"No, sir. We had no need for a light," returned Fred.

"Have you any idea how this fire started?"

"I don't see how it could start unless it was from the cigarettes and the matches those fellows used," answered Randy bluntly. "I hate to make that statement, but the truth is the truth."

"I believe you are right, Rover. Now then, I wish you to do me a favor.

I want you to keep as quiet about this as you are to keep quiet about that joke those cadets proposed to play. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," answered both the Rovers.

"Then that is all for the present;" and, so speaking, Colonel Colby dismissed the boys.

"I guess he's going to save this fire affair until he catches them trying to play the joke," was Fred's comment, as they hurried away to join the others.

"That's it, Fred." Randy looked at his cousin knowingly. "There is certainly something coming to Slugger, Nappy and Codfish, isn't there?"

CHAPTER XVII

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

The news that there had been a fire at Colby Hall soon spread to the town and to Clearwater Hall, and there were many anxious inquiries over the telephone and otherwise as to whether anybody had been hurt.

"No, n.o.body was hurt, and the fire didn't amount to much," said Spouter, when called up by his Cousin May. "Perhaps, when we see you girls personally, we'll have something to tell you that will be a surprise."

In the middle of the afternoon of the day following the fire, a number of letters were brought in by one of the hired men from the Haven Point post-office.

"Here's a drop letter for you, Jack," remarked Gif, who was distributing some of the mail. "Most likely from your best girl," and he smiled good-naturedly.

"Doesn't look much like a girl's handwriting," answered the oldest Rover boy, as he inspected the envelope. Wondering what the letter might contain, he tore open the envelope and was considerably surprised to read the following, written on a raggedly-torn half sheet of note paper:

"You Rovers think yourselves smart, but do not forget that I am not done with you. You have been the means of my losing a very lucrative position. I will not have you arrested, for it would be a hard matter for me to obtain justice in this neighborhood; but I will remember you, and some day I will bring you to book for what you have done. You are nothing but a set of imps and hoodlums, and sooner or later Colby will learn the truth."

"This is undoubtedly from Professor Lemm," announced Jack, as he allowed his cousins and their chums to read the letter.

"He's certainly a sweet-natured man," was Andy's comment. "He's real charitable and kind, isn't he?" and this brought forth a smile from the others.

"What do you think he'll do?" questioned Fred.

"I don't believe he'll do anything," answered Jack. "Fellows who write such anonymous communications are usually cowards. Old Lemon belongs in the cla.s.s with Slugger, Nappy & Company."

The heavy snowstorm cleared away as rapidly as it had come, and the wind blew the snow from large sections of the lake, so that the cadets could once more enjoy themselves skating.

"Let's skate up to Clearwater Hall and see the girls," suggested Jack at the first opportunity; and this was agreed to readily by all of the crowd.

They found the girls of Clearwater Hall on the ice, watching out for them, and soon the cadets and the girls were enjoying themselves thoroughly.

"You must tell me all about the fire and about how Professor Lemm happened to leave the Hall," said Ruth, as she skated away with Jack.

"I'll do that," he answered. "But you must keep a good part of what I'm going to tell you a secret--at least for the present," he added, and then gave the particulars of the joke which had been played on the disliked teacher. Then he told of what had occurred at the gymnasium.

"Oh, Jack! do you really think Slugger and Nappy and that little Codfish set the gymnasium on fire?" cried the girl.

"I think they did, Ruth--although, of course, it was by accident."

"What dreadful boys they must be getting to be," sighed the girl.

She had quite a few things to tell about happenings at the Hall, and also mentioned what she intended to do during the Christmas holidays.

"I wish you were coming down to New York," said Jack. "I'd like first rate to have you meet my Sister Martha and my Cousin Mary."

"Perhaps I shall get down there some time, Jack. Are you going to stay at home during all of the holidays?"

"No. We have been planning to stay at home about a week, and then, if we can arrange it, we want to visit Snowshoe Island and do a little hunting before school opens again."

"Then you're going to accept old Uncle Barney's invitation!"

"That's the idea, Ruth. You don't mind, do you?" and the oldest Rover boy looked anxiously at his companion.

"Not at all. In fact, I'm rather glad to hear of your going to the island. It may give you a chance to talk to old Uncle Barney about my folks. And if you get any such chance, I hope you'll impress it upon him that we want to be friends."

When the cadets returned to Colby Hall, both Jack and Fred were in unusual good humor, for, not only had Ruth said she would try to get down to New York during the holidays, but May had told Fred that if Spouter came down to the metropolis she would try to accompany her cousin.

Several days slipped by, and the Rover boys applied themselves closely to their lessons, for they wished to make as good a showing as possible during the coming examinations. During that time, they saw Slugger, Nappy and Codfish a number of times, but all of those unworthies seemed to give them a wide berth.

Although Colonel Colby had not given the Rovers any of the particulars of what he proposed to do, he had not forgotten what Randy and Fred had told him. He had had a conference on the subject with Professor Brice, Silas Crews, and Bob Nixon, the chauffeur, and Nixon and Crews were detailed to watch every movement made by the bully and his cronies.

It was on the following Tuesday, the day previous to the examinations, that Silas Crews came hurrying to the master of the Hall, who had just entered the school library in search of a certain book.

"I think Brown and Martell are at it," he announced in a low tone of voice. "Martell just sneaked a quart bottle of ink from the storeroom, while Brown picked up some of the cans of vegetables which were cast aside by the cook as unfit to eat. Now they have both gone down into the boiler-room, evidently after those ashes."

"Continue to watch them, Crews, and tell Nixon to watch them, too. I will notify Professor Brice, and also Captain Dale." Captain Dale was the military instructor of the Academy.

Silas Crews hurried off, and Colonel Colby lost no time in notifying the others of what was taking place. As a result, a guard was established, which took cognizance of every move made by Slugger and Nappy. Why it was that Codfish was not with them, n.o.body knew. The fact was, the poor little sneak had been so terrified at the mere mention of doing anything further that he had burst out crying and locked himself in his room, stating that he was too sick to act.

Having obtained the bottle of ink and several cans of spoiled tomatoes, Slugger and Nappy watched their chance and visited the boiler-room under the school. Here they found a dozen large cans of ashes, and also an old empty soap-box.

"We'll fill the soap box half full of ashes," said Slugger, "and then we can place the opened-up cans of tomatoes and the opened-up bottle of ink on top. When we get the stuff over to Colonel Colby's rooms, we can spread half of everything around where it will make the best showing, then we can skip over to the offices and do the same thing, and after that we'll rush back and leave a little trail of ashes and some ink leading into the Rovers' rooms, and place the empty ink bottle and the empty cans in their closets and put the ash-box under one of the beds."

"Dandy!" replied Nappy. "Come on!"

Not knowing that Bob Nixon was watching them from a corner of the boiler-room, they soon had the box of ashes and other stuff ready. Then, watching their chance to see that the coast was clear, they sneaked up out of the boiler-room and then out of the school by a side door. Here a path led to the nearby building where Colonel Colby had his private suite of rooms.

"Now then, hurry up!" cried Nappy, who was beginning to show signs of nervousness.

They found the door to the main room unlocked, and both entered and set the box of stuff on one of the easy chairs. Then one took up the ink and the other an opened can of the decayed tomatoes.