The young people had almost finished their ice cream and cake when they saw two girls and two boys come in. As they entered Ruth clutched Jack by the arm.
"There is Tommy Flanders now!" she whispered, pointing to the larger of the two youths.
Tommy Flanders showed that he was a good deal of a sport. He was dressed in a loud-looking suit, had pointed shoes, and he wore a cap set well back on his head. His face was rather red, and his forehead was overshadowed by a heavy mop of reddish-brown hair.
"Hello, Ruth! How are you?" he called out pleasantly, when still at a distance. "Glad to see you," and he smiled at all of the girls and bowed.
After this there was nothing to do but to introduce the newcomer, and he promptly introduced the two girls, who proved to be residents of Haven Point, and then introduced his friend, Pete Stevens.
"Pete is going to be my backstop on our nine," explained Tommy Flanders. "You know, I suppose, that I am the pitcher," he added in an off-hand manner.
"And he's one wonder pitcher, believe me!" piped in Pete Stevens. He was a stocky youth with small ferret-like eyes.
"I understand you're going to have quite a nine," remarked Jack politely.
"Say, it will be the finest baseball aggregation this part of the country has ever seen—that is, for a school nine," boasted Tommy Flanders. "You know, our school is long on athletics. We intend to put it over everything within traveling distance."
"That is, provided the other schools are not too scared to accept our challenges," added Pete Stevens.
"You won't find Colby Hall afraid to accept any reasonable challenge," retorted Gif, somewhat disgusted with the boasting manner of the newcomers.
"We've waxed a few schools around here, and maybe we can take a round out of Longley Academy," Fred could not help but add.
"You'll never take a round out of Longley, believe me," sneered Pete Stevens. "We'll put it all over you fellows just as sure as you're born."
"Well, we'll see," remarked Jack, and his face showed that he did not admire having this discussion before the girls.
"Say, I'll tell you what I'll do, Rover," said Tommy Flanders, advancing close to the young captain. "I'll bet you ten dollars that we win the first game of ball we play with you."
"You'll have to excuse me, Flanders, but I'm not betting," answered Jack.
"Afraid, are you?"
"I said I was not betting. And now if you'll excuse us, we'll finish our ice cream and cake," added the young captain coldly.
"Oh, well, if you're afraid to bet, we'll let it go at that," responded Tommy Flanders carelessly. Then he and his companion and the girls with them moved off to a table in the rear of the ice-cream parlor.
"Of all the conceited fools——" began Andy, when Jack caught him by the arm.
"Drop it, Andy," and Jack looked at his cousin and then at the girls, all of whom had been much disturbed over the possibility of a quarrel.
"Oh, sure, let's drop it," was Andy's quick answer. And then to change the subject he began a funny story and soon he had the girls shrieking with laughter. Then they finished their ice cream and cake and left the place.
"Oh, Jack, if you do play them I hope you beat them good," said Ruth, when the girls and the cadets were ready to separate.
"We'll do our best," was his reply.
"I hope when that match comes off we'll be able to see it," said Martha.
"Of course you'll all have to be on hand," answered her brother quickly. "We'll want you girls to encourage us."
"I want to see you beat Longley Academy," declared Mary.
"So say we all of us!" came in a chorus from the others.
"Now for some real baseball practice, boys!"
"Right you are, Jack! I'm mighty glad it has cleared off at last."
"If we are going to have our annual game with Hixley High two weeks from to-day we had better get busy," put in Gif Garrison. "I had no idea they would ask for a match so early in the season."
"It's on account of the game they expect to have this year with Longley Academy," remarked Walt Baxter. "You see, they are to play the new school too."
"Yes, and I heard that those Longley fellows were boasting they were going to do up Hixley, just the same as they were going to do us up."
"Gee, but that Tommy Flanders makes me sick!" broke in Fred. "I really think he's the most conceited fellow I ever met."
"Just the same, I've heard he's a pretty good player," remarked Gif. "He is not only a good pitcher, but quite a good batsman. And they say that his crony is also quite a good all-around player."
The regular nine, minus two players who had left the school the term previous, were out on the diamond practicing. A little later, with two substitutes, they were to play a match of five innings against a scrub team picked from the most available of the ball players left.
Jack Rover was in the box and was putting some swift ones over the plate. As yet he did not have perfect control of the horsehide, and as a consequence it occasionally went over the catcher's head.
Three games of baseball had been arranged for Colby Hall, one with Hixley High, another with Columbus Academy, and a third with Longley. They were to take place in the order named and at intervals of one week.
The practice soon came to an end, and then the five-innings game with the scrubs started. This proved to be quite a contest, and Fred Rover distinguished himself by knocking a three-bagger, while Jack struck out six batsmen, much to his satisfaction. When the contest came to a close the regular nine had won by a score of 11 to 3.
"Well, that shows the old nine is still in the running," remarked Dan Soppinger, when the boys were rushing to the gymnasium to get under the showers.
"Right you are, Dan," answered Jack. "Just the same, that scrub team isn't Hixley High, or Columbus or Longley, either, please don't forget that."
"Oh, I know that just as well as you do, Jack. We've got to play much better than we did to-day if we expect any victories in the regular games."
"Don't forget that we'll be up against Dink Wilsey again," said Gif.
"I don't believe that any of us are likely to forget it," grinned Dan. All remembered Dink Wilsey very well. He was the pitcher for Hixley High and a fellow who was destined to become talked about in baseball circles. He had a puzzling delivery, and sometimes struck out even the best of the batsmen with ease.
From that day forth Jack and the other members of the ball team put in every spare moment at practice. Gradually the young pitcher obtained better control of the sphere, and then he did what he could to increase his speed and make his curves more puzzling.
The contest with Hixley High was to take place on the latter's grounds, and almost all the pupils at Colby Hall made the journey to see the game. Many girls were also present from Clearwater Hall and from the town.
"Oh, Jack, I hope you win!" said Ruth Stevenson, as he strode forward to greet her and the others who had arrived from the girls' school.
"We're going to do our best, Ruth," answered the young pitcher. And then, as he noticed something of a cloud on her face, he added jokingly: "You don't have to look so glum about it."
"I'm not glum over the game, Jack. I was thinking of something else," she answered soberly.
"Why, what's the matter, Ruth—has anything gone wrong?"
"Yes, Jack. But—but maybe I'd better not tell you anything about it," she faltered.
"Has anybody been annoying you?"
"I can't tell you now—I'll tell you after the game if I get a chance," whispered Ruth, as several of the other boys and girls came closer.
At that moment came a blare of tin horns and the noise of many rattles, and then the Hixley High boys let out a wild yelling:
"Hixley High! Hixley High! Hixley High forever!" and this was repeated over and over again.
"Wake up, fellows!" came suddenly in a bellow from Ned Lowe. "Everybody wake up for Colby Hall!" And then there boomed out this refrain:
"Who are we?Can't you see?Colby Hall!Dum! Dum! Dum, dum, dum!Here we come with fife and drum!Colby! Colby! Colby Hall!"
"Who are we?Can't you see?Colby Hall!Dum! Dum! Dum, dum, dum!Here we come with fife and drum!Colby! Colby! Colby Hall!"
"That's the stuff! Give it to 'em again!" yelled Fatty Hendry, wiping the perspiration from his forehead, and once more the school refrain boomed forth.
"Oh, isn't that grand!" remarked Mary Rover.
"The best ever!" answered her cousin Martha.
"It makes me feel just as if I was being raised off my feet," remarked May Powell.
The game began with Hixley High at the bat. There was a wild cheering for Rigby, the center-fielder, when he came up, stick in hand, and also yells of encouragement for Jack.
"Put him out in one-two-three order, Jack!"
"Don't let him get a smell at first!"
"Knock the cover off it, Rigby! Make a homer!"
After two strikes, one of them a foul, Rigby managed to get a safe hit to first. But then Jack tightened up and presently the side was retired without a run.
"That's the stuff! Hold 'em to goose eggs all the way through!"
"Now, then, Colby, go to it and make a couple!"
But alas for this hope! One player got as far as third, but there the inning ended.
Goose eggs also went up for both sides in the second, third and fourth innings. Then two players of Hixley High managed to make singles, and on a fumble by one of the new men playing for Colby one of these hits was turned into a run.
"Hurrah! Hurrah! That's the stuff! Score one for Hixley!"
"Hold 'em down! Hold 'em down! Don't let 'em score again!" came from the Colby Hall supporters. And the players from the military school did "hold 'em down" to the single tally which had been made.
With the score 1 to 0, the game ran along to the eighth inning. Then Dan Soppinger managed to knock out a two-bagger, and he was followed at the plate by Randy. Two men were already out, so it was a crucial moment in more ways than one.
Dink Wilsey was still in good form, although the strain was evidently telling upon him. He sent in two swift balls, which were called strikes, one being a foul. Then came two wide ones, which were put down as balls by the umpire.
"Hit it, Randy!" sang out Gif. "Paste it for all you know how!"
Randy was on the alert, and although the next ball pitched was a bit low, he swung for it, sending it down toward right field.
"Run, Dan! Run!"
"Leg it, Randy!"
And both players did run for all they were worth. Dan had started as Randy swung for the sphere, and consequently touched third a few seconds later. Then, as he saw the ball was still down in right field with the fielder chasing madly after it, he came in to the home plate. Randy had meanwhile reached first and was halfway to second, which he reached safely by sliding.
"Hurrah! One run for Colby Hall!"
"And Randy Rover made it a two-bagger!"
"Some playing, I'll say!"
The excitement was now intense as Colby Hall saw a chance to win. But this chance went glimmering a few seconds later when a pop-fly was gathered in with ease by the Hixley pitcher.
"Never mind, we've tied the score, and that's something," said Gif. "Now all we need do is to hold them down and make one more run."
In the ninth inning Hixley High fought desperately to score, and Colby Hall did the same. But neither side got further than first.
"A tie game! A tie game!" was the cry.
"Now, then, it takes only one run to win!"
The excitement was now at a fever heat, and this continued through the tenth and eleventh innings. By this time it was growing dark, so that the fielders had difficulty in seeing the ball.
"I think we had better call it a tie and let it go at that," said the Hixley captain to Gif. "What do you think about it?"
There was a brief consultation, and several of the regular school coaches were called in. In the meanwhile it grew darker rapidly, and presently the contest was called off.
"It's too bad we couldn't finish it," remarked Jack, as he shook hands with Dink Wilsey.
"We'll have to finish it next year," said the rival pitcher, with a grin.
There was a good deal of talk about the contest, but gradually the crowd dispersed, and many of the Colby boys started for the Hall. The Rovers and some of their chums rejoined the girls, and walked with them to the automobiles which were to take Martha and Mary and the others back to Clearwater Hall.
"I'm so sorry you fellows didn't win that game," pouted May Powell, on the way.
"Well, we did our best," answered Fred. "And believe me, it's something to hold down a school like Hixley with such a pitcher as Dink Wilsey."
"You don't mean to say he can pitch any better than Jack!" put in Ruth quickly.
"Oh, I'm not saying anything against Jack," answered Fred. "Just the same, Dink's a great pitcher, and Jack will say so himself."
"He certainly is," was the reply from the oldest Rover boy. "He'll be on one of the professional teams one of these days. If Longley Academy has any such pitcher in Tommy Flanders, we've got our work cut out for us."
Most of the boys and girls went on to where the automobiles were in waiting, but Jack kept to the rear until the whole crowd were out of hearing.
"Now, then, Ruth, tell me what is troubling you," he said in a low voice.
"Oh, Jack, I don't believe I ought to tell you! I should have torn it up and forgotten all about it," returned the girl.
"Torn it up? What do you mean? Was it a letter?"
"Yes, a letter that came yesterday. It is nothing but a scrawl, and it's unsigned. It was sent from New York."
"What did the letter say? Did somebody threaten you, Ruth?"
"No, Jack. Somebody threatened you. If it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't think of bothering you about it."
"Humph! this is interesting. Have you got the letter with you?"
"Yes. Here it is," and the girl brought forth the letter from her handbag. As she had said, it was postmarked New York City, and was addressed to her at the school. The envelope was a plain one, and inside was a single sheet of plain white paper. On this, evidently in a disguised hand, had been scrawled the following:
Ruth Stevenson: If you know when you are well off you won't have much to do with Jack Rover or his cousins. They are a bum lot and some day you will be ashamed of every one of them. Jack Rover never treated anybody square, and some day you can take it from me that I intend to pound his handsome face into a jelly. Better listen to my warning, or you will be very sorry you had anything to do with that crowd."A Friend."
Ruth Stevenson: If you know when you are well off you won't have much to do with Jack Rover or his cousins. They are a bum lot and some day you will be ashamed of every one of them. Jack Rover never treated anybody square, and some day you can take it from me that I intend to pound his handsome face into a jelly. Better listen to my warning, or you will be very sorry you had anything to do with that crowd.
"A Friend."
"That's a fine letter, I must say!" remarked Jack, after perusing the scrawl a second time. "Evidently the writer loves me a whole lot."
"Of course it must have come from one of those fellows who used to go to school with you," said Ruth. "Perhaps that Martell boy or that Brown boy."
"I don't think Nappy Martell would dare send such a letter," answered the young captain of the cadets. "It would be more like Slugger Brown to do it. But you must remember that those fellows have just been released from that detention camp." Jack mused for a moment. "This looks more like the work of Gabe Werner to me."
"Oh, Jack! suppose he should attack you some time when you weren't aware?"
"That's a risk a fellow has to run. Of course, I expect to keep on my guard, not only against Gabe Werner but also against Martell, Brown and Glutts. The whole four don't like any of our crowd."
"But just read the dreadful thing he says," continued the girl, as she caught Jack tightly by the arm. "He says he'll pound your face into a jelly! Oh, Jack! don't you ever give him a chance to do that," and Ruth's face showed her solicitude.
"There is one thing you have to remember, Ruth, and that is the writer of an anonymous letter is generally a coward," Jack answered as lightly as he could, more to ease her feelings than anything else. "So don't you worry about this letter. Have you mentioned it to any of the others?"
"No; I didn't want to worry them."
"I'm glad you didn't say anything to Martha and Mary. I know it would upset them a good deal, and maybe they would think they'd have to write to their mothers about it. Just keep it to yourself. And please don't destroy that letter; it might come in useful some time. Maybe we can trace the handwriting."
"But you'll tell your cousins at the Hall, won't you?"
"Yes; I think I had better, so that they can be on their guard, too. We don't want to run any unnecessary chances when it comes to those rascals." And there the talk on this subject came to an end.
It was not until late that evening, when the four Rovers were retiring, that Jack got a chance to mention the anonymous letter to his cousins. All were tremendously interested, and speculated on who the writer could be.
"My opinion is it was either Gabe Werner or Slugger Brown," said Randy. "Neither Nappy Martell nor Bill Glutts would have the nerve to do it."
"I'll side with Jack and say it was Werner," said Fred.
"And I'll side with my brother and say it was either Slugger or Werner," added Andy.
Two days later came word which filled the Rover boys with joy. It was announced that, as the war in Europe was at an end, Colonel Colby might be expected home any day.
"Hurrah! that means that our folks will be coming home too before long!" cried Fred, throwing up his cap. "Isn't this the best ever!"
"Maybe we'll get word from our fathers in a day or two," returned Andy. "Anyway, I hope so."
"My! what a grand old time we ought to have when they do get home," said Randy, his eyes glistening.
"We'll tear the woodpile down!" announced his twin, and then turned a handspring just to ease his feelings.
The talk among the cadets at the Hall was now divided between the return of Colonel Colby and the baseball game with Columbus Academy. In the meantime Hixley High played a game with Longley Academy and lost by a score of 3 to 7.
"Gee! that doesn't look good to me," announced Gif soberly, when the news came in. "All we could do this year was to hold them to that tie."
"That score would seem to prove that the Longley nine is just about twice as good as the Hixley nine," remarked Dan.
"I see by the score that Tommy Flanders struck out nine men. He certainly must have been going some," came from Fred, who was studying the score sheet with interest.
"Yes, and the Longley fellows made two home-runs and three two-baggers," put in Spouter. "I must say they didn't do a thing to Hixley High but punch holes into them."
"We've certainly got our work cut out for us," announced Jack, and then went to practicing harder than ever.
But if the score between Longley and Hixley had been a disappointment to the Colby Hall team, there was quite a little comfort for them in the game with Columbus Academy. The Columbus boys did their level best to win, and yet when the game came to an end Colby Hall was the victor by a score of 8 to 3.
"Well, that shows we are still in the running!" cried Gif that evening. "Those Columbus fellows certainly put up a stiff game."
"They certainly did!" answered Randy. "Their pitcher wasn't such a wonder, but their fielding was certainly great and they have some very good batsmen."
"Yes, and their shortstop is as good as you can find them," added Spouter.
"I've got one complaint to make about that game," said Ralph Mason, who was the major of the school battalion. "I don't know whether I ought to speak to you fellows about it or to Captain Dale."
"What is that, Major?" questioned Gif quickly.
"It has to do with little Henry Stowell," answered the young major seriously.
"Oh, I think I know what you mean!" cried Ned Lowe. "Isn't it the way in which he was talking to some of those Columbus players?"
"It is," was Ralph Mason's reply. "Then you heard it too, did you?"
"I heard a little. I hoped to hear more, but just then somebody came up and took me away."
"If it was about the ball game, Major, I think I ought to know of it," said Gif.
"The trouble is, Gif, I don't really know whether Stowell meant anything by it or not—or rather if he understood what he was doing. He is so very innocent in some things I hate to accuse him of actual wrong-doing. But one thing is certain: Those Columbus Academy fellows pumped him as much as they could about our players, and especially about Jack Rover's style of pitching. And they also asked a great number of questions about the two new players on the nine."
"Codfish is a sneak, and always was!" burst out Dan Soppinger. "Oh, I know you fellows feel inclined to stick up for him," he added, looking at the Rovers; "and once in a while I feel sorry for him myself. But, just the same, he isn't to be trusted."
"If you'll excuse me for saying something, Major, I don't think I'd take the matter to Captain Dale—at least not just yet," put in Jack. This conversation took place during the cadets' off time, and the young captain felt he could talk freely to his superior officer. "If we find that Stowell really tried to injure us, I guess we can take care of him," and he smiled suggestively.
"All right, we'll let it go at that," answered Ralph Mason; and then walked away, satisfied in his own mind that he had said quite enough to the other boys.
By careful inquiry it was ascertained that several other cadets had noticed Stowell talking to some of the Columbus students and had overheard some of the remarks. All were of the opinion that the little cadet had told altogether too much, although it was possible that he was innocent in the matter.
"We certainly ought to teach him some kind of a lesson," remarked Andy.
"I wonder where Codfish is now?" questioned his twin quickly.
"I don't know, but I think we can soon find out. Come on—let us look him up."
"Hi! what are you up to?" demanded Jack, feeling that something was in the air.
"Oh, let them go, Jack!" cried Fred. And then he added to the twins: "If it's anything worth seeing, let us know about it."
"We will!" called back Andy gaily.
The twins hunted around the school, and at last found Henry Stowell in the gymnasium, where he was sitting on a bench watching some other cadets going through their athletic exercises.
"If we can only manage to keep him here a while we might be able to fix up something in his room for him," suggested Randy.
"I guess that would be easy," answered his twin. "There is Walt Baxter. We'll get him to engage Codfish's attention for a while."
Walt was called to one side and the situation explained to him. He readily consented to see to it that Stowell was kept from going up to his room for some time. Then the twins hurried off in the direction of the Hall.
"We must teach him a lesson that he won't forget in a hurry," remarked Randy.
"Right you are!" was his brother's reply.
Half an hour later the other Rovers, along with Gif, Spouter and Dan, were coming up to their rooms when they were met at the head of the stairs by the twins.
"We're all ready for Codfish," announced Randy, somewhat excitedly. "Just wait until I go down to the gym and tip Walt Baxter off."
"Walt and Codfish are in the school library. They just came over," announced Dan. "Ned Lowe is with them. They were asking Codfish a lot of fool questions in history, as to when Hannibal discovered the south pole and things like that."
Randy ran down and in a minute more was in the school library. He caught Walt Baxter's eye and nodded to let the other cadet know that everything was all right. Then Walt did the same to Ned.
"Well, I'm getting sleepy, Stowell," said Walt, stretching himself. "I think I'll go and hit the hay."
"Ditto here," came from Ned.
"I'm real tired myself, and I'd have gone to bed some time ago if you hadn't asked me so many questions," answered Henry Stowell, with a yawn.
"Then you don't really know much about who discovered the south pole?" said Ned seriously. "You see, I want to put it in a composition I'm writing about cats."
"I don't see what cats have to do with the south pole," said Stowell innocently.
"Oh, that's easy, Codfish," said Walt. "Cats like to climb poles, and the south pole is the south pole, isn't it?" And then he and Ned walked off and joined Randy, and all hurried upstairs to the Rovers' rooms.
As luck would have it Henry Stowell this term was occupying a room by himself. It was a fairly large apartment and furnished with a single bed, a chiffonier, a table, and several chairs. In one corner was a closet in which he kept most of his clothing and also a handbag.
"Well, what have you done?" questioned Fred, as the twins appeared.
"We fixed it up so Codfish is going to spend a real pleasant night," answered Andy, with a grin.
"But what did you do?" came from Jack.
"Just you fellows wait and see. Walt, will you go out and let us know when Codfish comes up?"
"I will," answered Walt Baxter, and hurried to a corner of the corridor where he might see without being seen.
In less than five minutes he came back hurriedly with the information that Stowell had just entered his room.
"All right, then, fellows, come with me and maybe you will see or hear something worth while," announced Randy gleefully.
"How are we going to see anything when he shuts his door on us?" questioned Dan.
"His window is right next to the platform of the new fire-escape," answered Andy. "We'll go out on that, and then maybe we'll see everything that goes on. He always keeps a bright light in his room and always pulls down the shade. But we fixed it so the shade will come down only so far, leaving a crack that we can look through with ease."
"I hope you haven't done anything to get us in bad with Captain Dale," remarked Jack.
"Oh, this isn't as bad as all that, Jack," answered Andy. "It's just something to wake Codfish up."
Led by the twins, the other Rovers and their chums hurried down the side corridor to where there was a red light and a sign, "Fire Escape." Then they threw open a window, and in a moment more stood on the escape mentioned. It was of steel, fairly wide, and ran along past several windows, the second of which belonged to the room occupied by Stowell.
As they stepped out on the fire escape they saw a light flash up in the sneak's room and a few seconds later the window shade was pulled down.
"Just as I told you!" Andy exclaimed. "I knew the shade would come down. And see! there is the crack we mentioned. Now, then, line up under the window and we'll see what happens next."
The window of Stowell's room had been left open so the boys outside could hear, as well as see, what went on within. They saw the sneak of the school yawn and stretch as if he was tired, and then he lost no time in preparing to retire.
In one of his pockets he carried a piece of cake, and this he ate with satisfaction while undressing. Then, when clad only in his pajamas, he turned off the light and moved in the semi-darkness toward the bed.
"Now watch," murmured Andy, somewhat excitedly.
All outside did so, ranging their heads close together at the open slit of the window. They heard Stowell throw back the covers of the bed and then sit down. An instant later came a cry of surprise.
"What's this? Oh, dear me! something is in the bed!"
The sneak of the school bounced to his feet so hurriedly that he tipped over a chair standing alongside of the bed and pitched forward headlong to the floor.
"Hi! Leave me alone! Get away from me! Scat!" they heard him ejaculate and then give a little squeal of terror as he scrambled once more to his feet. Then they heard him rush to the side of the room and once more make a light.
As the rays filled the apartment those outside saw something of what had taken place. Not less than half a dozen mice were doing their best to hide themselves here and there under the bed and the chiffonier and in the corners of the room. One or two scampered directly past Stowell, who set up another squeal of alarm and then leaped up on the nearest chair.
"He's enjoying it, all right," murmured Randy.
"Shut up!" came promptly from Fred. "If he sees us we'll have to dust for it."
But the eyes of the sneak were not turned toward the window. He was looking only at the mice, two of which were still scampering across the floor trying to find some hole of escape.
"Somebody's been playing a trick on me," murmured Stowell to himself. "Just wait till I find out who did it, I'll fix him!"
He remained standing on the chair, not caring to venture on the floor in his bare feet and with the mice still at liberty. He had placed his shoes under the head of the bed.
"I've got to clear them out somehow," he muttered to himself. "But I guess I'd better put my shoes on first. Then I'll get that baseball bat in the closet and do it."
With extreme caution Codfish descended from the chair and walked hurriedly across the floor to the head of his bed. He drew forth the shoes and started quickly to put them on.
His toes were just going down into one of the shoes when he let out a yell which would have done credit to a wild Indian. One of the mice had found refuge in the footwear, and now it gave a bound and scrambled up inside the leg of Stowell's pajamas.
"Hi! Get out of there! Help! Murder! Take that beast away! Oh, my! he'll bite me sure! Ouch! he's bit me already!" And then the sneak of the school began to dance around wildly, in the meantime clutching savagely in the region of the knee where the mouse had found lodgement. Caught, the little animal had nipped Codfish in the finger.
"Gee, this is the richest yet!" chuckled Walt Baxter.
"Better than a moving picture," was Gif's comment.
"He'll wake the whole school if he makes much more noise," remarked Jack. "Be prepared to skip out when the time comes."
"I'll have somebody arrested for this," howled Codfish, as he still struggled with the mouse that was up his leg. "This is beastly! Oh, dear! what in the world shall I do?"
He gave a savage tug at his pajamas, and the next instant there was a tearing sound and the cloth parted at the knee. Out leaped the mouse, to disappear quickly under the bed.
Panting from his excitement, and muttering to himself, the sneak of the school, making sure that the shoes were now both empty, slipped his feet into them and then hurried toward the clothing closet located in a corner. He intended to get a baseball bat with which to either kill the mice or chase them out into the hallway.
"Now watch," whispered Randy. "Here is where he gets another surprise."
Stowell flung open the door of the closet in a hurry. As he did this he found himself confronted by the figure of a Colby Hall cadet. The intruder had a handkerchief tied over his face.
"Hi! what are you doing here?" cried Stowell in sudden surprise. "You're the fellow who's playing the trick on me, eh? I'll fix you, you see if I don't!" And then struck by a sudden idea, Stowell slammed shut the door of the closet and locked it. "Now I've got you, and you'll suffer for this nonsense—you see if you don't!" he shouted.
"Gee! this is the best yet!" burst out Andy in a low voice. "I didn't think he'd lock that dummy in."
"We only put it there to scare him," explained Randy. "It's one of his old suits stuffed out. We thought it might fall out on him when he opened the door. But I guess it's better the way it is," he chuckled.
"Where did you get those mice?" Gif questioned.
"Oh, that was easy," answered Andy. "I met Pud Hicks, the janitor's assistant, this noon and he was telling me of a whole lot of mice he had caught down in the barn during the past week. He had the bunch in a box, and he said he was going to take them down to the river and drown them. I knew where the box was, and getting them was easy."
By this time Codfish had slipped into his trousers, and now he put on his coat.
"He's going downstairs to tell Captain Dale or one of the professors!" exclaimed Jack in a low voice. "We had better get out of here."
The young captain's advice was followed, and all lost no time in leaving the fire escape and entering the school building. They were just in time to see the door to Stowell's room flung open and the sneak hurry downstairs.
"I must see what he does!" cried Randy, who could never let any portion of a joke get away from him, and he hurried down the stairs after Stowell.
Captain Mapes Dale was in the office of the school writing a letter when Stowell burst in upon him with scant ceremony.
"Oh, Captain Dale, won't you please come quick?" cried the little sneak, all out of breath with excitement. "Somebody put about a million mice in my room, and I've got the fellow locked up in my clothes-closet."
"A million mice in your room, Stowell!" exclaimed the captain, leaping to his feet. "Surely you must be mistaken. You don't mean quite that many," and a faint smile crossed his features.
"Well, there are a whole lot of them, anyway," returned Codfish. "When I opened my bed they leaped right out at me and they ran all over the floor, and then one of them went up the leg of my pajamas and bit me. See how I had to tear my pajamas to get him out?" and he showed the spot.
"And you say you have the culprit locked up in your closet?" demanded Captain Dale.
"Yes, sir. Won't you please come up and see who it is before he has a chance to break out? Of course he'll try to get away if he can. He won't want to be caught."
"Yes, I'll go up immediately. Are the mice up there still?"
"Yes, sir. I shut the door on them so they couldn't get away."
"Then I had better call the janitor and his assistant first, so that we can round up the million mice, more or less."
Fortunately Pud Hicks was not around the building, so could not be summoned. But Job Plunger, the school janitor, was at hand, and so was Bob Nixon, the school chauffeur.
"I guess I know where those mice came from," said Nixon, with a grin. "Hicks caught a lot of them down at the barn. He was going to drown 'em down at the river to-morrow. Somebody must have got hold of 'em and put 'em in Stowell's room."
Nixon and Plunger followed Captain Dale and Stowell to the cadet's room. In the meanwhile Randy had rejoined the other Rovers and their chums, and likewise rapped on half a dozen doors as he passed, and as a consequence fully a score of cadets were made aware that something unusual was happening.
"What's the row?"
"Is it a fire?"
"Are they going to celebrate the victory over Columbus Academy?"
"If anything good to eat is being passed around count me in."
"Codfish is holding a celebration!" cried Andy from around a corner and in a disguised voice. "Everybody watch for something good from Codfish's room."
The appearance of Captain Dale with Stowell only whetted the curiosity of the assembled students, and from half-closed doors they watched the head of the school and the little sneak approach the room. The door was left open, and a moment later out popped one mouse, quickly followed by another.
"Hello, there's a mouse!"
"Hi, catch those fellows!" yelled Bob Nixon, who was on hand with a trap, followed by Job Plunger with a box.
The school janitor was quite deaf, and so could hear nothing of what was going on.
The escape of the two mice was a signal for the assembling students to begin a chase after the rodents. Then another mouse came out into the hallway, and various things were thrown at the scurrying animal.
"Here, here! Stop that noise out there!" commanded Captain Dale. "There is no sense in making such a racket over a few little mice."
As he spoke the head of the school strode to the closet door and unlocked it.
"Now come out here and give an account of yourself," he said, as he threw the door open.
"Now you are going to catch it for playing such a trick on me," exulted Codfish.
The figure in the closet, of course, did not move, and Captain Dale reached forth to pull the offending cadet into the room. But then he stopped short, and something of a smile crossed his face.
"What is the matter with you, Stowell—are you blind?" he demanded.
"Blind?" queried the sneak of the school, bewildered. "What do you mean?"
"Can't you see that this is only a stuffed figure? And it hasn't any head on, either; only a handkerchief tied around some underwear with a cap stuck on top."
"Oh, Captain Dale, you don't mean it!" cried Codfish, and fell back against the wall, too upset to say more.
"But I do mean it," went on the military man, and reached for the dummy, which immediately toppled over on the floor, the head and cap rolling in one direction and the legs and shoes in another. "It's nothing but an old uniform stuffed out."
"Where's them mice?" cried Job Plunger in a shrill voice. "Where's them mice, I say?"
"You'll have to find them, Plunger," answered Captain Dale.
"Behind 'em?" remarked the deaf janitor. "Behind where?"
"I did not say behind anything," shouted the captain. "I said you'd have to find them."
"Oh. Well, I'll find 'em if they're in the room," said Plunger.
By this time the noise and excitement had increased so that nearly half of the school was out in the corridor in front of Stowell's room. They saw the remains of the stuffed figure on the floor, and many quickly surmised that a joke had been played.
"What is Codfish doing with that dummy?"
"Has he been using it for an imitation Hun to shoot at?"
"Maybe he's going to join the football team next Fall and wants to practice up."
"Has he been taming mice on the sly?"
"Gee! I don't want to stay in a place where a fellow keeps mice in his room."
In the midst of this talk the janitor and the chauffeur did what they could to round up the escaped mice. They managed to capture two of the rodents and kill two others, and that was all that could be found.
"If there were any more, the rest must have gotten away," remarked Bob Nixon.
"This is simply a practical joke," announced Captain Dale, after a few more words with Stowell. "Have you any idea who played it?"
"I don't know exactly, sir, but I think maybe I can find out," answered the sneak. He felt much subdued, especially as he saw the eyes of many of the other cadets on him.
"Well, you go to bed now, and I'll take this matter up to-morrow morning," said Captain Dale. "Boys, I want you all to retire, and at once," he went on with a wave of his hand to those outside. And then the cadets dispersed to their rooms.
"I guess that will hold Codfish for a while," remarked Randy, when the Rovers were once more by themselves in their rooms and the excitement had died away.
"I'll have to make it a point to see Pud Hicks the first thing in the morning," returned his twin. "Pud might tell somebody that he showed those mice to me."
"Yes, you'd better do that, by all means," put in Jack.
"And another thing you ought to do, is to let Codfish know why this trick was played on him," came from Fred. "Otherwise it will be a good effort thrown away," and he grinned.
"I'll leave a note under his door," said Randy, and a little later scribbled out the following on a card: