OUT HUNTING

After the excitement attending the skating races, matters moved along quietly at Colby Hall for several days. The Rover boys, as was their custom, paid close attention to their studies.

"We've got to make a record for ourselves," was the way Jack put it. "If we don't, our folks may take it in their heads to send us to some other boarding school, thinking Colonel Colby is too easy with us."

"And to take Jack away from this vicinity when he is getting so sweet on Ruth Steven----" began Randy, when he was cut short by a book flung by his cousin, landing on his shoulder.

"You cut out that talk, Randy!" cried Jack.

"Let's talk about the weather," murmured Andy, who had pa.s.sed to the window. "Say, fellows, do you know, I think it's going to snow!"

"Hurrah! That means some fun s...o...b..lling!" cried Fred.

The snow came down all that night, and in the morning covered the ground to the depth of several inches. A great many of the cadets rushed out in glee, and half a dozen impromptu s...o...b..lling matches were soon in progress.

It was almost time to go in for the morning session when several of the cadets noticed a figure, huddled up in a slouch hat and a heavy overcoat, coming up from behind the Hall toward a side door.

"Here comes Bob Nixon!" yelled one of the cadets, mentioning the name of Colonel Colby's chauffeur. "Let's give him a volley."

"Right you are!" exclaimed Andy gleefully.

"Stop! Can't you see----" commenced Jack, but before he could finish his sentence both Andy and Randy had let drive at the advancing figure. One s...o...b..ll took the man in the shoulder and the other landed just below his left ear.

"Here! here! what do you mean by such proceedings?" cried the attacked individual in great wrath, and then, as he held up his head and pushed back his slouch hat, all saw that it was Asa Lemm.

"Great watermelons!" groaned Andy. "I thought sure it was Nixon!"

"I knew it wasn't, and that's why I tried to stop you," said Jack.

"Say, he's some mad," whispered Randy, as the language teacher strode toward them. "I wonder what he'll do."

"How dare you boys attack me?" roared Asa Lemm, as he shook his fist at the crowd. "How dare you do it?"

"It was all a mistake, Mr. Lemm," said Randy meekly.

"We didn't know it was you--really we didn't," came from Andy. "We thought it was Bob Nixon. He likes to s...o...b..ll with us."

"I do not believe a word of it!" cried the irate instructor. "How many of you threw at me?" he questioned, glaring at the crowd.

To this there was no immediate answer, and then Randy stepped forward.

"I did, for one," he said.

"And so did I," came from his twin.

"Anybody else?"

"No. We were the only ones, Professor," answered Randy. "And I hope you will overlook it this time," he continued. "We did not know it was you."

"Both of you report to me after school this afternoon," said the instructor harshly; and then without another word he turned and tramped off into the Hall.

"Now we are in for it, Andy," was Randy's dismal comment.

"Oh, well, he can't do any more than kill us," was the light-hearted reply of the other.

"Do you want to be killed, Andy?" quizzed Jack.

"I know what he'll do," was Randy's comment. "He'll keep us both in and give us extra lessons to learn." And in this surmise the fun-loving Rover boy was correct. For their rashness in s...o...b..lling the teacher they were made to stay in after school for two afternoons, and in addition had two extra pages of Latin to translate.

"He's a lemon, if ever there was one," was what Andy said after his punishment had come to an end. "Oh, wouldn't I just like to get square with him!"

"We'll have to think something up, Andy," answered his twin.

Following the first fall of snow, came another, but then the sun came out brightly, packing down the snow so that sleighing became quite popular.

"If we only had a big sleigh up here, we could go and get the girls from Clearwater Hall and give them a ride," said Fred one day to Jack.

"I was thinking we might hire a big sleigh in town some Sat.u.r.day afternoon and do just that," answered his cousin. "I'll look into it the first chance I get."

Fred and Jack had not forgotten the sport they had had earlier in the season, when they had gone out with Frank Newberry and some others on a hunt for rabbits and other small game.

"The hunting season is still open, Fred," said Jack one day. "What do you say if we ask Colonel Colby for permission to go out."

"Suits me," answered his cousin quickly.

"Do you think Andy and Randy would like to go, too?"

"More than likely. They have been wanting to go ever since we brought down that game."

When the subject was mentioned to the twins, they quickly agreed that it would be a fine thing if they could all obtain permission to go on a hunting trip the coming Sat.u.r.day. Colonel Colby was appealed to without delay.

"Well, boys, I have no objection to your going out," he said. "I know you all understand the use of firearms, and I know, also, that your fathers loved to go out in their day and hunt. And I did a little bit in that line myself," and he smiled faintly. "But I want you to be very careful in what you shoot at; and do your level best to keep out of trouble of all kinds," and he looked at Jack and Fred as he uttered the latter words.

"Getting into trouble before, Colonel Colby, wasn't our fault," answered Jack quickly.

"I know that."

"By the way, Colonel Colby, if it isn't asking too much, would you mind letting us know if Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell are really going to return here?" questioned Fred.

"They have asked for permission to come back--at least, their parents have asked for them--and I have the matter under consideration,"

answered the master of the Hall. He gazed questioningly at the Rovers.

"I meant to mention this subject to you, and I am glad you have brought it up. In one way, I don't feel like having them here; but in another way I should like to give them another chance in case they feel like turning over a new leaf and making a fresh start. What do you boys think of it?"

For a moment all of the Rover boys were silent, looking at each other questioningly. Then the others showed that they expected Jack to speak.

"Well, if you want my candid opinion, it's just this, Colonel Colby,"

said the oldest Rover boy earnestly. "Personally I would much prefer to have Brown and Martell stay away from Colby Hall. But if you think they ought to be given another chance to make good here, why, I am sure I'm not going to stand in their way. Just the same, if they do come here, I'm going to watch them pretty closely so that they won't be able to play any more of their dirty tricks."