THE CHUMS MAKE A CALL
For a week after the races, matters at Putnam Hall ran along smoothly.
Captain Putnam insisted upon it that the students attend to their studies
and our friends pitched in with vigor, so that Jack stood first in his
class, Pepper third, and Andy fourth, which was certainly fine.
During that time Dan Baxter had a sharp "run-in" with the master of the
Hall, who gave the bully a stern lecture. As a consequence Baxter was
quite humble for the time being and did not risk doing anything to bring
him into further disgrace.
On a Tuesday morning Captain Putnam called Jack, Pepper, and Andy into
his private office.
"Gracious, I hope we aren't in for a lecture!" whispered Andy while on
the way.
"Have you been doing anything wrong?" asked Pepper with a wink.
"No, have you?"
"Not much. I had some flour yesterday and when I was upstairs old
Crabtree was in the lower hallway. Somehow the flour slipped out of my
hand and went down on Crabtree's head."
"Slipped is good!" chuckled Jack. "Did he spot you?"
"Not much! I had business elsewhere, and I dusted," answered his chum.
When they entered the office they found Captain Putnam awaiting them with
a smile and knew at once that everything was all right.
"I've received an invitation for you three lads," said the master of the
Hall. "It is from Mr. Rossmore Ford. He and his wife and daughters are
going to have a small gathering at their home this afternoon and evening,
and they would like you to be present. If you desire to go you may do so.
Mr. Ford is anxious to do something to show how much he appreciates what
you did for his daughters."
"Oh, I don't know----" faltered Andy, who was somewhat bashful.
"Let us go by all means!" cried Pepper. "I'm sure we'll have a good
time."
"I shouldn't mind going," said Jack. "They seemed to be real nice people,
and it would look strange to refuse."
So it was settled that they should go, and Captain Putnam said they could
take a horse and buggy from the Hall and make the journey to Point View
Lodge and back in that.
"And remember to be back by eleven o'clock," said the master of the Hall.
They were to start at two o'clock, and immediately after dinner they
rushed up to their dormitory to get ready. It was a rule of the
establishment that cadets must wear their uniforms when going out on such
occasions and they brushed up as never before, and put on their best
collars, cuffs, and shoes.
"Jack is sprucing up for the girls," observed Pepper, with a wink at
Andy.
"I'm sprucing up for the credit of the Hall," retorted the young major.
"And you must do the same."
When they went down to the barn, Peleg Snuggers had the horse and buggy
ready for them, and the utility man told them of the road to take to get
to Point View Lodge.
"Mr. Ford is a swell gent," said Peleg Snuggers. "Ain't no more swell
gent in these parts."
"Any danger of his bursting?" queried Andy.
"Is he a land swell or a sea swell?" questioned Pepper.
"You young gents know wot I mean," answered the utility man. "He's
rich--got millions."
"Phew!" murmured Jack. "Boys, we'll have to put on swell airs!"
"Peleg, won't you lend me a diamond for my shirt front?" asked Andy.
"Ain't got no diamond."
"Maybe you'll lend us a gold watch," suggested Jack.
"Oh, you stop a-jokin' me," cried the utility man. "How am I to git
diamonds an' gold watches on twenty dollars a month, answer me that now?"
"Oh, we know you're rich, Peleg," said Pepper. "Some day you'll buy out
the Hall and give us free board, eh?" And then the boys drove off,
leaving Peleg Snuggers standing grinning after them.
"Boys is boys, an' allers will be!" murmured the man of all work. "Bless
'em all, say I."
The road to Point View Lodge was somewhat rough and they had to drive
along with care. In some spots the trees overhung the road completely,
making the way rather dark.
"It will be no mean drive getting back," said Andy.
"We've got a lantern, and we can drive slow," answered Jack. "We ought to
start for the Hall by half-past nine o'clock."
At last they reached the Lodge, located on a point of the lake shore.
There were elegant grounds, filled with shrubs and flowers, and a fine
mansion with broad piazzas. Off to one side was a large summerhouse and
to the other a barn and sheds.
"This is fine and no mistake," murmured Jack. "See, there is quite a
crowd here, too."
A stable-hand took care of their turnout, and soon Rossmore Ford and his
stately wife came to greet them. Then the girls came also, and there were
warm handshakings all around.
"I am very, very thankful for what you did for Laura and Flossie," said
Mrs. Ford. "I want you to make yourselves at home here, and I trust you
have a good time."
"It's a splendid place," said Andy.
They were introduced to a number of the guests, including several young
men from Pornell Academy, and then Laura and Flossie took them around the
mansion and grounds, showing them various points of interest. The girls
were bright and lively and soon succeeded in making them feel perfectly
at home.
"I see you have several students from Pornell here," said Jack to Laura,
when they had drifted a short distance away from the others.
At this Laura frowned slightly.
"Yes. We did not expect them. They came to make a call."
"Oh, I see."
"One of them, Roy Bock, knows some of my mother's people, and he comes on
that account and brings those others with him."
"He seems to be making himself at home."
"Yes, he acts as if he owned the place. Flossie and I do not like them to
come, but mamma doesn't like to say anything, and pa is away most of the
time."
They took a ramble through the garden and into a conservatory, and Laura
gave Jack a big rose for his buttonhole, while Flossie got roses for Andy
and Pepper. These had just been pinned on when Roy Bock appeared,
followed by three of his fellow students from Pornell Academy.
"So here you are!" cried Roy Bock, loudly. "We were wondering what had
become of you. Spooning, I suppose?" he added, coarsely.
"We were showing our friends around the grounds," said Laura, quietly.
"I just heard you were the chaps that pulled the girls out of the lake,"
said a student named Grimes.
"Oh, anybody could have done that," came from another, named Gussic.
"I suppose anybody could have rowed that race, too," said Jack, sharply.
The manner of the rival academy boys was very obnoxious.
"Oh, I heard how your school won that race!" cried Flossie, her eyes
beaming.
"I guess our school didn't have a fair show," growled Roy Bock. "The
Putnam Hall crew started before the pistol went off."
"That is not true!" exclaimed Pepper. "The start was a very fair one."
"Humph! Of course you'd say so," grumbled the student named Gussic.
"I say so because it is true."
"I reckon all you fellows have the swelled head now," put in Grimes. "But
just wait till the football match comes off--we'll show you a trick or
two."
"Oh, please don't quarrel here!" whispered Laura, in a frightened tone.
"If you get Roy Bock mad, he'll say all sorts of mean things."
"We've got to go back now," said Bock. "We'll call again some day--when
these fellows ain't around. We don't want anything to do with chaps who
cheat at boat races."
"Bock, some day I'll make you take back those words," said Jack, hotly.
"But we are guests here, so I'll say no more."
"Bah! I'm not afraid of you," growled Roy Bock, and then he strode off,
followed by his fellow students. Soon they left the house, on the
buckboard that had brought them to the Lodge.
"Oh, how thankful I am that they are gone," said Flossie. "Do you know, I
am getting afraid of Roy Bock!"
"He's a--a--puppy," said Andy. "Excuse the word, but I can't describe him
in any other way."
"I think he is very mean," came from Laura. "I wish he would keep away
for good."
"His companions are about as bad as he is," said Pepper. "They seem to be
all tarred with the same brush."
"They are always together," said Flossie. "They always come here in a
bunch and stay and stay. It's a wonder they didn't invite themselves to
dinner. And then, so I've been told, they tell their fellow students that
we urge them to come, and that they can't hardly get away from here!"
There were one or two other young folks present, and all had a good time
until dinner was served. The repast was an elaborate one, and our friends
did it full justice. Then came some music and a few games, and all too
soon it was time for Jack, Pepper, and Andy to leave.
"We've had a boss time!" cried Pepper, enthusiastically. "Excuse the
French!" he added, meaning the slang.
"Couldn't have had a better!" added Jack.
"It was real nice of you to ask us to come," put in Andy.
"We have enjoyed your company," said Laura, and Flossie said the same.
Then Mr. and Mrs. Ford asked them to call again.
"You must come down to our school," said Jack. "On Saturdays we give a
special drill."
"And Jack, you know, is our major!" said Andy.
"Oh, pa, we must see the drill by all means!" cried the two girls.
"Well, we can drive over some day," answered the fond parent.
It was quarter to ten when the boys left the grounds in the buggy. The
lantern was lit and hung over the dashboard, yet it did not light the
road very well, and they had to proceed with care.
"This isn't so nice," observed Andy, when they were in a black portion of
the woods. "Supposing some tramps or highway robbers should pounce out on
us?"
"Andy must have been reading some trashy five-cent library," laughed
Pepper. "I caught Link Smiley reading one the other day, and I had to
laugh at all the hair-breadth escapes the so-called hero had."
"Excuse me, but I'm not giving up my good nickels for such rot," answered
Andy. "Good books are too plentiful. But it is dark and no mistake."
"I see a light ahead!" interrupted Pepper. "Perhaps a carriage is coming
this way."
They drove slowly, and presently came up to where the light was resting,
on a limb of a tree. Just as they were opposite to the lantern, eight
masked figures leaped out from behind the bushes.
"Stop!" was the command. "Don't you dare to drive another step!"