The Rover Boys on a Hunt | Page 6

which they did, as related in "The Rover
Boys on Snowshoe Island."
On this island the lads met two of their former enemies, Nappy Martell
and Slugger Brown, as well as Asa Lemm, a discharged teacher of
Colby Hall. The boys exposed a plot against old Uncle Barney, and in
the end caused the old fellow's enemies to leave in disgust.
"I guess we haven't seen the last of Nappy and Slugger," said Jack
when he and his cousins had left Snowshoe Island.
And he was right. Nappy and Slugger turned up once more, as related
in the volume previous to this, entitled "The Rover Boys Under
Canvas." In that volume I told how the cadets went into their annual
encampment, this being after a spirited election for officers in which
Jack Rover had been elected captain of Company C and Fred had been
elected first lieutenant of the same command.
Among the cadets who wished to become a captain was one named
Gabe Werner, a great chum at that time of Bill Glutts. Having failed of
election, Werner did all he could to make things uncomfortable for the
Rovers, and in his actions he was seconded by Glutts. But in the end
Werner and Glutts were discovered in some of their nefarious doings,
and, becoming alarmed, Gabe Werner left the school camp early in the
morning and did not return. Glutts was brought before Captain Dale,

the teacher in charge of the camp, and received a stern lecture and was
deprived of many liberties he might otherwise have enjoyed. He laid
his troubles at the door of the Rovers and vowed that sooner or later he
would pay them back for the way he had been treated.
While the Rover boys were at Colby Hall the great war in Europe had
opened and our country was now overrun with German spies and
sympathizers. During their time at the encampment the boys made
several surprising discoveries, and in the end helped the Secret Service
officers to capture a hidden German submarine. They also rounded up
the fathers of Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown. Mr. Brown and Mr.
Martell were sent to prison, while Slugger and Nappy were marched off
to a detention camp in the South, and that, for the time being, was the
last the Rovers heard of them.
"Well, one thing is certain--we're well rid of Slugger and Nappy and
their fathers," remarked Jack, as this news was brought to them.
"Yes, and I guess we're rid of Gabe Werner too," said Fred. "He seems
to have dropped out completely." But in his remark concerning Werner
the young lieutenant was mistaken. Gabe Werner was destined to turn
up in their path unexpectedly and cause them not a little trouble.
When the call for volunteers came, Dick Rover and Sam had lost no
time in enlisting. At first Tom Rover had been unable to get away. But
now the business in New York City had been left in reliable hands, and
all three fathers of the boys were in the trenches in Europe doing their
bit for Uncle Sam. They had been in several small engagements, and so
far had come through unwounded.
"But there is no telling if they will come through every time," was the
way Fred expressed himself anxiously.
"Right you are," answered Jack. "Do you know, I dread to look at the
lists of the killed and wounded in the newspapers for fear I'll see one of
their names."
"Oh, if only this awful war was over!" put in Randy.

CHAPTER III
NEWS OF IMPORTANCE
"Battalion attention! Shoulder arms! Forward march!"
Boom! Boom! Boom, boom, boom! The drums beat, and away
marched the three companies forming the Colby Hall battalion. They
marched around the school building, as was the custom, and then
marched into the place, put away their rifles, and entered the mess hall.
The roll call and brief drill and march took place less than half an hour
after the encounter on the hill following the finish of the bobsled race.
Captain Jack and Lieutenant Fred had lost no time in hurrying back to
the school, and their chums had gone with them. Bill Glutts and his
cronies had gone ahead, as already stated. And they did not show
themselves until the call came to appear on the parade ground.
As captain and lieutenant, Jack and Fred were in rather a delicate
position when it came to quarreling with the other cadets. In the past
Colonel Colby had laid down the rule that there should be no fighting
at the Hall, and this rule was particularly enforced when it came to
officers. Now that the master of the military academy had joined the
army and gone with the older Rovers to Europe, Captain Dale, who