"I've got an announcement to make," said the father of the twins, when he could command the attention of the others. "A very important announcement. I am going to become a soldier and fight with the rest of the fellows in France."

CHAPTER XXV

AT CAMP HUXWELL

For a moment after Tom Rover made the important announcement all of the others stared at him, unable to speak.

"Do you really mean it, Dad?" cried Randy, the first to break the silence. "Are you really going to the front?"

"Yes, Son. I just got word early this morning which makes it possible for me to leave New York and join the army," answered the father, with a smile.

"Hurrah! That's the best ever!" shouted Andy, throwing his cap into the air. "I knew you'd do it, Dad." And, rushing forward, he grabbed his father and gave him a big hug.

"But--but--I really don't understand," stammered d.i.c.k Rover, for once so surprised he could scarcely speak. "How did you fix it up, Tom?"

"Allen Charter is going to do the trick for me," answered Tom Rover.

"Allen Charter?" exclaimed Sam Rover. "I thought you said he had declined and was going to volunteer!"

"He did volunteer; but they wouldn't accept him--something the matter with his heart, I believe. Anyway, they wouldn't take him. Of course, Charter was much downcast. But he at once came to me and said he would take hold of our concern. He's going to do it in connection with Mr.

Frank A. A. Powell, Songbird's uncle, the lawyer who helped us out so much when we had our trouble with Pelter, j.a.pson & Company," continued Tom Rover, referring to a matter the details of which were given in the volume ent.i.tled, "The Rover Boys in New York."

"And he's been just the craziest fellow ever was since he fixed it so he could go," declared Nellie, Tom's wife. "He tore around the house like a wild Indian, trying to get his things into shape. I guess he has an idea he's going to take a kit and a gun and go over to France this afternoon."

Of course the older folks wanted more of the particulars, and as the whole party strolled over to Captain d.i.c.k Rover's quarters, Tom related them.

"Of course I'm sorry that Allen Charter can't go to the front," said the father of the twins, "but I am mighty glad that we can get him to take charge, for he is not only a first-cla.s.s business man, but you know he is honesty itself."

"Yes, I know that," answered d.i.c.k. "I wouldn't want a better fellow."

"And if Mr. Frank Powell works with him, I'm sure matters will go along very nicely," put in Sam. He caught his brother by the shoulder.

"Say, Tom, this is the best news yet! Don't you know d.i.c.k and I have had the worst kind of blues thinking that you must be left behind?"

"But, Dad! aren't you going in for a commission of some sort?"

questioned Andy quickly.

"Nothing doing in that line," answered Tom Rover promptly. "I've always been a high private in the rear rank in the past, and I suppose that is what I shall be in the present and the future--although, of course, I don't expect to stay in the rear rank when there is some real fighting ahead," he added quickly. "Then I want to get in the front-line trenches and go over the top."

"Bully for you, Dad!" shouted Andy slangily.

"I've already put in my application, and Major Kirby, who is an old friend of mine, has promised to push it right through; so I think I'll be landed here in a day or two."

The coming of Tom Rover and the ladies from New York City made the party at the camp quite a large one. The boys and girls enjoyed themselves thoroughly. It could be seen that a great weight was lifted from the minds of the twins, and there was no holding them in when it came to making fun.

All too soon it came time for the boys and girls to depart. The Rover boys shook hands warmly with their fathers, and the girls of course came in for a number of hugs and kisses.

"Take good care of yourself, Dad," said Jack to his parent. "Don't let those Huns shoot you."

"I'm sure you'll be coming back a general, Dad," remarked Fred to his father.

"And don't forget to bring back some German helmets, Dad, and things like that!" cried Randy.

"We'll take any kind of souvenir, Dad--even a German sauerkraut masher," put in Andy.

Then the boys and girls said good-bye to their mothers, and all hurried off to the two automobiles awaiting them. In a minute more they were leaving Camp Huxwell and were on their way to Camp Barlight.

Martha was openly crying, and tears filled the eyes of Mary, and who could blame them? Even the boys looked mighty serious, and Ruth and the others had quite a task trying to cheer them up.

"There is no use in talking," was the way Fred expressed himself: "Going to France is a serious business. It's all well enough to talk about shooting up the Huns, and all that sort of thing, but don't forget that the Huns may do a little shooting on their own account."

"Oh, they'll come back safe and sound," declared Andy. "They've just _got_ to!" Yet behind it all the fun-loving Rover felt just as bad as any of them, but he was trying hard not to show it.

The boys were dropped off at the encampment, and then the girls continued on the way to Clearwater Hall. They were to remain at the Hall for the best part of a week longer, and then Mary and Martha were going to join their mothers and their aunt for the summer vacation.

What the boys were going to do after the encampment came to an end, had not yet been decided.

Sunday was pa.s.sed quietly by the Rover boys and their chums. Religious services were held in the open air, and were attended by nearly all of the cadets. In the afternoon Fred and Jack took a walk, accompanied by Gif and Spouter, the twins remaining behind to write some letters.

The walk took the cadets to the foot of the cliff nearest to their camp, and in rounding this close to the water front they made a somewhat interesting discovery. They came to quite an opening among the rocks, and, going inside, found themselves in a regular cavern, ten feet high in some places and half again as broad. In the rear was a smaller opening, leading downward and filled at the bay level with water.

"Who would think there would be a cave like this around here!"

remarked Jack.

"Good place to come to in case of a storm," said Spouter. "A fellow could play Robinson Crusoe if he wanted to."

By the aid of some matches the cadets examined the cavern, but found nothing in it of value. At some time in the past birds had nested there, but that was all. They were just ready to leave when Jack suddenly put up his hand.

"Listen!" he said. "Am I mistaken, or do I hear something?"

All did as he commanded, and from a great distance a faint tapping reached their ears. Then came a series of m.u.f.fled explosions and a clanking as of chains.

"That's something like the noise Randy said he heard when he was on sentry duty," remarked Fred. "Don't you remember how worked up he was over it?"

"What do you suppose it is, and where do you suppose it comes from?"

put in Gif.

No one could answer those questions. All was now silent, but presently they heard another series of explosions, and then the tapping continued steadily for several minutes. Then, however, the sounds died away.

"That's got me guessing," declared Jack, after the crowd had left the cavern. "We'll have to tell Randy about this, and maybe we had better tell Captain Dale, too."

Monday proved an exceedingly sultry day. The thermometer went so high that drills and exercises in the sun were all curtailed.

"Looks to me as if this was a weather breeder," remarked the young captain to the others.

"Well, I don't care what it does, if only it cools off," grumbled Randy. "Why, I feel as if I was living in a bake oven!"

He had been told of the strange noises heard in the cavern at the bay front, and had been much interested. The boys had also spoken to Captain Dale, who had promised an investigation.