Part 3 (1/2)

”It's a confounded shame that Glutts didn't leave when Gabe Werner went,” continued the oldest Rover boy. ”They were two of a kind.”

”Did you hear what Andy said--that he thought Glutts had a lot of German blood in him?”

”That might be. His face looks it, and the name sounds a little that way too.”

”Andy and Randy both want to pitch into him,” continued the young lieutenant.

”You warn them not to do it--at least, not until this term comes to an end,” warned Jack. ”They have been cutting up so much since last September that their averages are none too high as it is. They'd be mighty sorry if Captain Dale sent home a bad report about them. It would just about break Aunt Nellie's heart, I'm sure.”

Having procured the reference books, the two made their way upstairs to the rooms occupied by them. The Rovers had a suite of four rooms, one of which was used as a sitting room and for studying. As they walked through the upper hallway they pa.s.sed Nick Carncross and Bill Glutts.

Glutts looked sourly at them but did not say a word, and they refused to notice the pair.

”I guess you've got their goat, Bill,” remarked Carncross, as they pa.s.sed on. ”That race really belonged to you, and they know it.”

”Of course it belonged to me,” returned Glutts. ”If they hadn't got in my way I'd have won with ease. There isn't a bobsled anywhere around that can beat the _Yellow Streak_.”

”I'm glad you shoved him over in the snow, even if he is a captain,”

continued Carncross. ”He's got too big an opinion of himself.”

”He only got to be captain by a fluke, Nick. Gabe Werner should have had that office,” continued Glutts.

”Is that why Werner left?” questioned Carncross curiously.

”Oh, no. He left because he got sick of the discipline around here. He said there was no chance for any fun,” answered Glutts.

”Where is he now? Did his folks approve of his leaving school?”

”Oh, I guess they didn't care one way or the other. Old man Werner is pretty rich, and he didn't get his money by being educated either. So I guess he doesn't care much for education.”

”Does he let Gabe have much spending money?”

”Quite a little--but, of course, not as much as Gabe would like to have.

You know Gabe is a good deal of a sport.” Bill Glutts' face lit up with satisfaction. ”I expect we are going to have a bang-up time together during the holidays.”

”Then you expect to see him?”

”Yes; we're planning a trip together.”

”Gee! I'll envy you,” returned Carncross.

Andy and Randy had not yet come upstairs. Neither could resist the temptation to have a little fun, and after supper they had gone outside and begun to s...o...b..ll Shout Plunger, the school janitor, and Bob Nixon, the chauffeur.

”It's all in fun, you know,” explained Andy, as he let fly a s...o...b..ll at the old janitor, who was always called Shout because he was so deaf.

”Hi there! you stop that!” roared Shout. And then, when they continued to s...o...b..ll him, he came after them with a wooden snow-shovel.

”Look out! Here comes the enemy!” cried Randy gayly, and let fly a s...o...b..ll which struck the upraised snow-shovel and sent a shower of loose snow into the janitor's face.

”You young rascals!” roared Plunger, and then lost his footing on some ice. In endeavoring to keep his balance he sent the snow-shovel whirling through the air. It landed at Andy's feet, catching that fun-loving youth in the s.h.i.+ns and sending him flat on his face.