“TALK ABOUT THE TAIL OF A KITE—THIS BEATS ANY KITE TAIL I EVER SAW!”
Such were some of the cries that rent the air as the stage started away from the depot. On the step, clutching the handrails, was Asa Lemm, and streaming out behind him was the wire, loaded with magazines and picture papers.
“Hi you! Come back here!” roared the stand keeper in bewilderment. “What do you mean by running off with my stuff? Come back, I say!” and, throwing up a flap of the counter, he ran out of his stand and after the auto-stage.
Asa Lemm did not know what to make of the hullaballoo. People were rushing toward the stage from all directions, and many were pointing their fingers at him. He felt a tug in the rear, but could not put his hand back to the button on which the wire was fastened for fear of falling from the stage step.
“Stop that stage! Stop that stage, I tell you!” bawled the newsstand keeper. “He’s running off with my magazines!”
And then the crowd set up a roar of laughter.
“I ain’t got no time to waste. I’m behind timealready!” yelled back the auto-stage driver. “What do you want, anyway?”
“Oh, my! did you ever?” screamed Martha, dropping several of the postcards she had purchased.
“Just look at all those magazines dangling after that man!” screamed Mary. And then, as she caught sight of Andy and Randy, both doubled up with laughter, she continued: “I’m sure those twins must have done it!”
Jack and Fred had also come up, and both were on a broad grin. In the meanwhile the stage moved on with Asa Lemm still dragging the wire and the periodicals attached to it behind him.
“Hurrah! he believes in loading up on information!” cried Andy gaily.
“He’s what you can call a real live wire!” added his twin.
“Come back with those magazines, I tell you!” bawled the stand keeper, shaking his fist at Asa Lemm. “Come back, I say!” And then he set off on a run after the stage.
He could not catch up to the vehicle, but he did catch up to the end of the wire, and as he stepped on this there was a tearing sound from beyond, and away came the button from Asa Lemm’s coat, bringing with it a strip of cloth.
“Hurrah, he’s got his magazines back!” exclaimed Randy.
“And a souvenir of Asa Lemm’s coat to remember him by!” added his brother.
Just as Andy said this a train came rolling into the station.
“I hope that is our train,” cried Fred.
The boys ran around to the other side of the station and found out from the conductor that the train which had come in was that for which they had been waiting. They at once called to the girls; and all lost no time in hurrying on board.
“Wait! I want to see the end of this!” cried Andy, and threw up a window. He stuck out his head, and as the train rolled away from Raymonton he was just in time to see Asa Lemm pulled from the step of the auto-stage by the irate man from the newsstand. Then the former Hall professor was tripped up and sent flat on his back in the dust of the road.
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“Well, that is where we got back at Asa Lemm!” cried Randy, after all of the Rovers had gazed out of the car windows as long as the scene near the auto-stage remained in view.
“I’ll wager that stand keeper is mad,” said Jack.
“And what a beautiful coat old Lemm has, with the tail torn to ribbons!” Fred added.
“Oh, I think you boys are simply dreadful!” cried Mary, but she smiled as she spoke.
“Don’t you think you were rather hard on the professor?” questioned Martha dubiously.
“No, I don’t!” answered Andy promptly. “He treated us as mean as dirt while he was at Colby Hall. He was more than stern—he was thoroughly unreasonable! That’s why Colonel Colby discharged him.”
“And please to remember how he backed up Slugger Brown’s father on Snowshoe Island,” added Randy. “He was perfectly willing toswindle old Barney Stevenson out of his property. He deserves no sympathy.”
The remainder of the journey to Haven Point passed without special incident. The boys and the girls had sent word ahead that they were coming, and when they reached the town they found Bob Nixon there with one of the Colby Hall turnouts, and also a driver with a stage from the girls’ school.
“Well, here is where we part and get back to the grind,” said Fred, after he and Jack had placed their sisters’ baggage in the proper car.
“Good luck to both of you girls!” cried Jack.
The girls were soon started off in one direction, and then the boys started off in the other. The latter were still some distance from Colby Hall when they saw Spouter Powell and Gif Garrison approaching on foot.
“Glad to see you back!” cried Spouter, as he climbed into the machine.
“We’ve got great news,” announced Gif, his eyes beaming.
“Our fathers have volunteered for the war!” broke out Spouter.
“Really?” came from the Rover boys.
All were much interested, although Andy and Randy looked a trifle disturbed. The fact that their own father would have to remain behindwhile all of the others were going to the front was continually in the minds of the twins. They felt much disappointed.
“When did you get the news?” questioned Jack.
“It came in by the first mail this morning,” returned Spouter. “I got a letter, and so did Gif. My father and Mr. Garrison are both going to do their best to join the crowd from Putnam Hall and Brill College.”
Of course the Rovers wanted to know more particulars, and they were given so far as Spouter and Gif knew them.
“And we’ve got more news, too,” announced Gif. “They’ve finally settled on the place where we are to have our annual encampment.”
“And where will that be?” asked Randy eagerly.
“We’re to go to Barlight Bay on the Atlantic coast. It’s quite a distance from here.”
“Barlight Bay!” exclaimed Jack. And then he looked inquiringly at Fred. “Isn’t that in the vicinity of Camp Huxwell?”
“Sure it is!” answered Fred. “They are almost side by side.”
“I asked about that,” said Spouter; “and Captain Dale told me that our camp and the government camp will be not very far apart. Thereis a thick belt of timber and some rocky land between.”
“Why then, we’ll be close to our fathers!” cried Fred joyfully. “This suits me right down to the ground!” and his face showed his delight.
“Gee, I wish we were going under canvas to-morrow!” sighed Jack.
The next day found the Rovers deep in their studies. The examinations previous to the annual encampment were now close at hand, and all were anxious to make a good showing.
“Because, you see, it’s this way,” said Jack to his cousins, and especially to the fun-loving twins. “We didn’t come here merely to cut up and have a good time. Our folks sent us to Colby Hall so that we would settle down and get good educations. If we don’t make a good showing, you know how disappointed every one of them will be.”
“Oh, I’m going to study like an Indian,” answered Andy quickly. “I’m going to cut out every bit of horseplay until after the examinations are over.”
“And so am I,” added Randy.
And, strange as it may seem, the twins kept their word, and as a result, when the examinations were held for the term, both came through with markings which were exceedingly gratifying.
Jack and Fred likewise did very well, for which they were thankful. They telephoned the results to their sisters, and got back word from Clearwater Hall that Martha and Mary were also coming through finely.
“And what about Ruth and May?” questioned Jack, who was on the ’phone, with Fred beside him.
“Ruth is at the head of the class,” announced Martha, over the telephone. “May will stand third or fourth.”
“Then give them both our congratulations,” said Jack.
“And also our best regards,” added Fred, crowding his cousin to one side.
“Hold the wire a minute and you can talk to them yourselves,” said Martha. And a minute later Jack was talking to Ruth and later still Fred managed to get in a few words with May.
Following the examinations, Colonel Colby called the entire school together, and then announced that he was going to take his departure for Camp Huxwell and would leave the scholars in charge of Captain Dale and Professors Grawson and Brice.
“I am sorry to leave you,” announced the colonel, “but I have accepted the call of our country and shall go to the training camp without furtherdelay. But you all know Captain Dale very well, and I feel sure that you will be glad to learn that he will have charge during the annual encampment. He will be assisted by the professors and some others, and all arrangements have been perfected for making this outing a great success.
“With talk of war filling the air, we shall try to show what Colby Hall can do in the way of first-class military training. Captain Dale will see to it that you are given an opportunity to show what you can do at target and bayonet practice, and in marching and other camp activities. There will, of course, be the usual athletic contests, and as you are going down to the coast, you will likewise have an opportunity to make use of the water.”
Here the colonel paused, and there was a faint handclapping, quickly followed by a generous round of applause.
“Evidently you all like the idea of going in camp near the water,” said Colonel Colby, smiling.
“It’s dandy!” called out Andy, and at this there was a general laugh.
“Before you depart for Camp Barlight, as the place will be called, Captain Dale will hold the annual election of officers. As the old cadets here know, no cadet who has not been at this schoolfor at least six months can hold any office in the battalion. Apart from that rule, the cadets can make up their tickets to suit themselves. You will first vote for a major, then for three captains, one each for Companies A, B, and C, and then for two lieutenants for each company. The other officers, including the quartermaster, will be selected by Captain Dale and the professors.
“And now, young gentlemen, I must bid you good-bye, and I trust that you have a good time during the encampment. As I expect to be at Camp Huxwell for some weeks at least, I shall probably have the opportunity from time to time of coming over to see how you are getting along.”
Colonel Colby bowed and stepped back, and again there was a round of applause. In the midst of this Major Ralph Mason arose and walked to the front.
“Colonel Colby,” he said in a loud voice, as soon as the applause had subsided, “in the name of the battalion which I have the honor to command, I wish to thank you for all your kindness to us as students here, and we trust you will accept our best wishes for good luck to you in the course you are taking. We feel sure that with such men as you in our army Uncle Sam is bound to help very materially in winning this World War.
“And now, sir, as a token of our esteem, and also as a reminder of what we hope you will do to the enemy, allow me, sir, in the name of all the cadets of Colby Hall, to present you with this.”
As the young major concluded he drew from behind him a leather case which he sprung open as he presented it to the astonished master of the institution. There, in the case, rested a very fine automatic pistol, its polished handle engraved with Colonel Colby’s name and also the fact that it was presented to him by the school, with the date. The hat had been passed around among the boys for contributions to this gift, and every cadet had given something.
Though the colonel was much astonished, he was likewise greatly pleased at this evidence of their friendliness and interest in him, and he accepted the gift in a few words which showed his emotion.
“If I ever get to France this automatic shall go with me,” he announced. “And you can rest assured that if ever the opportunity comes, the weapon shall render a good account for itself.” And following these remarks there was another round of applause, and then the school was dismissed.
Of course the boys had known about the annual election for a long time, and there had been a good deal of wire-pulling over the question of candidates for the various offices. It was felt by many, including the Rovers, that Ralph Mason should remain the major of the school battalion, because he was so well liked and was such a thoroughly good officer. It was also felt that the captains of Company A and Company B should remain, and likewise several of the lieutenants.
“What we want most is a new captain for Company C,” said Spouter.
“Yes, and we want two lieutenants for that company, too,” put in Walt Baxter.
“And the whole company wants to be jacked up,” added Don Soppinger. “The way they have been drilling has been a disgrace to this school. They don’t do half as well as the other companies.”
“Well, you must remember one thing,” said Jack. “Company C was formed long after they had Company A and Company B. That company always got all the new fellows, and you can’t expect new cadets to do as well as the old ones.”
“Yes, but now that they are getting ready to form a Company D, the fellows in Company C ought to be jacked up,” said Fatty Hendry. “They need it.”
“Say, Fatty, do you want to become an officer of them?” queried Randy slyly.
“Well, I wouldn’t mind the job,” answered the stout cadet. “I think I could boss ’em around a little better than Phil Huber did.” Huber had been the former captain, but he had left the school, and the command was now in charge of the first lieutenant, a fellow named Gabe Werner.
Now it chanced that Lieutenant Werner was not very well liked at Colby Hall. He was a tall, angular youth, with watery blue eyes and straw-colored hair, and he had a general manner about him which was anything but inviting. How he had ever gotten to be a lieutenant of the cadets was a mystery.
“I think they’ll dump Lieutenant Werner,” remarked Fred. “I don’t believe anybody wants him for an officer again.”
“I guess you’re right,” answered Dan Soppinger. “If anybody at all voted for Werner, it would be Bill Glutts.”
“Well, Glutts isn’t any better than Werner,” was Jack’s reply. “He’s a regular blockhead, in my opinion.”
Glutts was a youth who had come from the Middle West, and it was said that his father was in the wholesale butcher business. He was a broad-shouldered, beefy-looking youth, withprominent front teeth and a face that was far from inviting.
“Say, Jack, why don’t you run for captain?” queried Gif. “I’m sure our whole crowd would stand by you.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Gif,” returned Jack modestly. “I didn’t expect to become an officer yet. Let some of the older cadets take hold. You might run yourself.”
“No, I don’t think I want the job,” answered Gif.
“Maybe you’d like it, Spouter?” said Jack.
“No, I’ll give it up in your favor, Jack,” was the prompt response. Spouter looked at the assembled crowd. “Say, fellows, what do you think of it? Shall we put up Jack Rover for captain of Company C?”
“Sure!”
“Jack will be sure to run well!”
So the comments ran on, and almost before he knew it, Jack had been nominated by his friends for the position of captain of Company C. Then began an animated discussion over the other offices to be filled, and a little later Fred was nominated for a lieutenancy.
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“Jack, I hope you win out in that election,” said Fred, after the conference had come to an end and the cadets had dispersed.
“I hope you win out, too, Fred,” was the quick reply.
“I think if anybody has a job to get elected, it will be you, Jack,” came from Randy. “You can bet your bottom dollar that Gabe Werner will make every effort to secure that office.”
“Well, as he is acting captain now, perhaps he deserves it,” answered Jack slowly.
“He deserves nothing!” came promptly from Andy. “He’s a regular bear. He never has any consideration whatever for the cadets under him. Why, only last week it made my blood boil the way he treated a couple of new fellows. Of course, they didn’t know what he wanted, but that’s no reason why he should howl at ’em the way he did. If he had done that to me, I’d have thrown my gun at his head.”
What had been said about Gabe Werner’s ambition to become the regular captain of Company C was true. The angular lieutenant was of the opinion that the place belonged to him, and he did not hesitate to tell this to all those with whom he was intimate.
Now that Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell had left Colby Hall for good, Henry Stowell had established himself as a satellite of Werner, doing all the mean little jobs the big cadet desired.
“Of course you’ll be elected,” declared Codfish to the lieutenant, when the talk over the coming election was rife. “The place belongs to you.”
“Sure it does,” answered Gabe Werner readily. “But I suppose I’ve got to work like the rest of the candidates if I want it,” he added, heaving a deep sigh. Werner was lazy by nature, and he did not like the idea of electioneering, any more than he did the idea of studying.
“I’ll tell you what you ought to do, Gabe,” said Bill Glutts. “You ought to give the boys a spread, or treat them to an entertainment in town. That would nail the captaincy for you.”
This idea pleased Werner, and, as a result, that night he invited all the cadets he dared to approach to the moving-picture theater at Haven Point. A crowd of about thirty accepted this invitation, and they not only went to the show, butlater on dined at one of the restaurants at Gabe’s expense.
“That sort of thing makes me tired,” declared Spouter, when he heard of this. “Why, the poor fish is trying to buy votes!”
At first Dan Soppinger had said that he did not care to run for the captaincy, but a number of his friends insisted that he allow his name to be put up, and finally he consented. Others went to Walt Baxter and told him that he must run, too.
“You’ve simply got to do it, Baxter,” said Ned Lowe. “If you don’t, some of the fellows who might vote for you will go over to Werner, and he’ll have a walkover from the start.”
“All right then, if you want me to stand I’ll do it,” said Walt. “Just the same, I think Jack Rover ought to have it, and I’m going to vote for him.”
The voting was to be held on the following Saturday, and on Monday morning the cadets were to leave Colby Hall for Camp Barlight. Consequently between getting ready to vote and preparing for the encampment, all of the students were unusually busy.
The election was held in the main hall of the school, and was presided over by Captain Dale and Professor Brice. It was announced that thetotal number of votes to be cast would be 111 and the number necessary for a choice would consequently be 56.
“We will ballot for the major and the three captains separately,” announced Captain Dale. “Then we will have the balloting for the lieutenants.”
The electing of a major for the next term proved easy. Ralph Mason obtained ninety-one votes on the first ballot and was consequently declared reëlected.
“Hurrah for Major Ralph Mason!” cried one of the cadets, and the cheers were given with a will.
Then followed the balloting for the captain of Company A and the captain of Company B, and they were likewise reëlected, and there was more cheering.
“We will now ballot for a captain for Company C,” announced Captain Dale.
There was a murmur, and the cadets once more formed a long line and marched up to the platform, where each deposited his ballot in a big box, located there for that purpose.
There was a smug grin on the face of Gabe Werner when he dropped in his vote. It seemed to show that he felt sure of being elected.
A few minutes of silence occurred, duringwhich time the votes were being tabulated, and then Professor Brice struck a bell to attract the attention of the cadets, and, stepping forward, read the result:
At this there was a murmur of voices, and all the cadets looked at each other.
“As no candidate has received the required number of votes, I will leave you for ten minutes to talk matters over among yourselves, and then we will have another vote,” announced Captain Dale.
“Say, Jack! what do you know about that?” cried Fred. “You and Werner are tied for first place!”
At this moment Walt Baxter came up.
“Listen, Jack,” he said in a low voice. “I voted for you, and I would just as lief withdraw in your favor, but some of the fellows who voted for me say if I withdraw they will vote for Werner, so I’ll have to stay on the ticket. But it’sa blamed shame!” and Walt’s face showed that he meant what he said.
“Say, Bill, we’ve got to get a hustle on and get more votes,” growled Gabe Werner to his crony, as they walked over to a corner.
“I don’t see how we’re going to do it. I’ve talked to every fellow in the school,” said Glutts.
“I’m entitled to this captaincy, and if they won’t give it to me I don’t want anything,” growled Gabe Werner. It angered him to think that in spite of all the money he had spent he could muster up only thirty-two votes.
While this was going on, Dan Soppinger had been circulating among those who had been supporting him. Dan was gratified over the showing he had made, but he did not want the position. Now he came up and announced that he was going to withdraw.
“I’m withdrawing in favor of Jack Rover,” he declared in a loud voice, and went around the hall repeating this statement. “I want everybody who voted for me to vote for Jack.”
“Not much we won’t!” cried one cadet. “If you won’t run, we’ll vote for Walt Baxter.”
“We want Bart White to run!” put in another cadet.
“All right, suit yourselves,” said Dan, with a shrug of his shoulders. “Just the same, I’m outof it, so I don’t want anybody to vote for me again.”
It was not long after this that the call came for the next ballot, and once again the cadets filed up and placed their slips of paper in the box. Then the counting began and was soon finished. Both Captain Dale and Professor Brice seemed to be much disturbed over something that had occurred, and the bell for silence rang out sharply.
“This ballot cannot be counted!” declared Captain Dale, in a stern voice. “There are but one hundred and eleven cadets present, but one hundred and fifteen votes have been cast, showing that some person or persons voted more than once. You will immediately prepare new votes and stand in one long line, handing each vote to me as you come up.”
“Gee! what do you know about that?” whispered Randy.
“I wager some of the Werner crowd did that,” remarked his twin.
“How foolish to do anything of that sort,” said Jack. “They ought to have known they couldn’t get away with it.”
“Maybe they thought because Dan Soppinger retired some of the fellows wouldn’t vote,” suggested Fred.
“Well, if they thought that, they got left.”
The next vote proved correct so far as numbers went, and once more the figures were announced:
“Hurrah, Jack, you’re going up!” cried Fred enthusiastically.
“You’re only two votes shy of a choice,” said Randy.
“I guess you would have been elected if Bart White hadn’t gone on the ticket,” returned Spouter.
At that moment both Walt Baxter and Bart White came rushing up to Jack.
“I’m going to retire in your favor, Jack,” said Walt.
“So am I,” declared Bart.
“Well, now, I didn’t expect this,” stammered Jack, hardly knowing what to say.
“I can’t get it anyway,” declared Walt, “and as Werner is falling behind, I think it’s perfectly safe now to withdraw.”
“And I only went in to keep the votes from going to Werner,” declared Bart.
Both of these cadets hustled around among their supporters and let all in the Hall know that they were withdrawing from the contest.
In the meantime Gabe Werner and his cronies circulated among the crowd, and it was afterwards said that Werner even went so far as to attempt to buy some votes, but without avail.
Then the next ballot was called for, and it was quickly cast.
“We have at last reached a result,” announced Captain Dale. “And I am glad of it.” And then he read the figures.
“Hurrah! Jack Rover is elected captain of Company C!” and a great cheer went throughout the hall.
“He got all the votes that were cast for Baxter and White!” cried Fred.
“Right you are!” added Gif. “Gabe Werner did not get a single vote more than he had before.”
“And that was two less than he got at the start,” added Spouter.
“I hereby declare Jack Rover duly elected captain of Company C for the ensuing term,” said Captain Dale. “Captain Rover, if you will come forward, I shall be glad to shake hands with you,” he added. And then, as Jack walked to the platform to grasp the instructor’s hand, there was a great burst of applause.
“Never mind, Gabe. We’ll make you lieutenant again, anyway,” declared Bill Glutts, while this scene was being transacted.
“I don’t want to be lieutenant again!” howled Gabe. “If they don’t want me for a captain, they needn’t have me for anything. I’ll decline to run!” And thus speaking, Gabe Werner marched out of the room in great disgust.
“He sure is a sweet one!” was Gif’s comment.
A little while later it was announced that the balloting for lieutenants would begin. The names of eight aspirants were put up, including that of Fred Rover. There was a good deal of wire-pulling, and it took nine ballots to decide the various choices. But in the end Fred became the first lieutenant of the company of which Jack had been made captain.
“Good for you, Fred! I congratulate you!” cried Jack, catching his cousin by the hand.
“I guess we’ll all do that,” declared Randy.
“Three cheers for Lieutenant Fred Rover!” exclaimed Spouter, and the cheers were given with great heartiness, for Fred had made himself a favorite throughout the school.
“And now to get ready to go to Camp Barlight” said Andy. “My, but won’t we have the best times ever while we are under canvas!”
“I hope we do,” answered Jack.
But a little later the newly-elected captain became somewhat doubtful of this. As he and Fred, followed by the twins, went upstairs to their rooms they passed Gabe Werner and his cronies in the main corridor. The angular ex-lieutenant did not say a word, but he glared at Jack in a baneful way that boded no good.
“Werner has got it in for you, Jack,” remarked Andy, when the four Rovers were in their rooms and the doors had been closed.
“I guess you’re right,” was Jack’s reply. “Well, I’m not going to worry. I think I can take care of myself.”
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Aswas the usual custom at Colby Hall, all of the old officers and those newly elected were invited to participate in a dinner given by Captain Dale. This was held in a private dining room of the school, and was usually a function looked forward to with much pleasure by those to take part.
“Now we’ve got to look our prettiest,” announced Fred to Jack. “Of course, we’ll wear our new officers’ uniforms.”
The dinner proved to be one long to be remembered by the two Rover boys, and they were sorry to think the twins had not been present to see what took place. There were some speeches and a good deal of merrymaking, and the two Rovers were congratulated over and over again on having been elected.
“I’m mighty glad to think you’re going to be at the head of Company C, Captain Rover,” said Major Ralph Mason. “And glad, too, that yourcousin Fred is going to be a lieutenant of that company. I shall expect great things from both of you.”
“Well, I intend to do the best I can,” announced Jack modestly.
There was but one drawback to the affair. Gabe Werner did not show himself, nor did he send any letter of regret to Captain Dale.
“Gabe is sore, all right enough,” declared one of the under officers. “When I asked him if he was coming to the spread, he merely shook his head and looked like a thundercloud.”
Sunday proved rather a busy day for all of the cadets, yet the Rovers, along with a number of others, went to Haven Point where they met some of the girls. All attended services at one of the local churches. Then the young folks paired off, the boys walking with the girls to Clearwater Hall.
“Oh, Jack, you can’t think how proud I am to know they have made you a captain!” said Ruth, who was walking beside the newly-elected officer. “And I think you ought to be very proud yourself.”
“I admit it makes me feel pretty good, Ruth,” he answered.
“But you’ll have to be careful,” went on the girl anxiously. “Randy told me on the way tochurch that a cadet named Werner is very angry because you cut him out of one of the captaincies.”
“I’m not afraid of Werner or any of his crowd!”
“Yes, but he may try to make trouble, Jack. Don’t forget how Brown and Martell acted—and are acting still.”
“I won’t forget, Ruth.” And then, making sure that none of the others was noticing, he pressed the girl’s fingers tightly within his own. “It’s awfully nice to have you so interested,” he whispered. And, although she did not answer to this, she gave him a bright look that lingered in his memory for many a day afterward.
In the meantime Fred was walking along with May Powell, and had also been congratulated on attaining a lieutenancy. May was full of fun, and her eyes showed it.
“I suppose some day it will be Major Fred Rover!” she exclaimed. “My, won’t you look grand with a whole lot of gold lace, and a cockade hat, and all that sort of thing!”
“No gold lace for mine, May!” he laughed.
Spouter and Gif were walking with Martha and Mary, and soon the whole crowd reached Clearwater Hall. Here the boys had to say good-bye to the girls, and this was rather a lingeringprocess, since the young folks did not know exactly when they would get together again.
“But don’t forget we expect to march past here to-morrow morning about ten o’clock,” said Jack. “If you are really patriotic you’ll be watching for us and have your flags out.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” answered Ruth. “We’re going to ask Miss Garwood for a special recess in honor of the occasion.”
The evening was spent by the boys in packing their things and in otherwise getting ready for the encampment. There was, however, the usual song service at eight o’clock in the assembly room of the Hall, on this occasion presided over by a minister who had stopped at the Hall to visit his two nephews, who were pupils there. The minister was a good speaker, and he made an address which the cadets listened to with close attention.
Early in the morning came a sound that told all the cadets that the annual encampment was now at hand. Instead of the school bell ringing, there were the notes of two bugles ringing through the corridors. Then from outside came the vigorous rattle of several drums.
“Hurrah! No more studying! From now on we are soldier boys!” exclaimed Andy, and he bounced out of bed. “Get up, you sleepyheads!” And in the exuberance of his spirits he threw apillow at his twin’s head. Randy returned the compliment by throwing a shoe at him, hitting Andy in the stomach.
“Hi! What’s this?” exclaimed Fred, scrambling up at the confusion.
“Over the top at the Huns!” shouted Andy, charging on Randy and sending him backward into a stand loaded with books. “Forward, the light brigade, and on to the gas attack!”
“Hi! You fellows are making altogether too much noise,” came from Jack. “Attention, company! Line up! Eyes right!”
“My! but don’t the bugles and drums sound fine?” was Fred’s comment, as he hurried into his new uniform, of which, it may be said privately, he was exceedingly proud.
“I suppose we won’t have a bit of fun at this outing, with a captain and a lieutenant keeping their eyes on us,” grumbled Andy; but, of course, he did not mean what he said.
“Sure, I’ll make you line up and toe the chalk mark,” answered Jack, with a grin. “You won’t dare to call your souls your own. If you infringe one fixed rule the sixteenth of an inch, I’ll place you in the guardhouse.”
“Yes, and we’ll feed you on nothing but dry bread and dry water,” added Fred.
“Good-night!” came solemnly from Randy.“Please lead me to the dungeon at once! What’s the use of looking at the sunshine and trying to smile!”
It had been decided that the cadets should march to Barlight Bay, which was about thirty-five miles distant. They were to take two days for the journey, stopping over night on the outskirts of the village of Rackville, where Captain Dale had already rented a farm field for that purpose. All of their belongings were to be transported in several motor trucks, engaged for that purpose, these trucks being under orders from the battalion quartermaster.
Of course, it must be understood by my young readers that Colby Hall was only a military school for boys, and that the military matters there, while conducted somewhat on the lines of those at West Point, were by no means so strict. The officers, from the young major down, were expected to do their duty the same as if they were at a government camp, but all were under the supervision of Captain Dale and the Hall professors.
More than this, the boys did not pretend to do any of the camp cooking or any of the menial camp labor, this being accomplished by hired helpers. And again, the officers were only officers while on parade or during special hours of duty—otherwise they were just like the other cadets and were treated accordingly.
There was the usual morning roll call, and also the drill and inspection, this time the latter being unusually severe, for Captain Dale wanted to make sure that everything was right before the cadets left the Hall. The parade around the grounds, however, was omitted, and the lads went in to their breakfast half an hour earlier than usual. Then it was announced that they would leave the Hall at exactly nine o’clock.
At the roll call and inspection it was a new thing for Jack to take command of Company C, and for Fred to fill the position of a lieutenant; but both acquitted themselves creditably, and for this received a nod of approval from Captain Dale.
On Sunday evening it had been rumored about that Gabe Werner had decided not to attend the encampment. This rumor had its foundation in the fact that the angular ex-lieutenant had sent a telegram to his father explaining the situation and stating he wanted to come home. In return, however, Mr. Werner commanded his son to remain at Colby Hall, and so, much against his will, Gabe was on hand when the cadets were ready to march away.
“But I ain’t going to do anything that I don’twant to do,” growled Gabe to Bill Glutts. “You just wait and see!”
“Maybe you’ll get a chance to make it warm for Jack Rover and his bunch,” suggested the wholesale butcher’s son.
“You bet!” answered Werner laconically.
The cadets were all assembled on the parade ground, and the motor trucks, piled high with all of their belongings, as well as the camping paraphernalia, had already left the grounds. There was a final rattle of drums to call any cadets who might still be missing.
“Battalion attention!” commanded the young major, after he had received his orders from Captain Dale.
At once the three companies came to attention.
“Shoulder arms!” came the command a few seconds later. “Forward—march!”
Boom! Boom! Boom, boom, boom! went the drums, and the Colby cadets stepped off gaily, while the professors and helpers left behind at the Hall cheered loudly and waved their hands. From the big flagstaff on the campus floated a large American flag, this being run up every morning at sunrise and taken down at sunset.
Soon the drums gave a preliminary rattle, and then the shrill fifes struck up into a lively marching air, and one company after another passed out of the Hall grounds and on to the road leading to Haven Point.
“Hay foot, straw foot!” murmured Andy jokingly to Randy, who was marching by his side. “I wonder how our feet will feel after we have covered the eighteen miles we have to do to-day?”
“Oh, that will be all right, I think,” answered his twin. “I’ve done more than eighteen miles in a day, and so have you.”
It did not take long for the cadets to reach the outskirts of Haven Point. Their coming was expected, and quite a crowd of town folks were out to see the parade. Some few had put out flags, for all were proud to have such an institution as Colby Hall in that vicinity.
The moving-picture theater was decorated with flags from top to bottom, and across the street the enterprising manager had hung a big banner inscribed with the words: