[Illustration: BANG! CRACK! BANG! WENT THE GUNS THE BOYS CARRIED.]
THE ROVER BOYS AT
BIG BEAR LAKE
OR
_THE CAMPS OF THE
RIVAL CADETS_
BY
ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
(Edward Stratemeyer)
AUTHOR OF “THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL,” “THE ROVER BOYS
ON LAND AND SEA,” “THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL,”
“THE PUTNAM HALL CADET 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 ISLAND
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 ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLAND
THE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVAS
THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE LAND OF LUCK
THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG HORN RANCH
THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG BEAR LAKE
THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES
THE CADETS OF PUTNAM HALL
THE RIVALS OF PUTNAM HALL
THE CHAMPIONS OF PUTNAM HALL
THE REBELLION AT PUTNAM HALL
CAMPING OUT DAYS AT PUTNAM HALL
THE MYSTERY AT PUTNAM HALL
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated._
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, New York
Copyright, 1923, by
EDWARD STRATEMEYER
_The Rover Boys at Big Bear Lake_
INTRODUCTION
MY DEAR BOYS: This book is a complete story in itself, but forms the
seventh volume in a line issued under the general title, “The Second
Rover Boys Series for Young Americans.”
As told in some volumes of the First Series, this line of books was
started years ago with the publication of “The Rover Boys at School,”
“On the Ocean,” and “In the Jungle,” in which I introduced my readers
to Dick, Tom and Sam Rover and their chums and relatives. The First
Series, consisting of twenty volumes, gave the particulars of what
happened to these three Rover boys while attending Putnam Hall Military
Academy, Brill College, and while on numerous outings in this country
and abroad. Having finished their education, the three young men
established themselves in business and became married. Later Dick Rover
was blessed with a son and a daughter, as was also his brother Sam,
while the fun-loving Tom became the father of a pair of lively twin
boys.
From their homes in New York City the four Rover boys were sent to
a boarding school, as related in the first volume of the Second
Series, entitled “The Rover Boys at Colby Hall,” where they made many
friends, also a few enemies. From that school the scene was shifted to
“Snowshoe Island,” where the boys spent a winter outing, and then they
rejoined their fellow cadets in some strenuous happenings while “Under
Canvas.” Then in “The Rover Boys on a Hunt” they uncovered the mystery
surrounding a lonely house in the woods.
The older Rovers had become interested in oil, and in the next volume,
entitled “The Rover Boys in the Land of Luck,” I related how the lads
went to Texas and Oklahoma. Then one of their chums asked them to take
a vacation in the West, and in the volume preceding this and called “At
Big Horn Ranch” they had the time of their lives.
In the present story the scene is shifted back to Colby Hall and then
to some rival camps on the edge of a big lake. What happened to the
boys I will leave the pages which follow to relate.
As many of my readers know, the sale of this line of books has now
passed the _three million_ mark. To me this is as wonderful as it is
pleasing. I earnestly hope that the reading of these volumes will do
all of the boys and girls good.
Affectionately and sincerely yours,
EDWARD STRATEMEYER.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. ON THE LAKE 1
II. ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 12
III. THE RESCUE FROM THE BIPLANE 23
IV. A SUDDEN INTERRUPTION 35
V. WHO WAS GUILTY? 46
VI. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE STORM 58
VII. WHO THE MAN WAS 69
VIII. THE FOUR-OARED RACE 80
IX. TOMMY FLANDERS TRIES A TRICK 91
X. AFTER THE RACES 102
XI. CELEBRATING THE VICTORY 113
XII. SETTLING WITH CODFISH 123
XIII. GIF’S WELCOME NEWS 134
XIV. THE ROVERS AT HOME 145
XV. ON THE WAY TO BIG BEAR LAKE 156
XVI. ON BIG BEAR LAKE 167
XVII. TO THE RESCUE 178
XVIII. AT THE BUNGALOW 188
XIX. A QUARREL OVER A ROWBOAT 198
XX. AT THE RIVAL CAMP 208
XXI. THE BIG BEAR 217
XXII. THE DEPARTURE OF JEFF 226
XXIII. DEEP IN THE WOODS 235
XXIV. SIX BOYS AND A WILDCAT 244
XXV. WHAT THE RIVALS DID 254
XXVI. THE BASEBALL GAME 264
XXVII. A SQUALL ON THE LAKE 274
XXVIII. AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY 283
XXIX. JEFF BRINGS NEWS 291
XXX. AT THE CABIN――CONCLUSION 299
THE ROVER BOYS AT
BIG BEAR LAKE
CHAPTER I
ON THE LAKE
“It’s great, I’ll say!” declared Randy Rover.
“I should say it was!” returned his twin brother, Andy. “Just think of
swooping through the air like a bird! Gee, I’d like to own a flying
machine myself!”
“Well, our fathers owned one once,” declared Captain Fred Rover,
somewhat proudly. “They flew clear to Brill College in their machine.”
“Yes, I’ve often heard them talk about that,” put in Major Jack Rover.
“They called the machine the _Dartaway_. It was a biplane and of rather
primitive construction, because in those days aeroplanes were a new
invention and the best of them were rather crude.”
“I wonder what ever became of that machine?” questioned Andy.
“Oh, it went into the scrap heap long ago,” declared his cousin Fred.
“They didn’t have much use for it after they left college and went into
business in Wall Street,” explained Jack. “But they certainly had some
dandy times in it.”
The four boys were out on Clearwater Lake in one of the rowboats
belonging to Colby Hall. They had been watching the maneuvers of a
large biplane which had circled over their heads several times. This
biplane had made its headquarters at a cove just below Haven Point,
and its owners had advertised far and wide to take people up for a fly
around the lake for fifteen dollars per person. As this was the first
aeroplane to come to the lake for business, it had taken up quite a few
people during the past ten days.
“I wonder how long they stay up on a trip,” remarked Andy, as the four
boys resumed their rowing.
“The circulars say fifteen minutes,” answered Fred.
“It didn’t seem to me he stayed up more than ten minutes the time
before this,” said Jack. “I suppose they cut the time when they have
other people waiting to go up. They carry only two passengers at a
time, you know, and I suppose they want to make hay while the sun
shines.”
“A dollar a minute is making money pretty fast,” observed Randy. “I’d
like to rake in an iron man every sixty seconds by the watch,” and he
grinned.
“Yes, but it costs something to run a flying machine,” returned Jack.
“And then there is the risk, too.”
“Well, if we went up it would cost the four of us sixty dollars,”
declared Randy.
“And I don’t see ourselves spending sixty dollars that way just now,”
cried Jack. “My spending money for this quarter is getting low.”
“Don’t say a word, Jack, about spending money!” came from his cousin
Fred, with a wry face. “I’m almost high and dry.”
“It’s lucky they can’t charge us for looking at the aeroplane,”
chuckled Andy.
The four Rover boys had left Colby Hall about an hour before for a
row down the Rick Rack River to the lake. In a boat behind them were
four of their chums, Dick Powell, often called Spouter because of his
fondness for making long speeches, Gif Garrison, who was at the head
of the school athletics, and Ned Lowe and Dan Soppinger. Each crowd of
cadets was in a well-built four-oared boat, and a little while before
had indulged in a race which had come to an end when all had stopped
rowing to look at the aeroplane which was soaring above their heads.
Boating that year promised to become popular at Colby Hall. Colonel
Colby had had the institution fitted out with several new racing
shells, and in addition had purchased two motor-boats of which all
the cadets were very proud. A man had been hired who knew all about
motor-boats, and he was instructing the various cadets in the use of
the craft.
“I must say I wish we were out in one of the new motor-boats,” declared
Fred, after they had gone on rowing for ten minutes more. “This is
rather hot and tiresome work.”
“Never mind, Fred. You need the exercise,” declared Jack. “You’re
getting too stout. The first thing you know you’ll be as fat as Fatty
Hendry.”
“Gosh! don’t say that, Jack,” returned the young captain quickly. “Why,
Fatty is so fat he can hardly get through the dormitory doors!”
“That aviator won’t want to take up Fatty,” remarked Andy. “That is,
not unless he went up alone and paid double fare.”
“Hi, you fellows, get a move on!” came a shout from the other rowboat,
and Gif Garrison waved a hand towards the Rovers. “I thought you were
going to do a little rowing practice. Remember, we have got to get busy
if we want to win any of those boat races later on.”
“Fred and I are not in those races, Gif,” answered Jack. “You know
officers are not expected to enter any contests like that.”
“Yes, but I expect Andy and Randy to go into at least one race,”
declared the cadet who was at the head of the athletic committee. “And
when they go in I want them to make a real showing for Colby.”
“We’ll do that all right enough,” declared Randy.
“I’m going in for practice every day after this,” answered his brother.
“Just remember we’ve got to wipe Longley Academy from the face of the
lake,” declared Spouter Powell. “We’ll show them that as a military
academy they are not one, two, three with good old Colby Hall.”
“That’s the talk!” cried Jack. “There’s going to be only one real
military academy around here, and that’s Colby.”
“So say we all of us!” sang out his cousin Andy.
“What did they want to turn Longley Academy into a military school for,
anyway?” grumbled Ned Lowe. “I thought when they started that school
they were going to give their attention mainly to athletics.”
“So they did,” answered Gif Garrison. “But when they saw how popular
Colby Hall was becoming, and how they were losing one scholar after
another, I guess the owners got busy and concluded the only thing they
could do would be to turn the academy into a military school and give
their boys the showiest kind of a uniform.”
“And they sure have got the uniforms!” declared Fred, who overheard
this remark from the other boat. “Gosh! you would think they were
cadets from one of those little jerkwater monarchies in Europe. Such
gold braid and buttons and such lace! It’s enough to make an ordinary
American boy sick!”
“You’d better not tell them that,” said Jack quickly. “If you do
they’ll say you’re jealous of them because our uniforms are so
ordinary.”
“Well, you give me the good old gray and khaki every time,” came from
Randy. “Both of those colors stand the wear a good deal better than
that showy stuff will ever do.”
“Come on, fellows; jack her up!” called out Gif. “I’ll bet you a pint
of peanuts we can beat you to the landing at Berry Island.”
“Make it a quart and we’ll go you!” shouted back Jack gayly.
“And they’ve got to be freshly roasted, too,” broke in Andy. “No stale
old goobers from Rigoletto’s place where they’ve been lying in his
show window for a month or two! They’ve got to be freshly roasted,
right out of the whistling roaster!”
“Get ready――pull!” cried Gif, a few seconds later, and at this word of
command from the head of the general athletic committee the four Rovers
started up the lake with the other boat close by their side.
It was a beautiful day in early summer, and the surface of Clearwater
Lake sparkled in the sunshine. There was scarcely any wind and
consequently conditions were ideal for rowing.
Ever since they had come to the military academy the four Rover boys
had spent more or less time on the river and the lake beyond, so they
were no novices when it came to handling an oar. Jack set the pace, and
his three cousins kept stroke with him in a fashion that could not help
but win approval.
“Come on, fellows! We’ve got to beat ’em!” cried Gif Garrison to his
rowing mates. “Pull now, and make every stroke tell!”
“We are not as well matched up as they are,” panted Ned Lowe, who was
by far the poorest rower of the bunch. “Those Rovers have been rowing
together ever since they came to the Hall.”
“Don’t growl, Ned! Row!” returned the leader, and then the cadets in
the second boat did their best to outstrip their rivals.
It was certainly a spirited race and well worth watching. But no other
craft was in sight, the two rowboats apparently having that portion of
the lake entirely to themselves. The aeroplane which had attracted the
rowers’ attention had glided away in the distance and they could no
longer hear the roar of the motor.
Berry Island was little more than a quarter of a mile away. It was for
the most part very rocky, but at one end there was a somewhat sandy
beach where the boys occasionally went in bathing.
“Say, it wouldn’t be a bad stunt to go in swimming after this race,”
puffed Randy, as he bent over his oar.
“No use to go in when you’re all tired out and in a sweat,” declared
Fred, who on account of his stoutness found it rather difficult to keep
up with the others.
The Rovers had forged ahead, and it looked very much as if they would
win the race when suddenly Randy began to drag. Then he lost his stroke
and that threw his brother out of stroke, too, and this caused the
rowboat to swerve from its course and the craft under Gif Garrison’s
directions shot ahead.
“Hi! what’s the matter with you?” cried Jack, in some vexation.
“My oar caught on a rope or some bit of seaweed,” declared Randy. “It’s
gone now,” and he and his brother proceeded to right themselves. Then
they caught the stroke and went forward as before.
This little mishap occupied only a few seconds of time, but during
that period the other boat went ahead a good hundred feet. Gif and
his followers were rowing with all their might, bound to put all the
distance possible between themselves and their competitors.
“Swing into it! Swing!” cried Jack. “We’ve got to catch up! Now
then――all together and make her jump out of the water!”
Jack had always been the leader of the four cousins, and they obeyed
his instructions as best they could. They put in every ounce of their
strength on the oars, and slowly but surely their craft began to
overtake the other rowboat.
“Pull, you duffers, pull!” cried Gif, as he saw the Rovers crawling up.
“We’re almost to the island! Pull, or they’ll overtake us!”
He increased the stroke and Spouter and Dan followed. But this speed
was too great for poor Ned Lowe, and all of a sudden Ned’s oar came
up with a tremendous splash that showered everybody in the boat with
water. Then Ned lost his balance and he and Spouter came close to
falling overboard. The craft slued around directly in the path of the
second rowboat.
“Stop rowing! Back water!” cried Jack, as the sudden shouts ahead
warned him that something was wrong. He gave a quick glance around, as
did his oar mates, and then he and Fred threw their craft out of the
course. An instant later the oars of the boats scraped each other. But
then the craft separated.
“Some narrow escape, I’ll say,” declared Randy, when the momentary
danger was over.
“What’s the matter with you fellows, anyway?” called out Fred.
“Ned lost his stroke, that’s all,” answered Gif.
“Lost his stroke and gave us a shower bath at the same time,” put in
Dan.
“Well, I guess the race is off,” declared Jack, good-naturedly.
“Anyway, I think it’s about time that we got back to the Hall. I want
to see Captain Dale before we have the evening parade.”
“Let’s rest at the island just a few minutes,” pleaded Randy. “I want
to get my wind back before―――― Gee, boys, look at that, will you?”
He broke off suddenly and in his excitement stood up in the rowboat
pointing skyward as he did so. All looked in the direction pointed
out and saw that the aeroplane was again heading in their direction.
But now instead of sailing along on an even keel the flying craft was
zigzagging in a most unusual fashion.
“Say! there’s something wrong with that flying machine, that’s sure,”
declared Fred in excitement.
“Maybe the aviator is trying a few stunts,” suggested Andy. “They do
that once in a while, you know.”
“But not when they have passengers who are green at flying!” burst out
Jack. “I believe something is wrong with that machine.”
“Look! Look! Did you ever see anything like that?” came from the other
boat. “That aviator acts as if he were crazy! Or otherwise his machine
has got the jimjams.”
By this time the aeroplane was almost over their heads. The roar of
the motor was deafening. The great machine darted from one side to the
other, and then took a dip and a whirl which made it look as if both
rowboats and their occupants might be doomed.