The Rover Boys out West | Page 9

and his two
brothers as under officers.
"Attention!" shouted the major of the command. "Forward! march!"
"Boom! boom! boom, boom, boom!" went the drums, and then the
fifers struck up a lively tune, and around the academy marched the two
companies at company front. Then they went around again by column
of fours, and then marched into the messroom, where they stacked arms
and sat down at the long mess tables. The movements were patterned
after those at West Point, and could not have been improved upon.
"Well, what of the hunt," asked Dick, as soon as he got the chance to
talk to Tom.
"We followed it to the lake and then lost the trail," answered his brother.
"But I am convinced that the rascal was Dan Baxter."
"I believe you are right, Tom," answered Dick, and related what Dora
Stanhope had told him. Of course Tom listened with keen interest.
"We made a mistake in letting old Crabtree and Baxter go when we had
them in Africa. We should have handed them over to the authorities."

"I am not worried about Baxter so much," went on Dick. "But I hate to
think of Crabtree being around to molest the Stanhopes."
"And especially Dora," grinned Tom.
"Right you are, Tom, and I am not ashamed to admit it to you. But
please don't -- don't well, make fun of it to me any more."
"I won't, Dick." Tom gave his brother's hand a squeeze under the table.
"Dora is all right, and if some day I get her for a sister-in-law I won't
complain a bit." This plain talk made Dick's face flush, but he felt
tremendously pleased, nevertheless, and loved Tom more than ever.
Directly after supper the boys were given until eleven o'clock to do as
they pleased. At once some old barrels were piled high at one end of
the campus, smeared with tar, stuffed with wood, and set on fire, and
the blaze, mounting to the sky, lit up the neighborhood to the lake on
one side and the mountains on the other.
Four cadets had gone down to Cedarville to buy the fireworks and the
things to eat, and by nine o'clock these returned, loaded down with their
purchases. Among the crowd was Larry Colby, who sought out Dick as
soon as he arrived.
"I've got news," he exclaimed. "Whom do you suppose I saw down in
Cedarville? Josiah Crabtree!"
"You are certain, Larry?"
"Yes."
"Where did you meet him?"
"Down at the restaurant where he went for some ice cream. He was just
paying for a lunch he had had when I came in."
"Did you speak to him?"
"No; I wanted to do so, but as soon as he saw our crowd coming in he

dusted out of a side door."
"Was he alone?"
"Yes."
"Humph!" Dick's brow clouded. He was inclined to think that Dora had
been right concerning the noise she had heard on the side porch.
"You haven't any idea where he went?"
"No; I wanted to follow him, but it was dark on the street and he
slipped me."
This was all Larry had to tell, and he hurried to arrange the fireworks.
The celebration was a grand success, and lasted until almost midnight.
The boys had brought along a lot of Roman candles and skyrockets,
and these they set off from the top of one of the tallest trees on the
grounds.
"So that the Pornell fellows can see them," said Sam. "I know they will
enjoy the show," and then he closed one eye suggestively. The Pornell
players had chaffed him on account of his size, and now that the victory
was won, he did not mean to let them forget their defeat too quickly.
At about ten o'clock Dick went to Captain Putnam and asked
permission to leave the grounds for an hour or two.
"Where do you wish to go?" asked the captain.
"To Mrs. Stanhope's, sir," and be related what Dora bad told him, and
of what news Larry Colby had brought.
"I am afraid you may get into trouble, Rover," said the captain
seriously.
"I will be very careful, sir. I am not afraid of Mr. Crabtree, should he
turn up."

"I don't believe you are afraid of anyone," said the master with a smile,
for he admired Dick's courage.
"Then you will let me go?"
"Wouldn't you rather have somebody with you?"
"I wouldn't mind having Tom along."
"I meant some grown person -- like, for instance, Mr. Strong."
"No, sir."
"Well, then, take Tom. But mind and be careful, and don't stay too late
if everything is right, down there."
Having received this permission, Dick hurried to Tom. Soon the two
brothers were on the way, Tom eating some cake and peanuts as