The Rover Boys in Camp | Page 5

he'll turn up some
day to make moah trouble."
"Well, if he turns up we'll be ready for him," returned Tom grimly.
"How can yo' be ready fo' a pusson wot acts like a snake in de grass?
He'll sting befo' yo' hab de chance to spot him."
"We'll have to keep our eyes open, Aleck," answered the youth; and
then the subject was changed.
During those days the boys went fishing and bathing in the river, and
also visited Humpback Falls, that spot where Sam had had such a
thrilling adventure, as related in "The Rover Boys at School."
"What a lot has happened since those days," said Sam, taking a deep
breath. "Tom, do you remember how you got into trouble with old
Crabtree the very first day we landed at Putnam Hall?"
"I do, Sam; and do you remember our first meeting, on the boat, with
Dan Baxter, and how we sent him about his business when he tried to
annoy Nellie, and Grace, and Dora?"

"Yes, indeed. Say, I am getting anxious to get back to the Hall. It seems
almost like a second home."
"So am I," put in Dick. "Besides, we have lost time enough from our
studies. We'll have to pitch in, or we'll drop behind our classes."
"Father says we can return to the Hall next Monday, if we wish."
"I vote we do so."
"So do I."
And thus it was decided that they should return to the academy four
days later.
But during those four days something was to happen which would have
an important bearing upon their future actions.
CHAPTER III
A MIDNIGHT VISITOR
The next day, shortly after noon, it began to rain, and the storm
increased in violence until the wind blew almost a gale.
The rain kept the boys indoors, at which Tom was inclined to grumble.
"No use of grumbling, Tom," said Dick cheerfully. "Let us improve the
time by looking over our school books. That will make it easier to slip
into the grind again when we get back to the Hall."
"That is excellent advice, Richard," said Randolph Rover. "Whatever
you do, do not neglect your studies."
"By the way, Uncle Randolph, how is scientific farming progressing?"
said Tom, referring to something that had been his uncle's hobby for
years--a hobby that had cost the gentleman considerable money.
"Well--ah--to tell the truth, Thomas, not as well as I had hoped for."

"Hope you didn't drop a thousand or two this year, uncle?"
"Oh, no--not over fifty dollars."
"Then you got off easy."
"I shall do better next year. The potatoes already show signs of
improvement."
"Good! I suppose you'll be growing 'em on top of the ground soon.
Then you won't have the bother of digging 'em, you know," went on the
fun-loving boy innocently.
"Absurd, Thomas! But I shall have some very large varieties, I feel
certain."
"Big as a watermelon?"
"Hardly, but--"
"Big as a muskmelon, then?"
"Not exactly, but--"
"About the size of a cocoanut, eh?"
"No! no! They will be as large as--"
"I mean a little cocoanut," pleaded Tom, while Sam felt like laughing
outright.
"Well, yes, a little cocoanut. You see--"
"We saw some big potatoes in California, Uncle Randolph."
"Ah! Of what variety?"
"Cornus bustabus, or something like that. Sam, what was the name, do
you know?"

"That must be something like it, Tom," grinned the youngest Rover.
"Took two men to lift some of those potatoes," went on Tom calmly.
"Two men? Thomas, surely you are joking."
"No, uncle, I am telling nothing but the strict truth."
"But two men! The potatoes must have been of monstrous size!"
"Oh, not so very big. But they did weigh a good deal, no question of it."
"Think of two men lifting one potato!"
"I didn't say one potato, Uncle Randolph. I said some of those
potatoes."
"Eh?"
"The men had a barrel full of 'em."
"Thomas!" The uncle shook his finger threateningly. "At your old
tricks, I see. I might have known it." And then he stalked off to hide his
chagrin.
"Tom, that was rather rough on Uncle Randolph," said Sam, after a
laugh.
"So it was, Sam. But I've got to do something. This being boxed up,
when one might be fishing or swimming, or playing baseball, is simply
dreadful," answered the other.
Just before the evening meal was announced Jack Ness came up from
the barn, and sought out Randolph Rover.
"Found a man slinking around the cow-shed a while ago," he said. "He
looked like a tramp. I wanted to talk to him, but he scooted in
double-quick order."

"Humph! We haven't had any tramps here in a long time," came from
Randolph Rover. "Where did he go to?"
"Down toward the berry patch."
"Did you follow