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[Illustration: JACK MANAGED TO GET THE BALL AND START WITH IT FOR
THE GOAL.
_The Rover Boys at Colby Hall._ _Frontispiece--Page_ 223]
THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL
OR
_THE STRUGGLES OF THE YOUNG CADETS_
By
ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
(Edward Stratemeyer)
AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER
BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES," ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED_
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
Made in the United States of America
BOOKS BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
(Edward Stratemeyer)
THE FIRST ROVER BOYS SERIES
THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS
THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP
THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS
THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM
THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE
THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE
THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR
THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK
THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA
THE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESS
THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR
THE SECOND ROVER BOYS SERIES
THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL
THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES
THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS
THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS
THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS
THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION
THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT
THE PUTNAM HALL MYSTERY
12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, New York
COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY
EDWARD STRATEMEYER
_The Rover Boys at Colby Hall_
INTRODUCTION
MY DEAR BOYS: This book is a complete story in itself, but forms the
first volume in a line issued under the general title, "The Second
Rover Boys Series for Young Americans."
As mentioned in several of the other volumes of the first series, this
line was started a number of years ago with the publication of "The
Rover Boys at School," in which my readers were introduced to Dick,
Tom, and Sam Rover, three wide-awake American lads. In that volume and
in those which followed I gave the particulars of their adventures
while attending Putnam Hall Military Academy, Brill College, and while
on numerous outings, both in our own country and abroad.
The Rover boys were, of course, growing older; and, having met three
young ladies very much to their liking, each married and settled down,
as related in detail in the several volumes immediately preceding this.
They were well established in business; and in due course of time Dick
Rover was blessed with a son, as was also Sam, while the fun-loving Tom
became the proud possessor of a pair of twins who were as full of life
as their father had ever been.
In this volume the younger Rover boys are old enough to go to boarding
school. They are sent to Colby Hall Military Academy, presided over by
an old friend and schoolmate of their fathers; and there they make both
friends and enemies, and have numerous adventures.
In the beginning this chronicle of the younger Rovers, I wish to thank
my numerous readers for all the kind things they have said about the
other volumes in these series, and I trust that they will make just as
good friends of Jack, Andy and Randy, and Fred as they did of Dick,
Tom, and Sam Rover.
Affectionately and sincerely yours,
EDWARD STRATEMEYER.
CONTENTS
PAGE
I INTRODUCING THE YOUNGER ROVERS 1
II SOMETHING OF THE PAST 13
III WHAT FOLLOWED ANOTHER TRICK 24
IV JACK IN WALL STREET 35
V GETTING READY TO LEAVE 45
VI ON THE TRAIN 54
VII A SCENE IN THE DINING CAR 65
VIII AT COLBY HALL 76
IX THE MISSING SUITCASE 88
X GETTING ACQUAINTED 98
XI DOWN IN THE CORNFIELD 109
XII LEARNING TO DRILL 119
XIII FRED IS FOLLOWED 129
XIV THE FIGHT 139
XV IN THE TOWN 148
XVI AT THE MOVING PICTURE THEATER 157
XVII THE GIRLS FROM CLEARWATER HALL 167
XVIII SLUGGER BROWN IS EXPOSED 178
XIX A SQUALL ON THE LAKE 187
XX IN GREAT PERIL 197
XXI ASSISTANCE REFUSED 206
XXII THE MEETING WITH HIXLEY HIGH 216
XXIII TARGET PRACTICE 226
XXIV THE FUN OF HALLOWE'EN 235
XXV OFF ON A HUNT 245
XXVI FROM ONE TROUBLE TO ANOTHER 254
XXVII ELIAS LACY'S DEMAND 265
XXVIII IN THE GUARDROOM 274
XXIX THE EXPOSURE 284
XXX A FOOTBALL VICTORY--CONCLUSION 296
THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCING THE YOUNGER ROVERS
"For gracious sake! what's that racket?" exclaimed Dick Rover, as he
threw down the newspaper he was reading and leaped to his feet.
"Sounds to me as if there was a battle royal going on," returned his
younger brother, Sam, who was at a desk in the library of the old
farmhouse, writing a letter.
"It's those boys!" exclaimed Tom Rover, as he tossed aside a copy of a
comic paper which he had been looking over. "I'll wager they're up to
some mischief again."
"Well, if they are your boys, Tom, you mustn't find fault with them,"
answered Sam Rover, with a twinkle in his eye. "If ever there were
chips of the old block, your twins are It with a capital I."
"Humph!" snorted Tom Rover. "I don't think Andy and Randy are much
ahead of your Fred when it comes to playing tricks, and I think Dick's
Jack can hold up his end too."
"Never mind about that just now," broke in Dick Rover, hastily. "Let's
go out and see what those kids are up to."
"All right. But don't be too severe with 'em," pleaded Tom Rover.
"Remember, boys will be boys."
"That's true, Tom. But we've got to take 'em in hand sooner or later,"
remonstrated his brother Sam. "If we don't, they'll grow up the wildest
bunch ever known."
A number of cries of alarm and protest, mingled with fierce cheering,
had reached the house from the garden just beyond the broad veranda. As
the three Rover brothers hurried through the hallway and outside, the
yelling and cheering were renewed. Then, just as Tom Rover stepped out
on the veranda, there was a sudden swish and a stream of water from a
garden hose caught him directly in the left ear.
"Hi! Hi! Stop that!" cried Tom Rover, doing his best to dodge the
stream of water, which suddenly seemed to play all over the piazza.
"What do you mean by wetting me this way?"
"It wasn't my fault, Dad," came from a boy standing on the lawn, both
hands clutching a rubber hose held, also, by another boy of about the
same age. "It was Fred who turned the hose that way."
"Nothing of the sort! It was Randy twisted it that way trying to get it
away from me," cried Fred Rover. "And he isn't going to do it!" and
thereupon ensued a struggle between the two boys which caused the
stream of water to fly over the garden first in one direction and then
another.
In the meanwhile, not far away another stream of water was issuing from
a hose held by two other lads. This, as well as the water from hose
number one, had been directed towards the back of the garden, where an
elderly white man and an equally elderly colored man were trying to
shelter themselves behind a low hedge to keep from becoming drenched.
"Fo' de lan's' sake, Massa Dick! won't you make dem boys stop?" cried
out the old colored man, when he caught sight of Dick Rover hurrying
out on the lawn. "Dem boys is jest nacherly tryin' to drown old Aleck
Pop, dat's what dey is!"
"They didn't have no call to touch them hoses," came from the elderly
white man. "I tol' 'em they mustn't muss with the water; but they won't
mind nohow!" and thus speaking old Jack Ness held up his hands in comic
despair.
"Why! we didn't know you were behind the hedge," came from one of the
boys holding the second hose. "We thought you were both down at the
barn."
"You can't make believe like that, Andy Rover!" returned the old man of
all work, shaking his head vigorously. "You knowed I was goin' to trim
up this hedge a bit and that Aleck was goin' to help me."
"You boys let up with this nonsense," came sternly from Tom Rover. He
turned to face one of his twins. "Randy, I ought to give you a
thrashing for wetting me like this."
"Don't Fred get half the thrashing?" questioned Randy Rover,
quizzically, for he could readily see that his parent was not as angry
as his words seemed to imply. "I don't like to be selfish, you know. He
can have more than his share if he wants it."
"You'll take your own thrashings--I don't want 'em," broke in his
cousin Fred quickly.
"Jack," cried Dick Rover, turning to his son, "turn that water off at
once."
"I don't know where to turn it off. I didn't turn it on," answered Jack
Rover, the oldest of the four boys who had been fooling.
"I'll turn it off and fix it so they can't turn it on ag'in," came from
old Jack Ness, and away hobbled the man of all work.
"I think it's a shame for you boys to drench old Ness and Aleck," was
Sam Rover's sober comment. "Both of them might catch cold or get
rheumatism."
"We didn't start to do anything like that, Dad," answered Fred Rover.
"We were going to have a little fight between ourselves, playing rival
firemen. We aimed the water at the hedge, and we didn't see Ness and
Aleck until they let out a yell."
"But I saw two of you playing the water in that direction," cried Dick
Rover. "You were one of them, Jack."
"Oh, well, Dad, what was the harm after they were all wet?" pleaded his
son. "They'd have to change their clothing anyway."
"That's just it," added Andy Rover quickly, with his eyes twinkling
from merriment. "A little more water won't hurt a person when he's
already soaked. It's just like spoiling a rotten egg--it can't be
done," and at this reply, both Dick Rover and his brother, the
fun-loving Tom, had to turn away their faces to hide their amusement.
Nevertheless, Dick sobered his face almost instantly as he answered:
"Well, these pranks around the farm have got to stop. You'll have your
grandfather and Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha all upset, not to say
anything about your sisters and your mothers. It's a fortunate thing
that they went down to the town to do some shopping. Otherwise I think
all of you would be in for quite some punishment."
"Oh! Then you're not going to punish us, are you?" broke in Randy Rover
quickly. "That's fine! I knew you wouldn't mind our having a little
fun."
"Don't be so fast, young man," returned his father. "Your Uncle Dick
may be too lenient. I am rather of the opinion that you and your
brother, if not your cousins, have got to be taken in hand."
"Oh, please, Massa Tom, don' go fo' to punish 'em," burst out old Aleck
Pop. "I--I don't s'pose dey meant any great ha'm, even do dey did t'row
dat stream of wattah right in dis yere coon's mouf;" and he smiled
broadly, showing a row of ivories, rather the worse for wear.
"I think all of you boys had better go into the house and get some dry
clothing on before your mothers put in an appearance," suggested Dick
Rover. "If they see you like this, all dripping wet, they'll certainly
be worried."
"All right, Dad; I'll do it," answered Jack, quickly. And then he
motioned to his cousins. "Come on, let's see how fast we can make the
change;" and off into the big farmhouse rushed the boys, clattering up
the back stairs one after the other, to the two big rooms which they
occupied.
"Some boys!" was Sam Rover's comment, as he shook his head doubtfully.
"They are certainly growing older--and wilder," returned Dick Rover.
"We've got to take them in hand--that is dead certain!" said Tom Rover,
with conviction. "Why! if I don't do something with Andy and Randy
pretty soon, they'll be as--as----"
"As bad as you were, Tom, at their age," finished Dick Rover, with a
smile.
"Now you've said something, Dick," affirmed Sam Rover. "Andy isn't
quite so bad when it comes to playing tricks, although he certainly
says some awfully funny things, but when it comes to doing things Randy
continually puts me in mind of Tom."
"Oh, say! To hear you fellows talk, you'd think that I was the worst
boy that ever lived," grumbled Tom Rover. "What did I ever do to raise
such a rumpus as this?"
"Phew! What did he ever do to raise such a rumpus as this?" mocked Sam
Rover. "Well, what didn't he do? When father went to Africa and
disappeared and we came down here to good old Valley Brook Farm, wasn't
he the constant torment of Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha, and the
hired girl, and all the rest of the community until, in sheer despair,
uncle had to send us off to Putnam Hall? And when we went to the Hall,
who was the first one to get into trouble--exploding a giant firecracker
on the campus? Answer me that, will you?"
"Ancient history," murmured Tom Rover, dryly. But then, of a sudden his
eyes began to twinkle. "No use talking, though, we certainly did have
some good times in those days, didn't we?" he continued. "Do you
remember how we got the best of old Josiah Crabtree?"
"Yes. And how we got the best of a whole lot of our enemies," added Sam
Rover.
"Yes, and what gloriously good times we did have at Putnam Hall and at
Brill College," came from Dick Rover, with a sigh. "Sometimes I wish
all those happy days could be lived over again."
"When you think of those days, Dick, just think of what great times are
in store for our boys," said Sam. "I only trust they have as good times
as we had."
"I guess they'll know how to take care of themselves all right enough,"
was Tom Rover's comment. "But, just the same, we can't permit them to
become too wild. Sending them to that private school in New York City
doesn't seem to have done them so very much good, although, of course,
I admit they are well educated for their age."
"I know where I'm going to send Jack when the proper time comes,"
answered Dick Rover.
"Where?" came from his brothers.
"I'm going to send him to Colby Hall, the military academy which our
old school chum, Larry Colby, has opened. Larry sent me some of his
literature some time ago; and I have heard from several people that
it's already a first-class institution of learning--every bit as good
as Putnam Hall."
"Well, if it's half as good as dear old Putnam Hall it must be some
school," said Tom Rover. "And there's no reason why Larry Colby
shouldn't be able to run a first-class military academy. He was a good
scholar and a first-class cadet when he was at Putnam Hall."
"After Larry left Putnam Hall he went to travel in Europe," continued
Dick. "Then he went through college, and immediately after that he
joined the militia of New York State and there worked his way up until
he now sports the title of colonel."
"Colonel Colby, eh? That's going some," was Tom's comment.
"His school is patterned after West Point, as was Putnam Hall, and I
understand he has a West Point officer there to instruct the cadets in
military tactics."
"Well, that's the sort of school our boys will need," answered Tom
Rover. "The stricter it is the better it will be for them."
"I think it would be a good scheme to send them to Larry Colby's
school," was Sam's comment. "As Larry knows us so well he would
probably take an especial interest in our boys."
"Yes. But I wouldn't want him to show our lads any special favors,"
broke in Tom, quickly. "If the boys went there, I should want them to
stand on their own feet, just as we did when we went to Putnam Hall."
"That's the talk, Tom! No favoritism!" cried Dick. "The only way to
make a boy thoroughly self-reliant is to make him take his own part."
"If we are going to send them off to boarding school, they might as
well go this Fall as any other time," remarked Sam Rover. "Have you any
idea when the term at Colby Hall begins, Dick?"
"About the middle of September."
"It's the middle of August now. That would give us a full month in
which to make arrangements and for them in which to get ready."
"Have you ever said anything to the twins about going to boarding
school, Tom?" questioned Sam.
"Oh, yes. They understand that they are to go to some place sooner or
later. Fred understands it, too, doesn't he?"
"Yes."
"And I told Jack only a short while ago that he must get ready to think
of leaving home," put in Dick Rover. "Of course, it will be rather hard
on the boys at first. They have never been away from us at all except
the two weeks when they were out in that boys' camp."
"They'll have to get used to it, just as we got used to it when father
went off to Africa and Uncle Randy sent us to Putnam Hall. Perhaps we
had better tell them----"
Sam Rover broke off short as a series of shrieks in a high-pitched
feminine voice issued from the pantry of the big farmhouse. An instant
later a hired girl, followed by a middle-aged cook, came flying forth
from the kitchen doorway.
"Oh, save me! Save me!" cried the hired girl, clutching her skirts
tightly around her ankles, "Save me!"
"Oh, Mr. Rover! Mr. Rover! It's those dreadful boys! I won't stay here
another minute!" screamed the cook, flourishing a big spoon in one hand
and a dish-cloth in the other. "It's outrageous! That's what it is! I'm
going to pack my trunk and leave this house right away!"
"What's the matter?" demanded Tom Rover, quickly.
"Are you hurt?" came anxiously from Dick.
"What have the boys done now?" questioned Sam.
"What have they done?" wailed the hired girl. "I just went into the
pantry and opened the closet door and out jumped about a thousand mice
at me!"
"Yes! and they are running all over the house!" broke in the cook
savagely. "One of 'em ran right over my foot and tried to bite me! I'm
going to pack my trunk and leave! I won't stay here another minute!"