The Rover Boys Under Canvas Or The Mystery of the Wrecked Submarine Part 8

"What I want to talk to you about is another matter," went on Jack, without raising his voice because he did not wish to have any outsider hear. "You took the trouble a while ago to stop at Clearwater Hall and speak to some of the young ladies attending that school."

"Well, what of it? Haven't we got a right to do that if we want to?"

"I guess we can speak to our lady friends any time we feel like it,"

added Nappy.

"Both of you know very well that none of those young ladies want anything to do with you," continued Jack. "You've had your warning before. Now I want you to leave them alone."

"Huh! you talk as if you were our master," growled Slugger, an ugly look coming into his eyes.

"Never mind how I talk, Brown. You just listen to what I'm saying, and you mind me. If you don't, you'll get into a whole lot of trouble, just as sure as you are born."

By this time Fred had also left the forward car and was standing beside Jack.

"You fellows asked about my sister and about Jack's sister," said Fred. "Why did you do that?"

"That's our business," answered Nappy.

"I know why you did it," went on Fred quickly. "You did it because you thought you might make some sort of trouble for the girls. I know you!

Jack," he continued, turning to his cousin, "I think the best thing we can do is to have them both arrested for that affair on Snowshoe Island."

"You can't bring up those old things--they are past and gone!" cried Nappy Martell, his face showing sudden uneasiness. "Old Barney Stevenson agreed to let the whole matter drop provided he was allowed to remain on the island."

"Oh, he's only bluffing, Nappy," broke in Slugger. "They can't do a thing, and they know it!"

"We can and we will unless you leave all the girls at Clearwater Hall alone," declared Jack stoutly. "Not a one of them wants anything to do with you."

"How do you know what they want?"

"Because they told us."

"I don't believe it, Rover."

"You can suit yourself about that, Brown. But just you remember this: If you or Martell attempt to do anything in the future to annoy my relatives or any of our girl friends at that school, I'll see to it that you are punished, and punished heavily."

"Say, do you know what I think?" cried Andy, who had come to the rear of the front car. "I think we ought to give them both a good licking."

"It might do them both good," answered his twin.

"I don't see how you fellows can show yourselves around here,"

remarked Frank Newberry. "After the way you acted at Colby Hall and up on Snowshoe Island I should think you'd want to keep out of sight."

"What right have you got to b.u.t.t in here, Frank Newberry?" cried Slugger Brown wrathfully.

"I've got a good deal of right, and you know it, Brown! You and Martell were a disgrace to Colby Hall, and every cadet at the academy is aware of that fact. And I, too, know for a fact that none of the young ladies at Clearwater Hall wants to have anything to do with you."

"Aw, you fellows make me tired!" growled Slugger Brown.

By this time a small crowd had collected, anxious to find out how the damage to the headlights of the runabout was to be settled. Then a policeman pushed his way forward.

"Any trouble here?" he asked.

"No trouble that I know of," answered Jack. "I stopped my car, and this fellow came up behind me so suddenly that he smashed his headlights."

"I see." The policeman turned to Slugger Brown. "Your own fault, was it?"

"It was his fault! He stopped too quickly," grumbled Slugger.

"But--er--I--I--won't make any complaint--at least not--not now," he said lamely. "I'll take this up later."

"And we'll get what's coming to us--you see if we don't!" put in Nappy Martell.

Then Slugger Brown started up the engine of his runabout, backed up a few feet, and turned out into the roadway. He ran around the nearest corner and up the road, and was soon out of sight in the distance.

CHAPTER VI

CELEBRATING THE BASEBALL VICTORY

"He was afraid to make a complaint," was Fred's comment.

"I can't understand why two such fellows should act the way they do,"

said Bart White. "They both come from fairly well-to-do families, and they could be really fine fellows if they wanted to."

"Slugger Brown doesn't come from a very good family--at least as far as his father is concerned," answered Jack. "Mr. Brown is just as mean and dishonorable as Slugger. He was at the head of the plot to do poor Barney Stevenson out of Snowshoe Island."

"Yes, and to my mind Mr. Martell is no better," added Randy. "I've heard my father talking about him several times. Martell has been in more than one shady stock transaction down in Wall Street."

When the Rover boys arrived at Colby Hall they were immediately surrounded by a number of their friends, all eager to learn the particulars of what had occurred in the vicinity of the girls'

boarding school. Of course the others who had come in ahead of them had already told their stories, but everybody at the military academy was eager to get all the details possible.

"It's the worst calamity that ever happened around here," said Will Hendry, the stoutest boy in the school, and who was generally called Fatty. Hendry had started to leave the school grounds shortly after the others had gone, but had been stopped by Captain Dale.

"It looks to me as if it was the work of German sympathizers," said Major Ralph Mason, who was the cadet at the head of the school battalion. Ralph was the oldest student at the Hall, and one who was greatly liked by everybody.

"Ralph, what do you think about our getting into this war in Europe?"

questioned Randy. During off hours the young officer was always addressed by the Rovers by his first name, although during school hours and when on parade they invariably addressed the young major by his official t.i.tle.

"I'm glad we've got into it at last," returned Ralph Mason. "My father thinks we should have gotten into it long ago. I only wish one thing,"

he added wistfully.

"And I know what that is!" cried Jack. "You wish you were old enough to volunteer for the army or the navy!"

"If we were all older what a grand company of volunteers the Government could get out of Colby Hall," said Randy. "I'll wager more than half of the fellows would want to go."

"I'm certain fellows like Codfish wouldn't want to go," remarked Fred.