THE RIVAL SCHOOL
One of the doors to the rooms occupied by the Rovers was quickly swung
open and Gif Garrison strode in, followed by Dick Powell. Gif held a
morning newspaper in his hand, one which had been delivered to the
school only a short while before.
"You said you had important news, Gif," said Jack. "What is it?"
"There is an item here in the newspaper Gif wants to show you," put in
Spouter. "I am sure it will interest every one of us."
"It's not much of an item so far as size goes," said Gif. "But it
certainly is important--or at least it may be, especially to you
Rovers--seeing that none of us has ever been particularly friendly with
Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown."
"What! have you news of those two rascals?" demanded Randy.
"Did they run away from that detention camp in the South?" broke in
Fred.
"They'd be fools to do that," returned Andy. "The military authorities
would round them up in no time. It's no easy matter to keep out of the
clutches of Uncle Sam if he wants you."
"No, they haven't run away. They have simply been given their freedom,"
answered Gif. "Here--you can read the news for yourselves."
The item he referred to was only twelve lines long and located at the
bottom of a column on one of the inside pages of the newspaper. It was
dated from a well-known detention camp in the South, and gave a list of
six prisoners who had had another hearing and been given their freedom.
Two of the names were Napoleon Martell and Slogwell Brown, Jr.
"Well, they're loose, all right enough," was Andy's comment, after they
had perused the item. "I wonder what they'll do?"
"One thing is certain, being detained that way by the Government will
certainly prove quite a stigma," said Jack. "I shouldn't like to have
anything of that sort against me."
"I suppose they'll have it in for us," said Randy. "They always loved us
a lot--I don't think!"
"Do you imagine they would dare show themselves around here?" questioned
Fred quickly.
"Why not?" queried Spouter.
"I don't think they'll come here," answered Jack. "It's too slow for
them around Haven Point. You know how sick they got of it the last time
they were here. They'll probably head for some big city, where they can
have a good time on whatever money they can get hold of."
Gif and Spouter passed on, to carry the news to other cadets who might
be interested in it, and the Rovers hurried to get ready for roll-call
and breakfast. While they were finishing their dressing they continued
to discuss the news.
"I was hoping that we had seen and heard the last of Nappy and Slugger,"
said Fred; "just as I was hoping that we had seen the last of Werner and
Glutts."
"They are like bad pennies--ready to turn up when you least expect it,"
said Andy. "Just the same, they had better keep out of my way if they
don't want to get into trouble," he continued, his eyes flashing.
During the morning the boys had to attend a drill and then prepare a
number of their lessons for the following week. But directly after lunch
they had the time to themselves, and the four Rovers hurried off to
town, and Gif and Spouter went with them.
As has been mentioned before, Haven Point possessed a first-class motion
picture theater, run by a man named Felix Falstein, who on more than one
occasion had shown his friendship for the cadets. Jack and Fred had
communicated with their sisters, and Martha and Mary had agreed to meet
them at a certain hour at the theater entrance.
"Not here yet," said Jack, when the crowd arrived.
"You can't expect girls to be on hand always," said Andy gaily. "You've
got to give 'em a chance to get the hair-buns over their ears."
"And fourteen hooks hooked up on the shoulder where you can't reach
'em," added his twin, grinning.
"Here they come now!" interrupted Fred. "Do you want me to tell them
about the hooks and the hair-buns?" he added slyly.
"You say a word, Fred, and you'll be killed in cold blood!" retorted
Andy, while Randy shook a playful fist at his cousin.
In the crowd of girls coming around the corner of the street were not
only the two Rovers and May Powell, the cousin of Spouter, but also Ruth
Stevenson, Annie Larkins, and Alice Strobell.
"Have we been keeping you long?" questioned Martha Rover, as she came up
to her brother.
"Only a couple of minutes, Martha," answered Jack.
"We haven't even had a chance to read the billboards," put in Andy.
"I was so glad to see it clear off," remarked Ruth Stevenson, as she
quite naturally paired off with Jack, while May Powell turned to talk to
Fred. And then she added, as she gazed admiringly at the young captain
in his neat-fitting uniform: "I understand you and your cousins have
been doing the hero act again."
"Who told you that?" questioned Jack quickly.
"Never mind who told me. We've heard all about how you rescued a man and
his son from the Rick Rack River. Oh, Jack! it was a grand thing to do."
"But who told you, Ruth?"
"It was Mr. Franklin himself, if you want to know it."
"Where in the world did you meet Mr. Franklin?"
"Why, he works up at Bossard's lumber camp, and Bossard supplies our
school with cordwood. Mr. Franklin and his son brought down a load of
wood, and he told someone how the Rovers had come to their rescue. Then
those folks pointed Martha and Mary out to them, and as we happened to
be with your sister and your cousin at the time we heard the whole
story. Mr. Franklin said it was a very brave thing to do, and he was
awfully sorry that he couldn't offer you some reward--not but what I am
sure, Jack, you wouldn't accept it," the girl continued quickly.
By this time all the boys and girls had paired off and soon the cadets
had purchased tickets and all entered the showhouse. They found seats
together, and sat down to enjoy themselves. A comic picture was being
thrown on the screen, and at this the young folks laughed so heartily
that it put all of them in the best of humor. Then came a slight
intermission, and they had a chance to talk over their personal matters.
"I heard something a few days ago that interested me quite a good deal,
Jack," said Ruth. "It was from that new school at Darryville, the
Longley Academy."
The girl referred to a school which had been opened the Fall previous.
It was supposed to be something of a physical culture academy where as
much attention was paid to athletics as to mental studies. The school
had been inaugurated too late to do anything in football, but had given
out that they would be in the baseball field the following Spring.
"What did you hear about Longley, Ruth?"
"Why, there is a boy there I used to know quite well, Tommy Flanders. He
says they have organized a first-class baseball club, and that they are
going to put it all over Colby Hall--those are his exact words."
"Humph! that remains to be seen, Ruth."
"Have you received a challenge from them?"
"Not yet. But Gif Garrison is expecting one every day. We heard
something of the talk. Do you know if this Tommy Flanders is much of a
player?"
"He used to be considered quite a pitcher. In fact, he was so good as a
boy pitcher that some of the local fans wanted him to sign up in one of
the minor leagues. But of course they wouldn't let him do that because
he was too young to leave school."
"That certainly sounds interesting, especially if this Flanders pitches
for Longley."
"Tommy told me that they had not less than a dozen first-class baseball
players at their academy. He boasted that they would wipe up the diamond
with your school--I am now quoting his words."
"Evidently Tommy knows how to blow."
"Oh, but, Jack, he really is a first-class player. And you must remember
that they have advertised Longley Academy as given over especially to
athletics and gymnastics. Probably they'll pay more attention to
baseball and football than they will to their studies."
"Well, if we get beaten we'll get beaten, Ruth, that's all. We'll do our
best."
"And I certainly hope you win, Jack," said the girl, giving him a warm
glance. "I would like to see you take some of the conceit out of Tommy
Flanders."
After the performance was over the young folks adjourned to a nearby
ice-cream parlor where they indulged in that dainty to their hearts'
content. While eating their cream and munching the cake they had ordered
with it, Jack mentioned what Ruth had told him regarding the boys at the
new rival school.
"Yes, they said they were going to send a challenge soon," said Gif.
"And I've been warned by others that they intend to put a first-class
nine on the diamond to beat us."
"Then it will be up to you, Gif, to show them what Colby Hall can do,"
said Spouter. He himself was not much of a ball player, although he had
been on the nine occasionally.
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.