THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG
As the boys were nearing the camp on their way back they suddenly
heard the sound of angry voices, and Percival whispered:
"Wait a minute, Jack. Some of the boys are having a quarrel, and I
believe I know who they are."
"I told you to let my boat alone, you idiot!" the boys heard Herring
say just ahead of them.
They were in the woods adjoining the camp, and the two quarreling
boys were very close to them.
"Well, I didn't hurt it!" they heard Merritt say angrily. "You
are making a lot of fuss over an old tub that isn't any good anyhow.
Look how little Smith beat us this afternoon, and he the smallest
boy in the Academy. I didn't hurt your boat."
"I say you did, and I told you not to go out with it. You've busted
the engine."
"No, I didn't. It wasn't any good anyhow. You tried to put Sheldon's
boat out of business, but you couldn't."
"You had as much to do with that as I did!" sputtered Herring.
"Well, you started it, same as you started telling that detective
that Sheldon had a bad name in the Academy, and---"
"Shut up! Somebody will hear you. You had as much to do with
that as-----"
Percival suddenly let out a great bellow, such as a calf in search
of its mother might make.
"Gracious! what's that?" cried Herring in alarm, making a dash for
the camp, the lights of which could be plainly seen.
Merritt followed in hot haste, frightened out of his wits, and
Percival broke into a hearty laugh, not caring if the two conspirators
heard him or not, and greatly enjoying their terror.
They may have done so, but they did not pause until they reached the
camp, and were challenged by the sentry.
"That's good!" laughed Dick. "And we have found out something as
well. Now we know who it was who tried to put your boat out of
commission. I have always suspected those rascals of having had
something to do with it, and now I am certain."
"Yes, but that was not as bad as-----"
"As trying to make you out a bad character. No, it is not. I had
my suspicions on that score, too. If you had asked me to name the
fellows who were most likely to do a thing of that sort I would have
named them in a moment. They are just mean enough."
"Well, it does not matter," said Jack. "No one would believe them
who knows me. It is not worth thinking about."
"But I think it is!" said Percival hotly. "You don't know how far
a thing of that sort might go. Suppose the detective had arrested
you before he saw the doctor or you had a chance to explain? It
would have taken a long time to explain things away."
"I do not think so," Jack replied. "I have friends enough in town
to say nothing of the Academy. Besides, who is going to arrest me
in any such peremptory fashion as all that? Do you suppose I would
submit to it?"
"No, I guess not!" and Percival laughed again. "You are a quiet
sort of fellow, Jack, but when it comes to a thing of that sort you
can be as lively as any one, myself for instance. I remember the
time you knocked this same Herring bully down for insulting you.
It was a surprise to him, and to all of us, for we all thought you
were a quiet chap who would stand most anything for the sake of peace."
"Well, I don't seek quarrels," Jack replied, "but being in one-----"
"As Shakespeare says you stick it out," and Percival laughed again.
"I think it ought to be known that Herring and Merritt tried to
give you a black eye, Jack. It is no more than right."
"But they did not give it to me, Dick, and there is no use in
stirring up trouble. Let it go. Both Herring and Merritt must
know by this time that the Hilltop boys in general will not believe
their lies."
"Well, if they do not they must be very stupid," grunted Percival,
and by this time the boys were in the camp.
"Pete Herring and Erne Merritt saw a ghost!" laughed Billy Manners,
as the boys came in. "They were frightened to bits. I believe
myself that it was nothing but a white calf."
"You were frightened by a calf yourself once, Billy," chuckled Dick,
"and declared that it was a roaring bull."
"Did I?" asked Billy innocently. "When was that?"
"You know well enough," said Percival, "so you need not be so
innocent. However, I know what frightened Herring and Merritt."
"What was it?" asked Billy, and a number of others.
"Guilty consciences!" said Dick shortly, and with some emphasis, and
then he and Jack went on to their tent.
"They will want to know more, Dick," said Jack. "You should not have
given them a clue like that."
"I won't say any more, then. They are within hearing and they will
understand, and you will see that they are careful how they talk
about you to any one after this."
"Let them talk," laughed Jack.
For two or three days things went on as usual in the camp on the river,
the boys doing a certain amount of study, drilling a little,
exercising in the outdoor gymnasium, skimming along the river in
their boats and otherwise occupying themselves, the time, on the
whole, passing very pleasantly.
Then one day a messenger came from a boys' camp some miles down the
river asking them to take part in a regatta, which was going to take
place at the other camp in a day or so.
"We know you Hilltop boys," said the messenger, "and we would like
to have some representatives of your Academy at our sports. Will
you send a few of them?"
The messenger had met Percival and Jack, and Percival now answered:
"We shall be very glad to send any number. Do you intend to have any
other besides aquatic sports? Any running, jumping, or anything of
that sort? Our boys are good at all of them."
"Mostly water sports, but I suppose we could have some of the rest.
There will be races for motor-boats, shells, canoes, a tub race, and
a swimming match. We have a good stretch of river at our camp, and
there is plenty of room."
"And the affair takes place the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes, beginning at two in the afternoon. That will give you time to
get home after it is over, either by train or in your own boats."
"Very well. We will be on hand. I cannot tell you whom we will
send, for the doctor will have something to say about that, but
there will be some of us there beyond a doubt."
"You have a boy named Sheldon, who is a dandy at running a motor-boat,
haven't you?" the other boy asked.
"Yes, and he can get speed out of a canal-boat," laughed Dick.
"Do you want him?"
"We certainly do," said the other emphatically. "We have heard
of him, and we certainly want him."
"Here he is now. You can ask him yourself." The other boy was
a bit surprised at seeing the very boy he had been talking about,
and said:
"But I thought you were bigger. They said you were strong and wiry,
and I expected to see a giant. Why, you are no bigger than I am.
And you can run a motor-boat?"
"Certainly he can," replied Dick. "Size does not count in a thing
like that. Why, I am bigger than Jack, but he can beat me running a
boat. Then there is little Jesse W. Smith, who is the smallest thing
in the way of a boy in the Academy, and he has beaten boys twice his
size."
"And you will be down?" to Jack himself.
"If I am chosen to represent the Hilltop boys, I will certainly be
on hand," Jack replied. "I should like nothing better."
Other boys now came up, and Percival told them about the regatta to
be held at the other camp on the next day, but one, all of them being
greatly excited over it.
"Even if we don't take part I suppose we can go?" asked Billy Manners.
"There ought to be a lot of fun in it."
"There will be if you race, Billy," said Percival. "There is going
to be a tub race as one of the attractions."
"Good enough! I can win a tub race as well as anything else if I put
my mind on it," laughed Billy. "I think I'll enter for it."
"Anything to make things lively," said the messenger, and then he
shortly took his leave, while the Hilltop boys were greatly excited
over the coming contest wherein they hoped to take more than one prize.