firecrackers into his coat pocket, Tom sauntered up to old Ricks, while Sam and Dick looked on, sure that something was in the wind.
"Ricks, that is pretty bad news from Middletown, isn't it?" he observed.
"Bad news? What do you mean?" demanded the station master, as he threw some more waste paper on the fire, which he had just lit.
"About that dynamite being stolen by train wreckers. They think some of the explosive was brought up here."
"Didn't hear of it."
"Dynamite is pretty bad stuff to have around, so I've heard."
"Awful! awful! I never want to see any of it," answered Ricks, with a decided shake of his head.
"If it goes off it's apt to blow everything to flinders," went on Dick.
"That's so — I don't want any of it," and the old man began to gather up more waste paper for his fire. Watching his chance, Tom threw one of the firecrackers into the blaze and then rejoined his brothers.
With a handful of paper Ricks again approached the blaze. He was standing almost over it when the firecracker went off, making a tremendous report and scattering the light blazing paper in all directions.
"Help! I'm killed!" yelled old Ricks, as he fell upon his back. "Get me away from here! There's dynamite in this fire!" And he rolled over, leaped to his feet, and ran off like a madman.
"Don't be alarmed — it was only a firecracker," called out Tom, loud enough for all standing around to hear, and then he ran for the train, which had just come in. Soon he and his brothers were on board and off, leaving poor Ricks to be heartily laughed at by those who had observed his sudden terror. It was many a day before the cranky station master heard the last of his dynamite.
The boys were to ride from Oak Run to Ithaca, and there take a small steamer which ran from that city to the head of the lake, stopping at Cedarville, the nearest village to Putnam Hall. At Cedarville one of the Hall conveyances was to meet them, to transfer both them and their baggage to the institution.
The run to Ithaca proved uneventful, though the boys did not tire of looking out of the window at the beautiful panorama rushing past them. At noon they had lunch in the dining car, a spread that Sam declared was about as good as a regular dinner. Three o'clock in the afternoon found them at the steamboat landing, waiting for the Golden Star to take them up to Cedarville.
"Fred Garrison, by all that's lucky!" burst out Tom suddenly, as he rushed up to a youth of about his own age who sat on a trunk eating an apple.
"Tom Rover! Where are you bound?"
"To a boarding school called Putnam Hall."
"You don't say! Why, I am going there myself," and now Fred Garrison nearly wrung off Tom's hand.
"If this isn't the most glorious news yet!" burst in Dick. "Why, Larry Colby is going too!"
"I know it. But he won't come until to-morrow."
"And Frank Harrington is going too!"
"He is there already — he wrote about it day before yesterday. That makes six of us New York boys."
"The metropolitan sextet," chirped in Sam. "Boys, we ought to form a league to stand by each other through thick or thin."
"I'm with you on that," answered Fred Garrison. "As we are all newcomers, it's likely the old scholars will want to haze us, or something like that."
"Just let them try it on!" cried Tom. "Yes, we must stick together by all means." And the compact, so far as it concerned the Rover boys and Fred Garrison, was made on the spot. Later on Larry Colby and Frank Harrington joined them gladly.
It was not long before the Golden Star, a stanch little side-wheeler, steamed up to the dock, and the waiting crowd rushed on board and secured favorable places on deck. The baggage followed, and soon they were off, with a whistle which awoke the echoes of Cayuga Lake for miles around.
While waiting on the dock Dick had noticed three girls standing near them. They were evidently from the rural district, but pretty and well dressed. The boys took seats near the bow of the boat, on the upper deck, and presently the girls sat down not far away.
"He was awfully bold, Clara; I want nothing to do with him," Dick heard the prettiest of the girls say. "He had no right to speak to us."
"He had dropped his handkerchief, and he pretended I was stepping on it," said another of the three. "Oh, here he comes now!" she went on, as a youth of seventeen came into view. He was large and bold-looking, and it was easy to see that there was a good deal of the bully about him. He was smoking a cigarette, but on seeing the girls he threw the paper roll away.
"How do you do again?" he said, as he came up and tipped his hat.
At this all of the girls looked angry, and not one returned his salutation. But, undaunted by this, the newcomer caught up a camp stool and planked himself down almost directly between the prettiest of the three and her companions.
"Splendid day for the trip," he went on. "Won't you have some confectionery?" and he hauled from his pocket a box of cream chocolates and held them out.
"Thank you, we don't wish any," said the youngest of the girls.
"Won't you have some? " asked the unknown of the eldest girl.
"I don't want any, and I told you before not to speak to me!" she said in a low voice, and the tears almost came into her eyes.
"I aint going to hurt you," grumbled the young fellow. "Can't a fellow be pleasant like?"
"I do not know you, sir."
"Oh, that's all right. My name is Daniel
Baxter. Sorry I haven't a card, or I would give you one," was the smooth rejoinder.
"I do not wish your card," was the answer, delivered in the most positive of tones.
"Oh, all right. Yes, it's a splendid trip," said the fellow, and drew his camp chair even closer. The girls wished to edge away, but there was no room in the narrow bow. The eldest girl looked around as if for help. Her eyes met those of Dick, and she blushed.
"Say, that fellow is a regular pill," whispered Tom to his elder brother. "Somebody ought to take him by the collar and pitch him over-board."
"You are right, Tom," answered Dick, and then as the bully attempted to crowd still closer to the girls he suddenly arose, took a few steps forward, and caught Dan Baxter by the arm.
"You get out of here — and be quick about it," he said in low but firm tones.
The fellow started, and for the instant his face changed color. But then he saw that Dick was but a boy, younger and smaller than himself, and his bullying manner returned.
"Who are you talking to?" he demanded.
"I am talking to you. I told you to get out — and
