The Rover Boys in the Jungle | Page 4

talk, however, the newcomers were welcomed cordially,
and to the credit of the students be it said that each old cadet did all in
his power to make the new boys feel perfectly at home.
"Mine fadder vos von soldier py der Cherman army," said Hans
Mueller. "Dot's vy he sent me py a military academy ven we come py
dis country."
"Glad to know you intend to help us fight the Indians," answered Tom
innocently.
"Me fight der Indians? Vot you means py dot?" demanded Hans, his
light-blue eyes wide open with interest.
"Why, don't you know that we are here to learn how to fight Indians?"
went on Tom, with a side wink at those around him.
"No; I dink me dis vos von school only."

"So it is -- a school to learn how to shoot and scalp."
"Schalp! Vot's dot?"
"Cut an Indian's top-knot off with a knife, this way," and Tom made an
imaginary slash at Hans' golden locks.
"Ton't do dot!" stammered the German boy, falling back. "No, I ton't
vant to learn to schalp, noputty."
"But you are willing to fight the Indians, are you not?" put in Sam. "We
are all going to do that, you know."
"I ton't like dem Indians," sighed Hans. "I see me some of dem vonde
by a show in Chermany, und I vos afraid."
At this a laugh went up. How much further the joke would have been
carried it is impossible to say, but just then a bell rang and the boys had
to go into the classroom. But Tom remembered about the Indians, as
the others found out about a week later.
As the majority of the scholars had been to the Hall before, it did not
take long for matters to become settled, and in a few days all of the
boys felt thoroughly at home, that is, all but Jim Caven, who went
around with that same sneaking look on his face that Tom had first
noticed. He made but few friends, and those only among the smaller
boys who had plenty of pocket money to spend. Caven rarely showed
any money of his own.
With the coming of spring the cadets formed, as of old, several football
teams, and played several notches, including one with their old rivals,
the pupils of Pornell Academy. This game they lost, by a score of four
to five, which made the Pornellites feel much better, they having lost
every game in the past. (For the doings of the Putnam Hall students
previous to the arrival at that institution of the Rover boys see, "The
Putnam Hall Series," the first volume of which is entitled, "The Putnam
Hall Cadets." - Publisher)

"Well, we can't expect to beat always," said Tom, who played
quarterback on the Putnam team. "We gave them a close brush."
"Yes, and we might have won if Larry hadn't slipped and sprained his
ankle," put in Sam. "Well, never mind; better luck next time. We'll play
them again next fall." Sam was right so far as a game between the rival
academies was concerned, but none of the Rover boys were on hand to
take part in the contest -- for reasons which the chapter to follow will
disclose.
With the football came kite-flying, and wonderful indeed were some of
the kites which the boys manufactured.
"I can tell you, if a fellow had time he could reduce kite-flying to a
regular science," said Dick.
"Oh, Dick, don't give us any more science!" cried Sam. "We get
enough of science from, Uncle Randolph, with his scientific farming,
fowl-raising, and the like. I would just as lief fly an old-fashioned kite
as anything."
"Dick is right, though," put in Fred Garrison. "Now you have a big
flat-kite there, three times larger than mine. Yet I'll wager my little box
kite will fly higher than your kite."
"Done!" cried Sam. "What shall the wager be?"
"Ice cream for the boys of our dormitory," answered Fred.
"All right, but how is a fellow to get the cream if he loses?"
"That's for him to find out, Sam. If I lose I'll sneak off to Cedarville, as
Dick did once, and buy what I need."
"Ice cream for our room it is," said. Frank.
"And mum's the word about the wager, or Captain Putnam will spoil
the whole affair if he gets wind of it."

"Make me stakeholder," grinned Tom. I'd just like to lay hands on
about two quarts of chocolate cream."
"There won't be any stakeholder," said Dick.
"But when is this kite-flying contest to come off?"
The matter was talked over, and it was decided to wait until the next
Saturday, which would be, as usual, a half-holiday. In the meantime
some of the other boys heard