.ally on account of the money he had to spend, but these were gradually deserting him.

d.i.c.k was interested in the work on the punching bag, and he walked closer to note what Lew Flapp was doing. Clap! clap! clap! went Flapp's fists on the bag, which bounced back and forth with great rapidity.

"Well, how do you like that?" asked Lew Flapp, as he paused in his exercise and stared at d.i.c.k.

"It's all right," answered d.i.c.k briefly.

"I'll bet there ain't another cadet here can do as well," went on Lew Flapp boastfully.

"Oh, that's saying a good deal," said d.i.c.k. "Some of the boys can hit the bag pretty well."

"Humph!" Lew Flapp stared at the eldest Rover harder than ever.

"Perhaps you think you can do it," he sneered.

"I didn't say that."

"But your words implied it."

"d.i.c.k Rover can do every bit as well," said a cadet who overheard the talk.