The Rover Boys on the Farm Part 32

"Oh, don't quarrel," put in Larry, who was near. "If Peter isn't satisfied why not race over again?"

"I am willing," answered d.i.c.k, promptly.

"I'm tired of riding," said Slade. "I--er--I am not feeling extra well and it shakes me up too much."

"Then let some of the others use the bob."

"No, it needs overhauling, and I am going to have it fixed up," was Slade's answer, and began to move off toward the Hall, dragging his bob after him.

"He's afraid to race," said George. "My! how mad it makes some fellows to get beaten!"

It may be mentioned here that Peter Slade had been one of Tad Sobber's cronies, and now that Sobber was gone he took it on his shoulders to fill the bully's place in the particular set to which he belonged. He was a quick-tempered youth, and had been in more than one fight since his arrival at Putnam Hall.

The boys who could not ride on the hill amused themselves by making some big s...o...b..a.l.l.s, which they allowed to roll down another hill. One of the s...o...b..a.l.l.s made was fully eight feet in diameter, and it was a great sight to see this go down, getting bigger and bigger as it progressed.

"h.e.l.lo, I've got an idea!" cried Tom, as he watched the rolling of the big s...o...b..a.l.l.s.

"Something brand new, Tom?" queried Larry.

"I think so. Let us give Peleg Snuggers a roll. It will do him good--shake up his liver, and all that."

"You mean to roll him down this hill?" asked a student named Morley.

"That's it."

"Might hurt him."

"Not if we put a snow overcoat on him first," answered Tom.

"What do you mean?" asked another student.

"Let us roll a big ball the shape of an egg and hollow out the middle.

Then by some trick we can get Peleg to crawl inside, and----"

"That's the thing!" cried George Garrison. "Come on. Where is Peleg?"

"Down at the stables."

With eager hands the cadets set to work and rolled up a big ball in the shape of an egg and then dug out the middle with a shovel. In the meantime a message was sent to the general utility man that he was wanted at the top of the hill at once.

"Must want me to mend a sled," he mused, and hurried off, taking with him some tools, nails and cord. He often did favors for the cadets, who gave him "tips" in return.

When Peleg Snuggers arrived at the top of the hill the big s...o...b..ll was ready for use.

"Here is Peleg!" cried Tom. "He can do the trick for us. Can't you, Peleg?"

"What is that, Tom?" asked the general utility man, innocently.

"We want to fasten this cord in the hole through that big s...o...b..ll, but we don't want to get it crossed," went on Tom, anxiously. "Will you take the cord, crawl in there and then pa.s.s the end out and over the end of this shovel, and then loop it over to the other end?"

"Why--er--I don't understand," stammered Peleg Snuggers.

"I'll explain after you are inside the ball," said Tom. "Here's the cord," and he led the general utility man to the hole and helped him to get down.

Not suspecting a trick, Snuggers crawled into the big s...o...b..ll. Before he could do anything with the cord given to him the cadets rushed forward and gave the s...o...b..ll a push toward the edge of the hill.

"Hi! stop that!" roared the general utility man, trying to back out.

"Hold tight--the s...o...b..ll is getting away from us!" yelled Tom.

"Somebody keep it from going down the hill!"

"We can't hold it back!" screamed Larry, grinning at the same time.

"It's bound to go--too bad!" wailed another.

"Say, let me git out!" yelled Peleg Snuggers, but at that moment the s...o...b..ll began to turn over. "I'll be killed! Oh, dear, I think you did this a-purpose, you rascals!"

"Never!" came back promptly.

"Enjoy the ride while you have the chance, Peleg!"

"You've got a free ticket to the bottom of the hill!"

"Let me out! Stop her!" yelled Snuggers, and they saw his feet at one end of the big s...o...b..ll and his hands at the other. "I can't stand rollin', nohow!"

"You're not standing," called Sam. "You are just rolling."

Away went the big s...o...b..ll, down the long hill, and the cadets after it.

As it progressed it grew larger and larger. They saw Peleg Snuggers shove out his head from one end, and the head went around and around like a top.

"I guess he'll be rather dizzy when the trip's ended," observed Songbird.

At last the s...o...b..ll came to a stop in a stretch of meadow land. The students rushed up just in time to see Peleg Snuggers crawl out on his hands and knees. When he arose he staggered around as if intoxicated.

"Say, you young villains!" he gasped, and then had to stop to catch his breath.

"Oh, Peleg, why did you run away with our s...o...b..ll?" asked Tom, innocently.

"It was a mean thing to do," put in d.i.c.k.

"We wanted some fun with that ball," added Sam.

"I--run--off--with the--the s...o...b..ll?" gasped the general utility man.

"I want you to know----"

"Oh, we know all about it," interrupted Tom. "I know what's the matter.

You've been drinking, and didn't know what you were doing."

"Perhaps we had better report this to Captain Putnam," said Larry.