CHAPTER XXVI FRIENDS IN NEED
While the boys were staring around helplessly, and shaking from head tofeet from the cold, Coulter espied another ice-boat coming along the lakeshore.
"Let us stop those chaps!" he called. "Come on! Run!"
The others needed no second bidding. Anything was better than standingstill, and they set off at a dog-trot, and soon came up to the ice-boat.It was a craft belonging to Bart Conners and some of his intimates.
"Stop! Stop!" yelled Coulter, Paxton, and Mumps. "Stop! There is openwater ahead!"
These cries were heard, and without hesitation Bart Conners turned hiscraft into shore, allowing it to slide deep into a snowdrift.
"Oh, pshaw! Why didn't we think to run our boat ashore?" mutteredCoulter. Such a simple move had never entered the heads of the ill-fatedtrio.
"What's the matter with you fellows?" demanded Bart Conners. "Why, youlook frozen to death!"
"W--we are--al--almost!" gasped Paxton. "Ca--can't you help us?"
"Did your boat go into the water?"
"Yes."
"Here's a blanket, we've been using it for a seat," sang out a cadet inConners' crowd. "Wrap yourself in that."
"Here's my overcoat, Mumps," said another. "I've got my sweater on anddon't need it."
"Coulter, you can take my overcoat," came from Bart Conners.
The three wet cadets were willing enough to don the things handed out tothem. But even with these dry coverings all were intensely chilled.
"Jump on and we'll take you back to the Hall as fast as we can," saidConners. "It's dreadful to take a plunge in the lake in such weather asthis."
"Who lent you the ice-boat?" asked a cadet in the crowd.
"Oh--we--er--we only thought we'd have a bit of fun," stammered Mumps.
"Phew! if you took that boat without permission, I guess you got paid forit," was Bart's comment.
The ice-boat was turned back, and as speedily as it could be done, theybrought the craft up to the Putnam Hall landing. Here they met Dale andHarry.
"What do you fellows mean by running off with our ice-boat?" demandedDale.
"It was a mean piece of business," put in Harry. "You ought to be poundedgood for it!"
"Don't scold them now," said Bart. "They've been punished enough. Theygot a ducking in the ice-cold water."
"Oh!"
"The ice-boat ran into the open water, and they might have been drowned,only the water wasn't deep enough," put in another cadet.
"Where is the ice-boat now?" questioned Dale.
"In the open water near shore. I guess you can pull her in by throwing aline over her," answered Bart.
Like so many half-drowned rats, Paxton, Coulter, and Mumps sneaked intothe Hall, and up to their rooms. The news soon circulated that they hadfallen into the lake, and Captain Putnam ordered them to bed, and hadMrs. Green prepare some hot tea for them. In the meantime Dale and Harrytook a ride on Bart's ice-boat, and soon succeeded in hauling theoverturned craft to the firm ice once more. The ice-boat was not damaged,and a little while later Dale and Harry were sailing her as before.
"I hope that teaches those fellows a lesson to leave our things alone,"said Dale, and it did teach Coulter, Paxton, and Mumps a lesson, at leastas far as the ice-boat was concerned.
Following the adventure just narrated, came a series of heavysnow-storms, which are remembered even to this day at Putnam Hall. Theylasted over the holidays, and many boys who had planned to visit theirhomes at Christmas had to forego that pleasure. One party that left gotstalled on the cars just outside of Ithaca, and remained in thesnowdrifts for twenty-four hours. Another party got as far as Cedarville,and after remaining there one whole day returned to the Hall.
That the cadets might not feel too blue because they were snowed in,Captain Putnam allowed them to do pretty much as they pleased duringChristmas week. A fine turkey dinner was served on Christmas and on NewYear's day, and the boys had a great deal of sport in the Hall and in thegymnasium. Captain Putnam allowed them to have some private theatricals,and Jack, Pepper, Andy, Dale, and several others gave a two-act dramaentitled "The Boy from the Country." Andy was the country boy who comesto the city to seek his fortune, and Dale played the part of an old ladywho knows the boy's rich uncle. The drama was full of fun, and was wellreceived. Before the drama came a banjo solo by one of the cadets, andthen a duet by two of the cadets who could sing remarkably well.
While the singing was going on, Pepper noticed Dan Baxter sneaking behindthe stage, and pointed him out to Dave Kearney.
"I think he is up to mischief," he said. "I've got to go on in the nextdialogue. Won't you watch him?"
"Sure I will," answered Dave, and hurried after Baxter. He was in time tosee the bully throw something on the floor, just at the places where theactors and singers made their entrances and exits.
"Grease!" murmured Dave Kearney, after getting down and feeling of thestuff with his fingers. "How mean! The boys would look fine, sprawlingall over the stage."
As soon as he had greased the floor Dan Baxter slipped back to his seatin the hall.
"Be careful," said Dave, running around to those who were waiting toperform.
"Careful of what?" demanded several.
"Of grease on the floor. If you're not, you'll go sliding from one sideof the stage to the other."
"How did the grease get there?" asked Jack.
"Dan Baxter put it there--I saw him do it."
"Say, he ought to be mobbed!" cried Andy.
"What a dirty trick!" came from another student. "We ought to pay himback for that."
"Let us pay him back to-night," suggested Stuffer.
So it was agreed, and it was also settled that nobody should say a wordabout the grease until the proper time came. The performance went on,each performer taking good care not to get too much grease on his soles,and stepping out with caution. At last the show was over, and the finalcurtain went down amid great applause and cheering.
"That was as good as a professional show," declared Joe Nelson.
"Sure an' it was betther nor some professional shows," put in Hogan."Wanct I wint to a show in the country--a travelin' troupe 'twas--an'they couldn't act fer a sour apple. The b'ys got ancient eggs, an' thestage was a soight to see afther thim players got out av town!"
The performance had lasted until half-past ten, and as soon as it wasover the majority of the cadets retired to their dormitories. With thecrowd went Dan Baxter, much disgusted that his joke had not turned out ashe had anticipated.
"I suppose one of them found out about the grease, and he told the rest,"was the way he reasoned. "Hang the luck anyway! I don't seem to be ableto get square with that crowd, no matter what I do!"
Baxter was tired, and it was not long before he was in the land ofdreams. How long he slept he knew not, but of a sudden he awoke, to finda handkerchief tied across his mouth. Then his arms were tied to hissides, his feet were fastened, and he was raised up out of bed by sixpersons and carried from the dormitory.
He was not greatly frightened, because he thought some of the others inthe dormitory were playing a joke on him. He tried to see the faces ofthe cadets, but could not, for each of the party had a big paper bagthrust over his head, with two holes in front, for seeing purposes.
Baxter was carried downstairs to the lower floor of the Hall. Then theparty made its way to a side door.
"Throw a blanket over him, fellows," said one person, and then the bullywas almost smothered. The next instant he found himself out in the snowand being carried toward the gymnasium. The building was soon reached andthe door opened. Then the whole party went inside, and a lantern was lit.
"Now set the prisoner up, and we will decide his fate," said one of themasked cadets, and then the bully was placed on an empty box. His heartsank within him, for he felt that he was not among friends, but amongthose who had good cause to be his enemies.