THE FIRE AT THE HALL
Sam had been right when he said that Dan Baxter was like his
father. Parent and son were thoroughly bad, but how bad the
Rover boys and their friends were still to learn.
On Saturday the cadets had a half-holiday, and some of them went
over to the lake to fish, Sam and Tom accompanying the party.
While the boys were waiting for bites they espied a large
sail-boat skimming along the lake shore. As it came closer Tom
and Sam were much astonished to see that the boat contained Dan
Baxter, Josiah Crabtree, and Mumps.
"By jinks, there is Mumps' yacht!" ejaculated Tom. "How in the
world did he get her up here?"
"Brought her by way of the canal and the river, I suppose,"
answered Sam.
"Hullo there!" called out Larry Colby, who was in the crowd.
"Mumps, you might be in better company."
"You keep your mouth shut!" retorted Fenwick.
"If you talk to me, I'll come ashore and give you a thrashing,"
put in Baxter.
"I dare you to come ashore!" burst out Tom. "You'll stay where
you are if you know when you are well off."
No more was said, and presently the boat sped out of sight around
a bend of the lake shore. Fishing proved to be good, and in the
excitement of the sport Baxter and the others were, for the time
being, forgotten.
It was late when the boys packed up. Sam had six fish, Tom as
many more, and all of the others a fair catch.
"We'll have fish tomorrow for breakfast, sure," said Larry.
"Hurry up, or we'll be late."
The party started off, but had only gone a short distance when
Sam remembered that he had left his knife sticking in the stump
of a tree, and ran back to get it, in the meantime turning his
fish over to Tom.
The fishing place was behind a grove of trees, and when Sam
reached it again he was much surprised to see Dan Baxter on
shore, he having just left the yacht, which was cruising some
distance away.
"Hullo! so you came back to have it out with me, eh?" cried
Baxter, and before Sam could say a word, he was hurled flat and
the bully came down on top of him.
Sam fought bravely, but was no match for the big fellow, who
began to hammer him unmercifully. Realizing how matters were
turning, the youngest Rover began to cry for help.
"You shut up!" stormed Dan Baxter. "Shut up, or I'll give it to
you worse than ever!"
But Sam had no intention of taking such a drubbing quietly, and
he yelled louder than ever. His cries reached Tom, who had
dropped behind to allow his brother to catch up.
"Something is wrong," he muttered, and hanging the fish on a
bush, he ran back at the top of his speed.
Dan Baxter heard him coming and tried to get away, but as Tom
called out, Sam's courage rose, and he grabbed the bully by the
foot and held him.
"Let go!" roared Dan Baxter, but Sam would not, and in a second
more Tom was at hand and hit the bully such a stinging blow in
the face that Baxter went down in a heap.
A rough-and-tumble scrimmage ensued, and it must be said that the
bully got by far the worst of it. Tom hit him again and again,
and Sam also, and when at last he staggered to his feet, one eye
was almost closed and his nose was bleeding profusely.
"Now I guess you won't tackle any of us again," said Tom.
"I'll get even--mark my words!" roared Baxter, and ran down the
lake shore in the direction the _Falcon_ had taken.
When Baxter reached the yacht he was so weak he could scarcely
stand. It was a long while before he could stop his nose from
bleeding, and his eye stung with a pain that was maddening.
"Did little Sam Rover do that?" asked Mumps, while Josiah
Crabtree looked on in curious silence.
"Sam Rover?" snorted Baxter. "Not much! Why, the whole crowd
piled on me six or seven of them at a time. They tried to kill
me!"
"Didn't you defend yourself, Daniel?" asked Crabtree.
"Of course I did. I knocked two of them down and another fellow
had two of his teeth broken. But I couldn't fight all six single
handed."
"Oh, I presume not--especially such brutes as Captain Putnam is
now raising."
"It's a pity we can't get square with them," said Mumps.
"Oh, I'll get square! You just wait," answered the bully
cunningly. "I'm not done with them yet by any means."
"What will you do?"
"Just you wait and see."
"I don't wish to have you interfere with our plans," put in
Josiah Crabtree.
"I won't interfere with the other plans. But I am going to get
square."
"We've had delay enough," continued Josiah Crabtree.
"Well, that wasn't my fault. Mumps got sick, and that's all
there is to it," growled Dan Baxter, and then went to dressing
his swollen eye once more.
In the meantime Sam and Tom had rejoined their fellows and told
their story. All of the others were indignant at Baxter's doing
and glad to learn he had been given a sound drubbing.
"I don't see why he hangs in this neighborhood," said Larry.
"It's a wonder he doesn't try to join his father."
"They are probably on the outs since Dan took that two hundred
dollars," answered Tom.
The boys were all tired that night, and the occupants of
Dormitory No. 6 retired early in consequence.
It was a little after midnight that Dick awoke with a cough. He
sat up in bed and opened his eyes to find the room almost filled
with smoke.
"For gracious sake!" he muttered. "What's the matter here? Sam!
Tom!"
"What's this?" came from Larry Colby. "Is the house on fire?"
He leaped from his bed, and so did Dick. By this time the smoke
in the dormitory was getting thicker and thicker. It was coming
through the door, which stood partly open.
"Wake up, boys; the Hall is on fire!"
"Fire! Fire! Fire!" came from all parts of the building.
One after another the cadets roused up. Some were completely
bewildered and did not know what to do.
"We had better get out as soon as we can!" exclaimed Dick, as he
slipped into his trousers. "Come, Tom! come, Sam!"
He ran for the hallway, to find it so thick with smoke that
escape in that direction seemed cut off.
"We can't go down that way!" came from Frank. "We'd be smothered
to death."
"Let's jump from the windows," put in Larry, who was more
frightened than any of the others.
"No, no; don't jump yet!" cried Tom "You'll break a leg, and
maybe your neck."
"But I don't want to be burnt up," returned Larry, his teeth
chattering.
"Hold on, we have that rope we used when we had the feast last
summer," said Sam. "Let us tie that to the window and get down
on it."
Sam ran to the closet and found the rope just where it had been
left, on a hook in the corner. Soon they had it out and fastened
to a bed-slat braced across the window frame.
"Down you go, Larry!" said Dick. "Be careful; I reckon we have
plenty of time."
Larry slid down in a jiffy, and one after another the others came
after him, Dick being the last. As the youth turned around on
the window sill he saw the fire creeping in at the door. Their
escape had taken place none too soon.
Down on the parade ground they found a motley collection of
half-dressed cadets, instructors, servants, and others who had
been sleeping in the burning Hall.
In the midst of the group was Captain Putnam, pale but
comparatively cool, considering the excitement under which he was
laboring.
"Are all the boys out?" he asked of George Strong. "Line them up
and call the roll."
The roll-call was put through in double-quick order. Only two
lads were missing, a boy named Harrison and another named Leeks.
"Here comes Harrison!" cried Harry Blossom, and the boy limped
forth from the opposite side of the burning building.
"I sprang from the east wing," he explained. "I guess my ankle
is sprained." And then he dropped down and was carried away from
the scene to a place of safety.
"Where can Leeks be?" questioned Captain Putnam. "Leeks! Leeks!
Where are you?" he cried with all the power of his lungs.
At first the only reply that came back was the roaring of the
flames, as they mounted from one section of the Hall to another.
Then, however, came a shriek from the rear end of the western
wing.
"Help me! Save me! I don't want to be burnt up!"
"It is Leeks!" cried Tom. "See, he is on the gutter of the
roof!"
He pointed in the direction, and all saw the cadet, dressed in
nothing but his white gown, clinging desperately to the slates of
the roof above the gutter. He had run from the second floor to
the third and sought safety by crawling out of a dormer window.
"Don't jump!" cried a dozen in concert. "Don't jump, Leeks!"
"What shall I do? The flames are coming up here as fast as they
can!" groaned the cadet. "Oh, save me, somebody!"
"Let's get the ladder," said Dick, and started for the barn, with
a score of cadets at his heels and George Strong with them. In
the meantime Captain Putnam again urged Leeks to remain where he
was. "We will save you, don't fear," he added.
The fire below now made the scene as bright as day, and already the
neighbors were rushing to the scene, followed by the Cedarville
volunteer fire department, with their hose cart and old style
hand-pump engine.
Soon the ladder was brought out of the barn and rushed to the
spot directly below where Leeks stood. Willing hands raised it
against the building. And then a loud groan went up. The ladder
was too short by ten feet--and it was the only ladder to be
had!