The Rover Boys in the Jungle | Page 3

sure I can't guess," answered Tom.
"Like as not he became scared to death. I suppose you'll be satisfied if
he keeps away from Dora and her mother in the future?"
"Yes; I never want to set eyes on him again, Tom. He worried the
widow half to death with his strange ways."

"I wonder how the Baxters feel to be locked up?" put in Sam. "I know
Arnold Baxter is used to it, but it's a new experience for Dan."
"Dan is as bad as his father," broke in Larry Colby, who had joined the
brothers. "I was glad to hear that Mumps had turned over a new leaf
and cut the bully dead."
"Oh, so were all of us!" said Tom. "By the way, do you know where
Mumps is now? In the mining business, out West, acting as some sort
of a clerk."
"A spell in the West will take the nonsense out of him," came from
Dick. "It was a great pity he ever got under Dan Baxter's influence I
wonder how Arnold Baxter is getting along? He was quite severely
wounded, you know, during that tussle on the yachts."
"He's about over that, so Frank Harrington says," replied Larry. "I'll
wager he is mighty bitter against you fellows for having put him where
he is."
"It was his own, fault, Larry. If a person is going to do wrong he must
take the consequences. Mr. Baxter might today be a fairly well-to-do
mine owner of the West and Dan might be a leading cadet here. But
instead they both threw themselves away -- and now they must take
what comes."
"My father used to say it took all kind of people to make a world," went
on Larry. "But I reckon we could do without the Baxter and the Buddy
Girk kind."
"And the Josiah Crabtree kind," added Sam. "Don't forget that
miserable sneak."
"Perhaps Crabtree has reformed, like Mumps."
"It wasn't in him to reform, Larry," came from Tom. "Oh, how I
detested him, with his slick, oily tongue! I wish they had caught him
and placed him where he deserved to be, with the Baxters."

"Yes, and then we could -" began Sam, when he stopped. "Hullo, Frank,
what are, you running so fast about?" he cried.
"Just got a letter from my father!" burst out Frank Harrington, as he
came up out of breath. "I knew you would want to hear the news. Dan
Baxter has escaped from jail and the authorities don't know where to
look for him."
CHAPTER II
NEWCOMERS AT THE ACADEMY
"Dan Baxter has escaped!" repeated Dick. "That is news indeed. Does
your father give my particulars?"
"He says it is reported that the jailer was sick and unable to stop Dan."
"Humph! Then they must have had some sort of a row," put in Tom.
"Well, it does beat the nation how the Baxters do it. Don't you
remember how Arnold Baxter escaped from the hospital authorities last
year?"
"Those Baxters are as slick as you can make them," said Frank. "I've
been thinking if Dan would dare to show himself around Putnam Hall."
"Not he!" cried Larry. "He'll travel as far can and as fast as he can."
"Perhaps not," mused Dick. "I rather he will hang around and try to
help his father out of prison."
"That won't help him, for the authorities will be on strict guard now.
You know the stable door is always locked after the horse is stolen."
At this there was a general laugh, and when it ended a loud roll of a
drum made the young cadets hurry to the front of the parade ground.
"Fall in, Companies A and B!" came the command from the major of
the battalion, and the boys fell in. Dick was now a first lieutenant,

while Tom and Sam were first and second sergeants respectively.
As soon as the companies were formed they were marched around the
Hall and to the messroom. Here they were kept standing in a long fine
while George Strong came to the front with half a dozen new pupils.
"Young gentlemen, I will introduce to you several who will join your
ranks for this season," said the head assistant. Then he began to name
the half dozen. Among others they included a round-faced German
youth named Hans Mueller, and a tall, lank, red-haired boy, of Irish
descent who rejoiced in the name of Jim Caven.
"I'll wager the Dutch boy is full of fun," whispered Sam to Tom. "You
can see it in his eyes."
"I don't like the looks of that Jim Caven," returned Tom. "He looks like
a worse sneak than Mumps ever was."
"I agree there. Perhaps we had better keep, our eyes open for him."
Despite this