Chapter XXIV: The Rival Runaways

By eight o’clock that morning the runaway cadets of Putnam Hall went into camp not a great distance away from where Andy had driven the wagon into the woods. They found an ideal spot in a small clearing surrounded by dense woods. There the tents were pitched, and some of the boys cleaned out a handy spring, that all the water needed might be procured. While some of the cadets were raising the tents, others, under the directions of Bob Grenwood and Stuffer, were preparing breakfast. The cook stove had been set up, and three cadets had been detailed by Jack to procure firewood.

“We’ll have this camp in apple-pie order before noon,” said the young major. “I am going to observe the same kind of regulations as if we were off on an annual encampment.”

Early in the morning one of the cadets had hurried away to Cedarville, to send a telegram to Captain Putnam, notifying him of the state of affairs. A letter was also dropped into the post-office for the master of the Hall, and this was marked Private. Then another letter was sent to Josiah Crabtree, a farm boy being hired to deliver it. This letter ran as follows:

“Mr. Josiah Crabtree:

“Dear Sir: We have left Putnam Hall to camp out until the return of
Captain Putnam. To remain at the school under the management of
yourself and Mr. Cuddle was impossible. As soon as Captain Putnam
returns we shall lay our case before him.

“Yours truly,
“The Students’ Committee,
“Joseph Nelson, Sec’y.”

“I guess that will set old Crabtree to thinking,” was Dale’s comment, when the communication was dispatched. “He’ll find out that he can’t do just as he pleases.”

“Yes, and it will set that new teacher to thinking too,” added Pepper. “Oh, wouldn’t I like to square up with Pluxton Cuddle, for cutting us short on rations!”

Andy had told the young major about the tramps and Jack agreed to see what could be done as soon as camp matters were arranged.

“I’ve got to get things into shape here first,” said Jack. “I feel it in my bones that Ritter is going to make trouble. Since we ran away he acts like a regular sorehead.”

While breakfast was being served Reff Ritter and Gus Coulter growled at nearly everything that was being done. The camping spot, to them, was no good, the tents were not properly placed, and Reff stated loudly that he would have picked out a spot that had better drinking water, while Coulter turned up his nose at the coffee served.

“This is regular dishwater,” said Gus. “I thought we ran away to have something good to eat and to drink.”

“See here, Gus, if you don’t like the coffee, supposing you make some for yourself,” answered Bob Grenwood, sharply.

“Huh! Maybe you think I can’t make coffee!”

“This ham is about half done,” came from Nick Paxton. “It isn’t fit for a dog to eat.”

“Well, what can you expect, when those fellows are running everything to suit themselves?” growled Reff Ritter. “If I was leader I’d have things different.”

“See here, Reff!” cried Jack, sharply. “I don’t like your talk at all. The boys are doing the best they can. You can’t expect everything to work like a charm at the very start. We are all tired out, and what we need is a good night’s sleep. Don’t grumble so much.”

“I’ll grumble if I please!” flared up the bully of the school. “You may be major of the battalion but you can’t boss me here.”

“You didn’t have to come with us if you didn’t want to,” put in Dale. “Jack is our leader, and everybody in this camp has got to obey his orders.”

“That’s the talk!” cried Pepper.

“Humph! Then I reckon the best we can do is to get out,” answered Ritter, with a meaning look at his cronies.

“Yes, give us our share of the camp stuff and we’ll go,” added Coulter.

“All in favor of going with Reff Ritter raise their right hand,” sang out Nick Paxton.

Evidently the matter had been talked over between the bully and his cohorts for on the instant nine hands went up.

“Ten of us, counting Reff,” said Coulter. “How many are there all told?”

“Thirty-three,” answered Fred.

“Then we number about one-third of the total and we ought to have one-third of the stuff,” said a cadet who had voted to join Reff Ritter.

“That wouldn’t be fair!” cried Hogan. “Sure, and it was Jack and his chums who planned this thing and who got the most of the goods together, so they did. Ritter didn’t carry a thing but his own clothing.”

“Never mind,” said the young major. “If Ritter and his crowd want to camp by themselves let them do it. We’ll give them a fair share of the tents and the provisions.”

A warm discussion followed, which almost ended in a fight. But Jack’s suggestion prevailed, and just before noon Ritter and his nine followers left, taking with them a share of the tents and the provisions. The bully wanted more than was dealt out to him, and went away muttering that he would pay the others back for their meanness.

“I am glad they are gone,” said Jack, when the crowd had departed. “We’d never have harmony with them around.”

“Right you are,” answered Pepper. “Just the same, I think we gave them more than they deserved.”

“We’ve got to keep our eyes peeled for them,” was Dale’s comment. “Ritter is just the fellow to play us some underhanded trick.”

“That’s true—he doesn’t know when to be grateful,” said Bart Conners.

“I am glad he is gone,” came from Stuffer. “Now we won’t have to cook for so many.” And this remark caused a smile.

With the discontented ones gone the camp took on a more cheerful appearance. Breakfast was finished, and the few dishes washed, and then the majority of the cadets laid down to rest, for they had not had a sound sleep since the rebellion had begun. Andy and Joe were anxious to go after the tramps, but Andy could hardly keep his eyes open, while Joe was little better off.

“Might as well wait until to-morrow,” said the young major. “It isn’t likely those tramps will go away in a hurry. Most likely they intend to stay there until cold weather.”

A guard was set, which was changed every two hours, and the cadets laid down to rest. The majority of them slept “like logs,” and it was again dark when they commenced to stir around, and Stuffer began preparations for supper.

“Wonder what is going on at the Hall,” said Jack, as he stretched himself. “Crabtree and the others must be hunting for us.”

“I don’t care what they do, so long as they don’t find us,” answered Pepper.

In the evening Pepper and Andy set off for Cedarville, to buy some things that were needed in the camp. They took to the regular road, thinking they could easily get out of sight if any of the enemy appeared.

As they walked along they saw a buggy approaching. It contained two girls, and as it came closer Pepper uttered an exclamation of pleasure:

“Laura Ford and her sister Flossie! Won’t they be surprised when they learn what has happened.”

The girls he mentioned were two old friends of the cadets. They were the daughters of a Mr. Rossmore Ford, a rich gentleman who owned a summer cottage called Point View Lodge, located on the lake shore. In the past the boys had done the girls several services of importance and the young ladies and their parents were correspondingly grateful.