The Rover Boys on the Farm; or, Last Days at Putnam Hall
swindler as Merrick."
In a few days the boys settled down again to their studies. The Rovers
were exceedingly anxious to make records for themselves, and whenever a
lesson was too hard for Tom or Sam, Dick helped them all he could. The
eldest Rover boy was sorry he had missed his former position by being
absent, but he was delighted to know that he and his brothers would now
finish their schooling at Putnam Hall together.
"I couldn't bear to think of being separated from you," he said to Tom
and Sam.
"We don't want to be separated," returned Tom.
"That's the talk!" declared Sam. "We'll stick together always!"
About a week after the return to school the snow cleared away and then
came a cold snap that made excellent skating. At once all the boys got
out their skates, and during their off hours they had great fun on the
lake.
One afternoon a race was arranged between half a dozen boys, including
Dick, Larry Colby and Peter Slade. Slade was sure he would win, and went
around boasting of it.
"I have been in six races on skates," he declared, "and I won every one
of them."
"He must be a famous skater," said Tom, when he learned of this. "Dick,
I don't think you'll stand much show against him."
"I don't know. Do you know what I think of Peter Slade? I think he is a
big blower."
"I think that myself. Still, if he has won six races he must know
something about racing."
"Well, if I lose I shan't cry over it," said Dick, and there the talk
ended.
The race was to be for two miles,--a mile up the lake shore and a mile
back. At the appointed hour the contestants lined up, and at a word from
George Strong, who had consented to start them, they were off.
It was easy to see that Peter Slade was a good skater, and with hardly
an effort he went to the front during the first quarter of the race. But
then Larry and Dick began to push him, and when the mile turn was made
Larry was but two yards in the rear, with Dick almost on his heels.
"Go it, Slade, you can win easily!"
"Catch him, Larry!"
"Put on more steam, Dick!" yelled Tom, enthusiastically.
And then the turning point was passed by all the racers and the struggle
on the homestretch commenced.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE SKATING RACE
For nearly half a mile Peter Slade kept the lead with ease, but then his
breath began to fail him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw both Larry
and Dick crawling up.
"No, you don't!" he muttered, and put on a fresh burst of speed that
increased his lead by two yards.
"Peter Slade is going to win!"
"See how he is running away from the others!"
So the cries arose and it certainly looked as if the youth mentioned
could not possibly be defeated.
But now both Larry and Dick "dug in for all they were worth," as they
themselves expressed it. While there was yet a quarter of a mile to be
covered Dick made a spurt and ranged up alongside of his chum.
"Sorry, but I've got to go ahead!" he cried, gaily.
"Come on, we'll both go!" yelled Larry, good naturedly, and then the
pair put on a fresh effort and in a moment ranged up on either side of
Peter Slade.
"Hullo, they are in a line!"
"There goes Larry Colby ahead!"
"Dick Rover is going with him!"
"Say, but that is skating, eh? Just look at Dick strike out!"
"Sandwick is coming up, too!"
"And so is Marley!"
The last reports were true. The fourth and fifth boy were now directly
behind Slade. As Dick and Larry shot ahead, still side by side, Sandwick
overtook Slade and so did Marley. In the meantime the sixth boy had lost
a skate and dropped out.
With a final desperate effort Peter Slade tried to gain first place. But
his wind was gone and his strength also, and he dropped back further and
further.
"Hurrah, here they come!"
"It's a tie race between Dick and Larry!"
"Marley is third!"
"Yes, and Sandwick fourth."
"Peter Slade is fifth."
"Humph! And Peter said he was bound to win!"
Then over the line shot the skaters, Dick and Larry side by side and
laughing merrily. As soon as the race was ended they locked arms to show
their good feeling. Then Marley came in with Sandwick at his heels. In
deep disgust Peter Slade refused to finish, but circled to one side and
hurried to the boathouse, there to take off his skates and disappear.
"It was a well-skated race," declared George Strong. Then he asked Dick
and Larry if they wanted to skate off the tie.
"We won't bother," said Dick, after consulting his chum. "We are
satisfied to let it stand as it is, considering that there was no prize
to be awarded."
The fact that he had lost the skating race made Peter Slade more sour
than ever, and after that, whenever he met Dick, he glared at the eldest
Rover boy defiantly.
"He acts as if he had a personal grudge against me," said Dick to his
brothers.
"Well, he acts that way to me, too," answered Tom.
"He ought to have his head punched well," was Sam's comment.
Peter Slade did not seem to care that Larry had beaten him--his enmity
was directed mainly at Dick.
Slade was in one of the lower classes, but one day one of the teachers
announced a lecture on the battleships of the American navy, and a large
number of boys came in to listen and to take notes.
In the midst of the lecture Dick had occasion to pass down one of the
aisles. As he went by Peter Slade the latter put out his hand and hit
him in the knee. Slade's hand had ink on it and the ink went on Dick's
clean uniform.
"What did you do that for?" demanded Dick, halting.
"Shut up!" whispered Slade, uglily.
"I've a good mind to box your ears," went on Dick.
"Will you?" roared the bully, leaping up. "Just try it!" And so speaking
he made a pass at Dick's head.
The blow landed on Dick's shoulder, leaving an ink mark behind it. The
eldest Rover boy had leaped to one side. But now he leaped forward, and
a well-directed blow from his fist sent Slade reeling backward over a
desk.
"Stop that!" cried the teacher, in alarm, and brought his lecture to an
abrupt end.
"A fight! A fight!" cried several of the boys, and left their seats to
surround Dick and the bully.
Slade was dazed for a moment, but on recovering he sprang at Dick and
tried to force him to the floor. Around and around went the pair,
bumping against the desks and sending some books to the floor. The
teacher tried to get at them, but before he could do so they had
separated. Then Dick hit Slade a telling blow in the left eye which
caused the bully to fall into a nearby seat.
"Stop, this instant!" cried the teacher, and then turning to some of the
boys added: "Summon Captain Putnam at once."
The room was in an uproar, and many wanted Dick and Slade to continue
the battle. But the punch in the eye had taken away the bully's courage
and he did not get up to continue the contest.
"What does this mean?" demanded Captain Putnam, as he came in, and he
faced Dick and Slade sternly.
"It means that that fellow ought to have a good thrashing, sir,"
answered Dick, boldly, and pointed at the bully.
"It's his fault, it ain't mine," put in Peter Slade, hastily. "He
started it."
"That is not true, Captain Putnam. I was passing his seat when he
reached out and smeared ink on my knee," and Dick pointed down to his
soiled trousers. "I wasn't going to stand for that and told him so. Then
he jumped up and hit me in the shoulder, leaving more ink on me. After
that I hit him."
"It ain't so!" roared Peter Slade.
"That's the truth," said several. "Peter's hand is full of ink."
"He knocked over an inkwell just before Dick came along," said Fred. "I
saw him do it."
"So did I," added Songbird.
"Did you see it?" questioned Captain Putnam of the instructor.
"I saw nothing until the boys were fighting in the aisle," answered the
teacher who had been delivering the lecture.
"Captain Putnam, I am sure Dick Rover is not to blame," said a very
quiet student named Rames. "Slade put the ink on Rover and struck the
first blow--of that I am positive."
"It was my inkwell he knocked over," came from another lad. "I told him
to leave it alone, but he wouldn't mind me."
"Oh, you are all against me!" roared Peter Slade.
"Evidently you are guilty," said the master of the Hall, sternly. "I
want both you and Richard Rover to come to my office. Rames, you can
come, too, and you also, Brocton."
In the office a thorough investigation was held. Several other cadets
were called upon to testify, and it was proved that Peter Slade was
entirely to blame for what had occurred.
"You should not have attacked him, Richard," said the captain to Dick.
"But under the circumstances I cannot blame you. You may go."
For his misconduct Peter Slade was confined in the "guardhouse" for
three days. The black eye Dick had given him did not go away very fast
and when he came out and resumed his place among the students he was a
sight to behold. That he was very angry at the eldest Rover boy is
easily imagined.
"I'll fix him some day," he muttered.
"Dick, you want to watch Slade," said Tom, one day, on passing the bully
in the hallway.
"I guess you had better watch him yourself, Tom."
"I am going to do that, don't fear. What did the captain do about your
mussed-up uniform?"
"Made Slade pay for having it cleaned."
"Did he do it?"
"He had to do it--Captain Putnam put it on the bill to his folks."
"That was right."
"Of course it was. But I understand it made Slade as mad as hops. Oh, he
surely has it in for us," went on Dick, and there the subject was
dropped.
CHAPTER XXVII
ON THE LAKE
Almost before the boys knew it winter was gone and spring was at hand.
The ice on the lake disappeared like magic, and the hills back of Putnam
Hall took on a fresh greenness pleasant to behold.
With the coming of warm weather the cadets spent a large part of their
off time outdoors. Some took up rowing, and among the number were Sam
and Tom. Larry Colby had become the owner of a fair-sized sloop, and he
frequently took some of his chums out for a cruise up or down the lake.
"Do you know what I'd like to do?" said Dick one day. "I'd like to visit
that old Sobber homestead and see how it looks."
"I've often thought of that," answered Sam. "Wonder how we can manage
it?"
The matter was talked over in Larry's presence, and the cadet who owned
the sloop said they might make the trip in that craft, provided the
master of Putnam Hall would give them the desired permission.
"We'll ask Captain Putnam at once," declared Dick.
Permission was granted to leave Putnam Hall early on the following
Saturday morning, provided the weather was clear, and it was arranged
that the party should consist of the three Rover boys, Larry, Fred and
Songbird. The captain said he preferred that they come back Saturday
night, but they could remain away over Sunday if they found it
necessary.
"Do you think we'll get any clew to Merrick and Tad Sobber?" asked Dick,
with a faint smile.
"Possibly," answered Captain Putnam, smiling back. "You Rovers are great
chaps for finding out things."
The sloop was provided with a tiny cuddy, or cabin, and in this the boys
placed a small stock of provisions and also a shotgun and some fishing
lines. They left the Hall after breakfast and were glad of the promise
of a warm day, with the breeze in just the right direction.
"You fellows will have to tell me where to steer the sloop to," said
Larry, after the mainsail had been run up. "I don't know where that old
house is."
"We have a general idea where it is," answered Dick. "Of course we may
have some trouble finding it. But if we get mixed up, we can go ashore
and ask the folks living in that vicinity."
The distance to be covered along the lake shore was in the neighborhood