CHAPTER XXVII A CASE OF TIT FOR TAT
Reff Ritter was evidently in high spirits over the success of hismidnight raid, for his voice sounded positive and loud. Coulter was alittle bit afraid.
“They may follow us up,” were the first words Jack and Pepper caught,coming from Gus Coulter.
“Oh, they may try it, but I don’t think they can do it,” answeredRitter. “We took good care to keep to the rocks when we left their camp.They can’t follow the wagon tracks. Oh, say, but it’s a rich joke onthem, isn’t it?” And the bully of the Hall chuckled loudly.
“It sure is, Reff. But if they found us out——” Coulter shook his head.“I suppose Jack Ruddy would be mad enough to chew us up.”
“I am not afraid of Ruddy.”
“Oh, I know that, Reff.”
“And I don’t think he can find us out. He isn’t as knowing as you thinkhe is.”
“Yes, but he’s pretty sharp,” insisted Coulter.
“Humph! He never found out how he happened to get sick so suddenly theday we had the gymnastic contest and he fell from the flying-rings.”
“Oh, you said you’d tell me all about that some day,” said Coulter. “Howdid you manage it, Reff?”
“It was easy enough. If I tell you, will you keep it to yourself?”
“Sure.”
“Well, I got that French headache powder out of the medicine cabinet. Iknew about how much to use to make Ruddy dizzy and dull.”
“Yes, but how did you manage to give it to him without his knowing it?”went on Coulter with interest.
“That was easy enough. I went down to the mess room just before theevening parade. I watched my chance, and when none of the waiters werelooking, I slipped up to Ruddy’s seat and put the powder into the glassof water in front of his plate. Just as I hoped, he came in feeling dry,and he drank the stuff without knowing it. I think he did say somethingabout a bitter taste, but that was all.”
“It was an all-right trick,” said Coulter. “Only it didn’t pan out justas you wanted.”
“But Jack Ruddy never found out about it,” answered Reff Ritter. “Say,I’m getting sleepy,” he added, with a yawn. “Let’s turn in, like therest have done.”
“Want to set a guard?”
“Oh, all the fellows are too tired to stand guard,” was the bully’sreply, and then he passed into one tent and Coulter into another.
With keen interest Jack and Pepper had listened to every word of theconversation. The young major could scarcely control himself, and hischum had to hold him back.
“The rascal!” cried Jack. “I always suspected him of having drugged me,and now I have the proof. I ought to hammer him well!”
“Wait—don’t let him see you here,” pleaded Pepper, and pulled his chumback of some bushes.
“But, Pep, that villain——”
“Yes, yes, I know. You’d like to pound the life out of him, and so wouldI. But we can do no more—we can expose him to Captain Putnam.”
“Certainly. But let me pound him first.”
“Not yet, Jack. Remember, we are two to two, and Ritter and Coulter candeny anything we say. We had better go slow, and fix it so that, whenthe time comes for an exposure, Ritter can’t worm out of it.”
As angry as he was, the young major saw the wisdom of this, and heallowed Pepper to draw him away from the vicinity of the tents. Bothrejoined Dale and the others, who were behind some bushes close to wherethe horse was tied.
“Our stuff is all in the wagon,” announced Dale. “We were going to driveoff with it, but we saw Ritter and Coulter looking this way and wedidn’t want to be discovered.”
“Wait—they are going to retire,” said Pepper. “I think in a few minutesevery fellow in this camp will be asleep, and then——” He did not finishbut his eyes began to twinkle.
“Hurrah!” cried Dale. “I know what you mean! Tit for tat, eh?”
“And why not, Dale? Let me tell you fellows something.” And then The Imprepeated the conversation that had just been overheard.
“Is that true?” demanded Dale.
“It is—word for word. Jack wanted to pound Ritter then and there, but Imade him hold back, for we want to prove this matter to Captain Putnam.”
“If that’s the sort he is, he and his cronies deserve to be cleanedout,” said another cadet.
“And we’ll clean them out,” answered Jack. “We’ll leave them the tentsand their clothing and that’s all.”
The boys had not long to wait for Ritter and Coulter to retire. Then,when they felt certain that all of the enemy were asleep, they stoleinto the camp and picked up the cooking utensils and provisions lyingaround and loaded them on the wagon. Then the horse was untied and thejourney back along the wood road was begun.
“We can change our own camp this afternoon,” said the young major. “Andwe can fix it so they won’t have an easy time to find us.”
It was nearly noon when the boys came into their camp with the horse andwagon. The other searching party had come back a few minutes before,much discouraged.
“Good for you!” said one of the other searchers. “I’m glad we didn’t allfail.”
“Jack, don’t forget that we expect visitors,” said Andy, a little later.
“Of course!” exclaimed the young major. “Boys, I want you to put thiscamp into first-class shape immediately,” he added, and then proceededto wash up and brush his hair before the one tiny mirror brought alongfrom the Hall.
It was not long after this that a call sounded through the woods, andthen the cadets saw two men and two girls approaching, each carrying abasket covered with a napkin. The party consisted of Mr. Rossmore Fordand his two daughters, and the family coachman.
“So this is where you are stopping!” cried Mr. Ford, after the greetingswere over. “An ideal spot, I must say, and one pretty well hidden fromthe carriage road. I take it that your teachers haven’t found you yet.”
“No, sir,” answered Jack.
“Would you mind telling me why you rebelled? I am very much interested,”went on the gentleman.
In as few words as possible the young major told the particulars of thetrouble with Josiah Crabtree and Pluxton Cuddle. Mr. Ford, Laura andFlossie listened with close attention.
“Well, if all this is true, I do not wonder at your running away,” saidRossmore Ford. “I rather think I should have run away myself.”
“Here are the pies, and some cakes and fresh rolls,” said Laura. “Thepies are apple, lemon and cocoanut, and we hope you’ll like them.”
“Like them!” cried a dozen cadets in chorus. “Just you wait till you seeus eat them!”
“We have only one lad here who doesn’t like pie,” went on Pepper,soberly. “That’s Paul Singleton. He——”
“Hi, you!” cried Stuffer. “I like pie as well as anybody, and you knowit. Miss Ford, don’t you pay attention to what he says!”
“Maybe he wants all the pie to himself,” answered Flossie.
“We’d feel honored to have you take dinner with us,” said Jack to Mr.Ford, after consulting some of his chums.
“Oh, let us stay, papa! It would be such fun!” pleaded Laura.
“Yes! yes!” added her sister.
“Well, if it is not too much trouble——” murmured Rossmore Ford.
“No trouble at all!” cried the cadets and then it was arranged that allof the visitors should remain for the midday meal. This settled, Stufferand the other cooks bustled about to get the repast ready.