When the hour came for the cadets to retire the sky was so overcast that not a star was showing. A breeze had sprung up, and this was growing brisker every minute.

"I think we are in for a storm, and a good big blow with it,"

announced Captain Dale. And then he told Major Ralph Mason to give orders that all the tent fastenings should be looked to.

"I'm sure our tent is down tight enough," announced Randy, after he and his tent-mates had made an investigation.

"Well, you want to be sure of it," remarked Fred, who was making the round of the tents. "You don't want that canvas to be sailing skyward or out into the bay."

As was usual with them, Gabe Werner and Bill Glutts growled when ordered to look to the fastenings of the tent they and their cronies occupied. But as the wind increased Glutts pulled Gabe to one side and whispered something into his ear.

"All right--I'm with you," answered Werner promptly. "Let's do it at once. Got your pocketknife handy?"

"Yes. Have you?"

"I have. And it's as sharp as a razor. All we'll have to do is to cut the ropes about half way through. The wind will do the rest,"

announced Gabe gleefully.

"What's the matter with fixing up both tents?" went on the wholesale butcher's son. "You can slide over to the officers' quarters while I attend to the tent down in the Company C line."

"All right! But hurry up. And come back as soon as you're through,"

cautioned Werner.

He reached the vicinity of the tent occupied by Jack and Fred just as the first of the rain drops began to come down. The wind was now blowing half a gale, and the canvases of the encampment were flapping and slapping loudly.

Werner had his pocketknife open, and it did not take him long to begin operations. Five of the ropes which held the tent to the pegs were all but severed, and then he began work on the next.

"Stop that! What do you mean, you rascal?"

Gabe Werner turned, and as he straightened up he found himself face to face with Jack. The young captain had been on an errand to the next tent, and had seen the rascally ex-lieutenant in the darkness more by chance than by anything else.

"What's the matter out there?" called Fred from the interior of the tent.

"Here is Gabe Werner! He's cutting the ropes!" And now Jack caught the big youth by the arm.

"Let go of me, Rover!" demanded the ex-lieutenant, and then he raised the hand that held the pocketknife.

It is not likely that he would have used the weapon. But Jack did not care to take any chances. As quick as a flash he hauled back, and then his fist crashed into Gabe Werner's chin, sending him sprawling on his back.

For a second or two the big ex-lieutenant was dazed, but then, with a muttered imprecation, he leaped up, dropping his pocketknife as he did so, and rushed at Jack, hitting him in the shoulder.

By this time the blood of the young captain was up. He dodged a second blow delivered by Werner, and then his fist shot out quickly, landing on the ex-lieutenant's nose, drawing blood.

"Ouch!" spluttered Werner, and then he made a leap and grappled with Jack. There followed a lively mix-up in which blows were given and taken freely.

In the meantime Fred set up a cry of alarm, not knowing who was attacking his cousin. In a few seconds a number of cadets and Professor Brice came hurrying in that direction.

"I've got to clear out, but I'll fix you another time, Rover," hissed Gabe Werner, and attempted to retreat.

"You're not going to get away, Werner!" cried Jack, and, making a leap forward, he gave the ex-lieutenant a blow behind the ear which sent him to the ground all but unconscious.

CHAPTER XXVI

AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY

"What does this mean, Captain Rover?" demanded Professor Brice, as he rushed up, lantern in hand and followed quickly by Major Ralph Mason and a dozen other cadets.

"I caught this rascal cutting the ropes to our tent," explained Jack.

"Gee, you'd better hold that tent down!" cried one of the cadets.

"There go three of the ropes now!" And what he said was true, the ropes in question being those that Werner had partly severed with his knife.

Fred had come out of the tent, and now he and a number of the other cadets held down the canvas so that the wind could not get under it.

It was blowing furiously, so that they had no easy job of it to keep the tent from going up.

"Do you mean to say he really cut the ropes here?" demanded Professor Brice sternly, as Werner gathered himself together on the wet ground and slowly arose to his feet.

"Yes, sir," said Jack. "And there is the knife he did it with," he added, pointing to the pocket piece which had fallen under the ex-lieutenant.

"It was--er--it was--er--only a bit of fun," stammered Werner, not knowing what else to say. "And Jack Rover had no right to pitch into me the way he did!"

"I had a perfect right to do so, Professor Brice," announced Jack. "If I wanted to say more--- But I won't do it now," he added. "I'll make a report to you in private."

By this time the camp was in an uproar, for down the line where Company C was located there had been another rumpus. Gif, going out on guard duty, had caught sight of Bill Glutts just as the latter had cut two of the ropes to the tent occupied by him and Spouter and the twins. Gif had treated the wholesale butcher's son rather roughly, and Glutts had finally yelled for mercy, bringing out a crowd of twenty or thirty, including the twins.

"This is a despicable piece of business, Werner," said Professor Brice sternly. "I will at once report the matter to Captain Dale, who, as you know, is in authority in this camp. Come along with me."

Captain Dale had been down to the sh.o.r.e of the bay, to make certain that there was no danger of the tents which were used for bath houses being blown away. He soon came up and looked closely at the ropes which Werner had partly severed.

"I don't like this sort of thing at all," he said to the ex-lieutenant. "If that tent had come down while those inside were asleep somebody might have been seriously injured. More than that, n.o.body would care to be without shelter on such a night as this, and with all their possessions getting wet. You will report to the corporal of the guard at once." Then Captain Dale pa.s.sed on to where the others were having trouble with Glutts, and he was also ordered to report to the guard.

In the meanwhile, as the storm seemed to be increasing, Captain Dale gave orders that the fastenings of every tent should be inspected thoroughly and extra ropes and pegs should be put down wherever necessary. He did not want any of the school property damaged.

"Gee, we'll catch it for this!" growled Bill Glutts, when he and Werner had been placed in a small wooden shanty, designated a guardhouse. "I suppose they'll make us do all sorts of disagreeable things as a punishment."

"I won't stand for it!" stormed Werner, whose nose was still bleeding from the blow Jack had dealt. "They can't make me the laughingstock of this camp."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going home," announced the ex-lieutenant.

And that is what he did, stealing away from the camp early in the morning just as the heavy storm of the night was pa.s.sing away. He managed to get a few of his possessions, but the others had to be left behind. He wanted Glutts to go with him, but the son of the wholesale butcher was afraid to do so.

In the morning Jack and the others had to make a full report to Captain Dale of what had occurred. The young captain mentioned the fact that Werner had had his pocketknife in his hand.