And then in some confusion the sneak of Colby Hall withdrew from the crowd.
"I don't suppose you feel like trying the swing now," remarked Walt Baxter to Andy. "If you want to call it off, all right."
"Not much!" was the quick reply. "I got pretty well shaken up by hitting Codfish, but just the same, I'm going to make the swing." And a moment later Andy did so.
"And he wins!" declared Dan Soppinger, after measurements were made. "He's a good six inches ahead of anybody!"
"Well, some time we'll try it again, and then maybe I'll be able to do better," remarked Walt Baxter good-naturedly.
"I'm afraid you've made Codfish sore on us once again," remarked Jack to Andy, after the little contest had come to an end and the cadets were breaking up into various groups.
"If he is going to get sore over that he can do it," retorted Andy.
"I supposed he would be real friendly after all we did for him up in the woods last Winter," remarked Fred.
"Well, that shows what's in a fellow is bound to come out sooner or later," answered Randy. "Codfish always was a poor stick, and I suppose he always will be. Just the same, I did hope he would turn over a new leaf."
When the cadets awoke on Saturday morning a pleasurable surprise awaited them. The storms of the weeks previous had completely passed, and the sun was shining over the hills most gloriously.
"Oh, but isn't this the best ever!" cried Randy, after glancing out of the window.
"It's simply scrumptious," retorted his twin; and then to show how good he felt, Andy turned a flip-flap over his bed. Then he caught up a pillow and threw it through an open doorway at Fred, who had just started to dress.
"Hi, you! what's this – a bombardment by the Huns?" yelled Fred, and promptly returning by sending a sneaker at his cousin. But the footwear struck Randy, who promptly returned the missile and followed it up with a book and a wadded-up towel.
"Hi, you fellows! stop the rough-housing!" shouted Jack. "Do you want to be reported?"
"Who's going to report us – you?" questioned Andy.
"No. But some monitor will, or some teacher. And then a fat chance you'll have of going to Haven Point this afternoon."
"Oh, that's so. We don't want to have our off-time cut off," put in Randy quickly. "The war's over, the armistice is signed, and everybody can go home and get washed up," he added, with a grin.
But while he was speaking Andy had advanced upon Fred, and now the two started to wrestle. Jack tried to stop them and in the confusion the three upset a small stand, sending a dozen or more books to the floor with a thump. Almost immediately came another thump on one of the doors leading to the corridor.
"Now we've done it," whispered Fred, in sudden alarm.
"Pick up those books! Quick!" answered Andy, and got down on his knees to do so while Jack righted the stand which had held the volumes. At the same time Randy leaped to pick up the pillows and otherwise straighten the connecting rooms which the Rovers occupied.
"Ho, you fellows! aren't you up yet?" came from the corridor in the voice of Gif Garrison. "Let me in. I've got some important news to tell you."
"Oh, it's only Gif!" murmured the twins in relief.
"He said he had important news," put in Jack. "I wonder what it can be."
CHAPTER V
THE RIVAL SCHOOL
One of the doors to the rooms occupied by the Rovers was quickly swung open and Gif Garrison strode in, followed by Dick Powell. Gif held a morning newspaper in his hand, one which had been delivered to the school only a short while before.
"You said you had important news, Gif," said Jack. "What is it?"
"There is an item here in the newspaper Gif wants to show you," put in Spouter. "I am sure it will interest every one of us."
"It's not much of an item so far as size goes," said Gif. "But it certainly is important – or at least it may be, especially to you Rovers – seeing that none of us has ever been particularly friendly with Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown."
"What! have you news of those two rascals?" demanded Randy.
"Did they run away from that detention camp in the South?" broke in Fred.
"They'd be fools to do that," returned Andy. "The military authorities would round them up in no time. It's no easy matter to keep out of the clutches of Uncle Sam if he wants you."
"No, they haven't run away. They have simply been given their freedom," answered Gif. "Here – you can read the news for yourselves."
The item he referred to was only twelve lines long and located at the bottom of a column on one of the inside pages of the newspaper. It was dated from a well-known detention camp in the South, and gave a list of six prisoners who had had another hearing and been given their freedom. Two of the names were Napoleon Martell and Slogwell Brown, Jr.
"Well, they're loose, all right enough," was Andy's comment, after they had perused the item. "I wonder what they'll do?"
"One thing is certain, being detained that way by the Government will certainly prove quite a stigma," said Jack. "I shouldn't like to have anything of that sort against me."
"I suppose they'll have it in for us," said Randy. "They always loved us a lot – I don't think!"
"Do you imagine they would dare show themselves around here?" questioned Fred quickly.
"Why not?" queried Spouter.
"I don't think they'll come here," answered Jack. "It's too slow for them around Haven Point. You know how sick they got of it the last time they were here. They'll probably head for some big city, where they can have a good time on whatever money they can get hold of."
Gif and Spouter passed on, to carry the news to other cadets who might be interested in it, and the Rovers hurried to get ready for roll-call and breakfast. While they were finishing their dressing they continued to discuss the news.
"I was hoping that we had seen and heard the last of Nappy and Slugger," said Fred; "just as I was hoping that we had seen the last of Werner and Glutts."
"They are like bad pennies – ready to turn up when you least expect it," said Andy. "Just the same, they had better keep out of my way if they don't want to get into trouble," he continued, his eyes flashing.
During the morning the boys had to attend a drill and then prepare a number of their lessons for the following week. But directly after lunch they had the time to themselves, and the four Rovers hurried off to town, and Gif and Spouter went with them.
As has been mentioned before, Haven Point possessed a first-class motion picture theater, run by a man named Felix Falstein, who on more than one occasion had shown his friendship for the cadets. Jack and Fred had communicated with their sisters, and Martha and Mary had agreed to meet them at a certain hour at the theater entrance.
"Not here yet," said Jack, when the crowd arrived.
"You can't expect girls to be on hand always," said Andy gaily. "You've got to give 'em a chance to get the
