Sam had been right when he said that Dan Baxter was like his father. Parent and son were thoroughly bad, but how bad the Rover boys and their friends were still to learn.

On Sat.u.r.day the cadets had a half-holiday, and some of them went over to the lake to fish, Sam and Tom accompanying the party.

While the boys were waiting for bites they espied a large sail-boat skimming along the lake sh.o.r.e. As it came closer Tom and Sam were much astonished to see that the boat contained Dan Baxter, Josiah Crabtree, and Mumps.

"By jinks, there is Mumps' yacht!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Tom. "How in the world did he get her up here?"

"Brought her by way of the ca.n.a.l and the river, I suppose,"

answered Sam.

"Hullo there!" called out Larry Colby, who was in the crowd.

"Mumps, you might be in better company."

"You keep your mouth shut!" retorted Fenwick.

"If you talk to me, I'll come ash.o.r.e and give you a thrashing,"

put in Baxter.

"I dare you to come ash.o.r.e!" burst out Tom. "You'll stay where you are if you know when you are well off."

No more was said, and presently the boat sped out of sight around a bend of the lake sh.o.r.e. Fishing proved to be good, and in the excitement of the sport Baxter and the others were, for the time being, forgotten.

It was late when the boys packed up. Sam had six fish, Tom as many more, and all of the others a fair catch.

"We'll have fish tomorrow for breakfast, sure," said Larry.

"Hurry up, or we'll be late."

The party started off, but had only gone a short distance when Sam remembered that he had left his knife sticking in the stump of a tree, and ran back to get it, in the meantime turning his fish over to Tom.

The fishing place was behind a grove of trees, and when Sam reached it again he was much surprised to see Dan Baxter on sh.o.r.e, he having just left the yacht, which was cruising some distance away.

"Hullo! so you came back to have it out with me, eh?" cried Baxter, and before Sam could say a word, he was hurled flat and the bully came down on top of him.

Sam fought bravely, but was no match for the big fellow, who began to hammer him unmercifully. Realizing how matters were turning, the youngest Rover began to cry for help.

"You shut up!" stormed Dan Baxter. "Shut up, or I'll give it to you worse than ever!"

But Sam had no intention of taking such a drubbing quietly, and he yelled louder than ever. His cries reached Tom, who had dropped behind to allow his brother to catch up.

"Something is wrong," he muttered, and hanging the fish on a bush, he ran back at the top of his speed.

Dan Baxter heard him coming and tried to get away, but as Tom called out, Sam's courage rose, and he grabbed the bully by the foot and held him.

"Let go!" roared Dan Baxter, but Sam would not, and in a second more Tom was at hand and hit the bully such a stinging blow in the face that Baxter went down in a heap.

A rough-and-tumble scrimmage ensued, and it must be said that the bully got by far the worst of it. Tom hit him again and again, and Sam also, and when at last he staggered to his feet, one eye was almost closed and his nose was bleeding profusely.

"Now I guess you won't tackle any of us again," said Tom.

"I'll get even--mark my words!" roared Baxter, and ran down the lake sh.o.r.e in the direction the _Falcon_ had taken.

When Baxter reached the yacht he was so weak he could scarcely stand. It was a long while before he could stop his nose from bleeding, and his eye stung with a pain that was maddening.

"Did little Sam Rover do that?" asked Mumps, while Josiah Crabtree looked on in curious silence.

"Sam Rover?" snorted Baxter. "Not much! Why, the whole crowd piled on me six or seven of them at a time. They tried to kill me!"

"Didn't you defend yourself, Daniel?" asked Crabtree.

"Of course I did. I knocked two of them down and another fellow had two of his teeth broken. But I couldn't fight all six single handed."

"Oh, I presume not--especially such brutes as Captain Putnam is now raising."

"It's a pity we can't get square with them," said Mumps.

"Oh, I'll get square! You just wait," answered the bully cunningly. "I'm not done with them yet by any means."

"What will you do?"

"Just you wait and see."

"I don't wish to have you interfere with our plans," put in Josiah Crabtree.

"I won't interfere with the other plans. But I am going to get square."

"We've had delay enough," continued Josiah Crabtree.

"Well, that wasn't my fault. Mumps got sick, and that's all there is to it," growled Dan Baxter, and then went to dressing his swollen eye once more.

In the meantime Sam and Tom had rejoined their fellows and told their story. All of the others were indignant at Baxter's doing and glad to learn he had been given a sound drubbing.

"I don't see why he hangs in this neighborhood," said Larry.

"It's a wonder he doesn't try to join his father."

"They are probably on the outs since Dan took that two hundred dollars," answered Tom.

The boys were all tired that night, and the occupants of Dormitory No. 6 retired early in consequence.

It was a little after midnight that d.i.c.k awoke with a cough. He sat up in bed and opened his eyes to find the room almost filled with smoke.

"For gracious sake!" he muttered. "What's the matter here? Sam!

Tom!"

"What's this?" came from Larry Colby. "Is the house on fire?"

He leaped from his bed, and so did d.i.c.k. By this time the smoke in the dormitory was getting thicker and thicker. It was coming through the door, which stood partly open.

"Wake up, boys; the Hall is on fire!"