The Rover Boys at Colby Hall Part 18

"I was thinking about that clothing in the closet. I wonder if we can't fix that up some way," mused Randy. Then he began to grin. "Just the thing!" he continued, and walked to the chiffonier, from a drawer in which he brought out a package of safety pins.

"What are you going to do with those?" questioned Fred.

"We'll pin up all the ends of the sleeves and the trouser legs, from the inside," was the quick reply. "Come, hurry up!" and then the three boys lost no time in doing as Randy had suggested. This done, they left the room, leaving it, so far as looks in general went, just as when they had entered it.

"There'll be some fun when Nappy wants one of those neckties or a pair of those fancy socks," laughed Andy. "I wish I could be on hand to see him."

"Don't you worry--we'll hear about it," returned Fred. "He'll suspect me on account of that suitcase affair."

While it was true that the regular school term had not yet opened, the new arrivals had been informed that they must be on hand to be measured for their uniforms and also to be instructed by some of the seniors who were present in drilling. The measurements of the boys were taken down in the gymnasium under the directions of Mr. Silas Crews, who was the gymnasium instructor and also the husband of Mrs. Crews, the matron for the younger cadets.

"I hope they've got a suit on hand that fits me," was Jack's comment, as he and his cousins walked to the gymnasium. "I'd like to see how it feels to be in a uniform."

His wish was gratified, for a little later he was given an entire outfit, which consisted of both a fulldress uniform and a fatigue suit, as well as belt, shoulder straps, cap, and hat, and several other things. Uniforms were also found for the others, and the entire crowd lost no time in hurrying back to their rooms to dress up. In this they were aided by Spouter, who had donned his uniform immediately upon his arrival.

"Some bra.s.s b.u.t.tons, believe me!" was Andy's comment, as he strode around the rooms.

"Say! you put me in mind of a peac.o.c.k," said the twin. "My, just see how he swells up!" and Randy himself raised his chest as high as possible.

"What are you going to be, Jack--fifth corporal or first admiral of the rear guard?" questioned Fred.

"I'm going to be head soup-carrier for the bayonet squad," returned his cousin gaily.

As soon as they had donned their uniforms, the boys returned to the gymnasium, where they were placed in what was called an awkward squad, and which was under the direction of Dan Soppinger. Here they quickly learned how to stand erect with their toes on a chalk mark, and how to hold their hands properly. Then they were given directions how to cast their eyes "To the right," "To the left," and "Front." Then they learned the meaning of "Right face," "Left face," and "About face."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THEY WERE PLACED IN WHAT WAS CALLED AN AWKWARD SQUAD.

_Page_ 125]

"All of you are doing pretty well," remarked Dan Soppinger to the squad of eight under him. "Now then, we'll see what you can do when it comes to marching. When I give the order 'Forward,' you balance on your right foot, and when the word comes 'March!' you step out with your left foot. And when you step out, do it like this," and he gave an ill.u.s.tration by marching up and down in front of the squad.

To the Rover boys all this was very interesting, and they learned with comparative ease. Only one of the awkward squad seemed to have difficulty in marching just right, a lad named White.

"Don't lag behind, White!" cried Dan Soppinger, sharply. "Step right out as if you meant it;" and after that White did a little better.

While the drilling was in progress, Colonel Colby came down to the gymnasium to look on. He was pleased with the general results.

"I think you are doing very well, boys," he said. "Of course, you can't learn to become first-cla.s.s soldiers in a day. It takes hard practising to do anything just right."

"When do we get guns?" questioned Andy, after the drilling had come to an end.

"You won't get guns until you have learned how to march and how to turn properly," answered Dan. "Then, when you do get guns, you'll have to go in for the manual of arms."

"And how about learning how to shoot?" questioned Jack.

"That will come still later--after you have had experience in marching and in handling your guns."

"Whoop! Me for a real soldier boy!" cried Andy, his eyes sparkling, and then he began to hum a bit of doggerel he had made up on the spur of the moment.

"Johnny, get your musket-- You must get your musket.

Johnny, get your musket-- You must get it now!"

"Wow! that's some song," was Fred's comment. "Better have it copyrighted, Andy."

"Oh, I've already got a double-barreled patent on it," was the light answer. "Anybody who steals it will get ten years in a bathing suit at the north pole;" and at this there was a general laugh.

The boys were awaiting the arrival of Gif Garrison, who came in about noon of that day. Gif was a big boy, and, as mentioned before, was at the head of a great many of the athletic doings of the school.

"Glad to see you fellows here," said Gif, as he shook hands all around.

"My! but we're going to have some good times now, aren't we?"

"If we don't, it won't be our fault," responded Jack.

"We've just been learning how to become soldiers," explained Randy. "My head is full of 'Eyes right,' 'Left face,' 'Forward march,' and all that sort of thing."

"Oh, you'll get used to that, Randy, before you've been here very long," returned Gif.

"Did you have a nice time getting here?" questioned Fred.

"I might have had a nice time if it hadn't been for one thing," was the answer. "I came in on the same train with a professor that none of us like."

"Oh! Do you mean Asa Lemm?" questioned Andy, quickly.

"That's it! What do you know of him?"

"We know quite a little," answered Jack, and related some of the particulars of what had happened on the train.

"Oh, I can see your finish," said Gif with a serious look on his face.

"Old Lemon will never forget that happening. He'll be down on you for it all the term."

CHAPTER XIII

FRED IS FOLLOWED

It took the Rover boys several days to settle down at Colby Hall.

Everything, of course, was new to them, and they took great delight in roaming around the place in company with Spouter, Gif and the various new friends they had made. During that time they continued to drill, both in the morning and the afternoon; and it was surprising how quickly they learned the manual of arms and also the other tactics which go to make up the discipline of a cadet.

"This life is all to the merry," was Andy's comment one day, while he and the others were down at the sh.o.r.e of the river inspecting the boathouse with its numerous craft.

"It certainly is one fine place," answered Jack. "If Putnam Hall was anything like this, no wonder our fathers thought so much of it."

Since Fred had asked Nappy Martell for the suitcase, the boy who was addicted to loud clothing had avoided the Rovers. But through the cadet named White they had learned much of what had happened in Nappy's room when he came in after it had been "rearranged" by the Rovers.

"Nappy Martell was the maddest fellow you ever saw," Bart White had declared. "He stormed all around the corridor, accusing nearly everybody in that vicinity of having taken his neckties and his underwear and a lot of jewelry. He even came to my room and threatened to tell Colonel Colby if I didn't tell him where the things were."

"And, of course, you couldn't do that," had been Randy's reply, with a side wink at the others.