The Rover Boys in Camp; or, The Rivals of Pine Island

  E-text prepared by W. R. Marvin

  THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP

  Or, The Rivals of Pine Island

  by

  Arthur M. Winfield

  1904

  INTRODUCTION

  My Dear Boys: "The Rover Boys in Camp" is a complete story in itself,but forms the eighth volume of "The Rover Boys Series for YoungAmericans."

  As I have mentioned before, when I started this line of stories I hadin mind to make not more than three, or possibly four, volumes. But thepublication of "Rover Boys at School," "Rover Boys on the Ocean,""Rover Boys in the Jungle," and "Rover Boys Out West" did not appear tosatisfy my readers, and so I followed with "Rover Boys on the GreatLakes," "Rover Boys in the Mountains," and lastly with "Rover Boys onLand and Sea." But the publishers say there is still a cry for "more!more!" and so I now present to you this new Rover Boys book, whichrelates the adventures of Dick, Tom, and Sam, and a number of theirold-time friends, at home, at dear old Putnam Hall, and in camp on PineIsland.

  In writing this tale I have had in mind two thoughts--one to give myyoung readers an out-and-out story of jolly summer adventure, alongwith a little touch of mystery, and the other to show them that it veryoften pays to return good for evil. Arnold Baxter had done much tobring trouble to the Rover family, but what Dick Rover did in returnwas Christian-like in the highest meaning of that term. Dick was not a"goody-goody" youth, but he was a thoroughly manly one, and his exampleis well worth following by any lad who wishes to make something ofhimself.

  Once more let me thank all of those who have expressed themselves assatisfied with the previous stories in this series. I earnestly trustthe present volume will also prove acceptable to them, and will do themgood.

  Affectionately and sincerely yours,

  ARTHUR M. WINFIELD.

  CONTENTS

  I. The Rover Boys at Home II. News of Interest III. A Midnight Visitor IV. A Useless Pursuit V. On the Way to Putnam Hall VI. Fun on the Boat VII. Something About the Military Academy VIII. A Scene in the Gymnasium IX. Settling Down to Study X. An Adventure in Cedarville XI. A Quarrel and it Results XII. The Election for Officers XIII. The Fight at the Boathouse XIV. Getting Ready for the Encampment XV. On the March to the Camp XVI. The First Day on Pine Island XVII. The Enemy Plot Mischief XVIII. Hazers at Work XIX. A Storm in Camp XX. The Rover Boys and the Ball XXI. A Tug of War XXII. A Swim and Some Snakes XXIII. A Glimpse of an Old Enemy XXIV. More Rivalry XXV. Winning the Contests XXVI. Sam Shows What He Can Do XXVII. A Prisoner of the EnemyXXVIII. Dick's Midnight Adventure XXIX. True Heroism XXX. Turning a New Leaf--Conclusion

  CHAPTER I

  THE ROVER BOYS AT HOME

  "All out for Oak Run!" shouted the brakeman of the train, as he thrusthis head in through the doorway of the car. "Step lively, please!"

  "Hurrah for home!" shouted a curly-headed youth of sixteen, as hecaught up a small dress-suit case. "Come on, Sam."

  "I'm coming, Tom," answered a boy a year younger. "Where is Dick?"

  "Here I am," replied Dick Rover, the big brother of the others. "Justbeen in the baggage car, making sure the trunks would be put off," headded. "Say, but this looks natural, doesn't it, after travelingthousands of miles across the Pacific?"

  "And across the Continent from San Francisco," put in Sam Rover.

  "Do you know, I feel as if I'd been away for an age?"

  "It's what we've gone through with that makes you feel that way,Sam," came from Tom Rover. "Just think of being cast away on a lonelyisland like Robinson Crusoe! Why, half the folks won't believe ourstory when they hear it."

  "They'll have to believe it." Sam hopped down to the depot platform,followed by the others. "Wonder if the folks got that telegram Iforwarded from Buffalo?"

  "They must have, for there is Jack with the big carriage," said Tom,and walked over to the turnout he mentioned. "Hullo, Jack!" he calledout. "How is everybody?"

  "Master Tom!" ejaculated Jack Ness, the Rovers' hired man. "Back atlast, are you, an' safe an' sound?"

  "Sound as a dollar, Jack. How are the folks?"

  "Your father is putty well, and so is your Uncle Randolph. Your AuntMartha got so excited a-thinkin' you was coming hum she got aheadache."

  "Dear Aunt Martha!" murmured Tom. "I'll soon cure her of that." Heturned to his brothers. "What shall we do about the trunks? We can'ttake 'em in the carriage."

  "Aleck is comin' for them boxes," said the hired man. "There's hiswagon now."

  A box wagon came dashing up to the depot platform, with a tall,good-looking colored man on the seat. The eyes of the colored man litup with pleasure when he caught sight of the boys.

  "Well! well! well!" he ejaculated, leaping down and rushing forward."Heah yo' are at las', bless you! I'se been dat worried 'bout yo' Icouldn't 'most sleep fo' t'ree nights. An' jess to t'ink yo' was castaway on an island in de middle of dat Pacific Ocean! It's a wonder demcannonballs didn't eat yo' up."

  "Thanks, but we didn't meet any 'cannonballs,' Aleck, I am thankful tosay," replied Dick Rover. "Our greatest trouble was with somemutineers who got drunk and wanted to run things to suit themselves.They might have got the best of us, but a warship visited the islandjust in the nick of time and rescued us."

  "So I heared out ob dat letter wot yo' writ yo' father. An' to t'inkdat Miss Dora Stanhope and de Laning gals was wrecked wid yo'! It'swonderful!"

  "It certainly was strange, Aleck. But, come, I am anxious to get home.Here are the trunk checks," and Dick passed the brasses over.

  In a moment more the three boys had entered the carriage, along withJack Ness. Tom insisted on driving, and away they went at a spankinggait, over Swift River, through the little village of Dexter'sCorners, and then out on the road that led to Valley Brook farm.

  As my old readers know, the Rover boys were three in number, as alreadyintroduced. They were the sons of Anderson Rover, a well-to-dogentleman, who was now living in retirement at Valley Brook, in companywith his brother Randolph, and the latter's wife, Martha.

  While Anderson Rover had been on a hunt for gold in the heart ofAfrica, the three boys had been sent by their Uncle Randolph to amilitary academy known as Putnam Hall. Here they made many friends andalso a few enemies, the worst of the latter being Dan Baxter, a bullywho wanted his way in everything. Baxter was the offspring of a familyof low reputation, and his father, Arnold Baxter, was now in prison forvarious misdeeds.

  The first term at school had been followed by an exciting chase on theocean, after which the boys had gone with their uncle to the jungles ofAfrica, in a search after Anderson Rover. After the parent was found itwas learned that Arnold Baxter was trying to swindle the Rovers out ofa valuable gold mine in the far West, but this plot, after someexciting adventures, was nipped in the bud.

  The trip West had tired the boys, and they hailed an outing on theGreat Lakes with delight. During this outing they learned somethingabout a treasure located in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, andthe next winter visited the locality and unearthed a box containinggold, silver, and precious stones, worth several thousands of dollars.During this treasure-hunt Dan Baxter did his best to bring the Roverboys to grief, but without success.

  After the winter in the Adirondacks, the boys had expected to return atonce to Putnam Hall to continue their studies. But three pupils weretaken down with scarlet fever, and the academy was promptly closed bythe master, Captain Victor Putnam.

  "That gives us another holiday," Tom had said. "Let us put in the timeby traveling," and, later on, it was decided that the boys should visitCalifornia for their health. This they
did, and in the seventh volumeof this series, entitled "The Rover Boys on Land and Sea," I relatedthe particulars of how they were carried off to sea during a violentstorm, in company with three of their old-time girl friends, DoraStanhope and her cousins, Nellie and Grace Laning. It may be mentionedhere that Dick thought Dora Stanhope the sweetest girl in the world,and Tom and Sam were equally smitten with Nellie and Grace Laning.

  Being cast away on the Pacific was productive of additional adventuresand surprises. On a ship that picked the girls and boys up they fell inagain with Dan Baxter, and he did all in his power to make trouble forthem. When all were cast away on a deserted island, Dan Baxter joinedsome mutineers among the sailors, and there was a fight whichthreatened to end seriously for our friends. But as luck would have it,a United States warship hove into sight, and from that moment the boysand girls, and the friends, who had stuck to them through thick andthin, were safe.

  Before the warship left the island a search was made for Dan Baxter andfor those who had mutinied with him. But the bully and his evil-mindedfollowers kept out of sight, and so they were left behind to shift forthemselves.

  "Do you think that we will ever see Dan Baxter again?" Sam hadquestioned.

  "I hardly think so," had been Dick's reply. But in this surmise theelder Rover boy was mistaken, as later events will prove.

  The journey across the Pacific to San Francisco was accomplishedwithout incident. As soon as the Golden Gate was reached the boys,and also the girls, sent telegrams to their folks, telling them thatall was well.

  Mrs. Stanhope was staying at Santa Barbara for her health. All of thegirls had been stopping with her, and now it was decided that Dora,Nellie, and Grace should go to her again.

  "It's too bad we must part," Dick had said, as he squeezed Dora'shand. "But you are coming East soon, aren't you?"

  "In a month or two, yes. And what will you do?"

  "Go back to Putnam Hall most likely--if the scarlet fever scare isover."

  "Then we'll be likely to see you again before long," and Dora smiledher pleasure.

  "It will be like old times to get back to the Hall again," Sam had putin. "But first, I want to go home and see the folks."

  "Right you are," had come from Tom. "I reckon they are dead anxious tosee us, too."

  And so they had parted, with tight hand-squeezing and bright smilesthat meant a good deal. One train had taken the girls southward toSanta Barbara, and another had taken the boys eastward to Denver and toChicago. At the latter city the lads had made a quick change, andtwenty-six hours later found them at Oak Run, and in the carriage forthe farm.