CHAPTER IV SHORTCAKE AND LEMONADE
It was a jolly crowd that gathered that evening in the dormitoryoccupied by Jack, Pepper, and their chums. Besides Dale and Stufferthere were Andy, big Bart Conners, the captain of Company B, Joe Nelson,Henry Lee, and Joseph Hogan, an Irish youth who was the soul of goodhumor and wit.
Of course Jack and the others had to tell every detail of the adventureon the lake and tell all they could about the Pornell Academy sloop.
"Did those chaps say anything about Roy Bock?" asked Andy. He referredto a student of Pornell who had on several occasions caused our friendsconsiderable trouble.
"Not a word," answered Pepper.
"Maybe they are not friends of Bock and his crowd?" put in Dale.
"Carey and Sedley are that," answered Hogan. "Didn't I see them all atCedarville a couple of Sunday nights ago."
"On Sunday?" queried Jack. "I didn't know they were allowed out onSunday."
"And how did you come to be out, Emerald?" questioned Pepper.
"I went to see me uncle, who was sthoppin' at the hotel till Mondaymarnin'. Coming home I passed that new tavern on the shore road. I metRoy Bock comin' out, and he had Sedley, Carey, and four or five otherswid him. They was all smokin' and cuttin' up in a lively fashion."
"I don't believe Doctor Pornell approves of that," came from Joe Nelson.He himself rarely did anything against the rules and was a good deal ofa model for the other boys.
"I don't believe that new tavern is a very good place, either," saidJack. "Last week they arrested three men there, for getting into aquarrel over a game of cards. They said the men were drinking heavilyand gambling. That kind of a resort is no place for any students tovisit."
"Roy Bock is sore on us," was Andy's comment. "Every time I meet him heglares at me as if he'd like to chew me up."
"I know he is down on us," answered Pepper.
"That's because Pepper is sweet on those Ford girls," said Bart Conners."Say, Imp, which are you going to choose when you grow up?"
"Pep has got to stand aside for Jack and Andy," put in Dale. "Eversince----"
"Oh, change the subject!" cried Andy, growing red in the face.
"That's what I say," added Pepper. "By the way," he continued. "Somebodysaid there was to be a surprise to-night."
"Exactly--at ten-thirty," answered Henry Lee.
"What is it?" questioned several.
"Well, if you must know, my cousin from Boston was in town to-day, andjust for the fun of it he had the Cedarville baker make two bigstrawberry shortcakes for me. He told me to treat my friends. The bakeris to leave them in a box at the apple-tree on the corner of the campus.He had a party to cater to, and he said he would leave the cakes at justten o'clock."
"Hurrah for the shortberry strawcakes!" cried Pepper. "Hen, your cousinis a fellow after my own heart."
"I wanted to keep it a little quiet," continued Henry Lee. "For I didn'twant to invite too many to the spread. I don't really know how big thecakes will be--although I know my cousin Dick doesn't do things byhalves."
"It is half-past nine now," said Jack, consulting the time-piece hecarried.
"I'd like one of you to go out with me, after the cakes," said Henry."Each may be in a separate box, you know."
All volunteered at once, for all loved strawberry shortcake. At last itwas decided that Pepper should go with Henry.
"What's the matter with making some lemonade to go with the cake?"ventured Andy. "I know there is a basket of lemons in the storeroomdownstairs, and there is plenty of sugar there, too--and water costsnothing."
This plan met with instant approval, and Andy and Dale were appointed acommittee of two to provide the lemonade. By this time the monitor wascoming around, and they had to put out lights. The Hall became veryquiet, for all the cadets were supposed to be in bed.
The four boys slipped downstairs by a back way, and while Andy and Daletiptoed to the store-room, Pepper and Henry slipped out of a side-door.Once outside, the latter put on their shoes, which they had carried intheir hands, and hurried across the broad campus in the direction of theapple-tree where the baker was to leave the cakes.
"Perhaps he hasn't arrived yet," said Pepper. "If not, I suppose all wecan do is to wait."
When they got to the tree no boxes were there, and they sat down on asmall grassy bank to wait. Beside the bank grew a clump of bushes, whichscreened them from the Hall. It was a fairly clear night, with brightstars shining in the heavens overhead.
"That baker is certainly late," mused Henry, after a good ten minuteshad passed.
"Getting hungry?" asked Pepper, good-naturedly. "He may have beendelayed on account of the party."
"I hope he doesn't forget about the cakes. Perhaps--what's that?"
The two cadets became silent, as they heard a door close rather sharply.Looking through the clump of bushes, they saw two figures stealing fromthe school building towards them.
"Some of the other fellows are coming," cried Pepper.
"Why should they bother, Pep?"
"I don't know, I'm sure. But I think--Well, I never! It is Gus Coulterand Reff Ritter! What can they be doing out here to-night?"
"Let us get out of sight and find out," answered Henry, and dragged hischum to a clump of bushes still farther back from the campus. He hadhardly done this when Gus Coulter and Reff Ritter came up.
"Anybody here yet?" asked Coulter.
"I don't see anybody," answered Ritter.
"Good enough! I was afraid they'd get here before us. Where do yousuppose the baker put the cakes?"
"Mumps heard Lee say under this apple-tree."
"I don't see them."
After that the two cadets became silent as they moved around in thevicinity of the apple-tree. In the meantime Pepper pinched Henry's arm.
"They are after your strawberry shortcakes," he whispered. "What anerve!"
"Yes, and Mumps, the sneak, told them," murmured Henry.
"Did you tell Mumps you were to have the cakes?"
"Tell Mumps? Not much! I have no use for that sneak! I suppose he musthave been listening at the door of your dormitory--it's just like him. IfI ever get the chance, I'll----"
"Hush! They are coming this way!" interrupted Pepper. "Crouch low, orthey'll see us!"
The two cadets got down in the deepest shadows they could find. Coulterand Ritter came quite close, but did not discover the pair. The twobullies looked up and down the road.
"That baker must have left the cakes and they must have got 'em," saidCoulter. "Mumps didn't tell us soon enough. Too bad! I thought sure we'dbe able to spoil their little feast!"
"Maybe we can spoil it yet," answered Reff Ritter. "Let us go in againand see what can be done," and then he and his crony moved once againtoward Putnam Hall and were lost to sight in the darkness.
"That shows what sort of fellows Coulter and Ritter are," said Pepper,when they were gone. "And it shows what a sneak Mumps is, too." As myold readers know, he, of course, referred to John Fenwick, who had, onmore than one occasion, proved himself to be a sneak of the first water.Fenwick was a great toady to Dan Baxter, but during that individual'sabsence from the Hall had attached himself to Coulter and Ritter, andwas willing to do almost anything to curry favor with them.
"I am certainly mighty glad they didn't get the cakes," was Henry'scomment. "Wouldn't they have had the laugh on us!"
"They'll have the laugh on us, anyway, if we don't get the cakes. But Ithink I hear a wagon coming now."
Pepper was right--a wagon was coming along the main road at a good rateof speed. It was the baker's turnout, and soon he came to a halt nearthe apple-tree and leaped out with two flat pasteboard boxes in hishands.
"Sorry I am late, but that party delayed me," he said. "There youare--and you'll find them the best strawberry shortcakes you ever ate."And having delivered the delicacies he hopped into his wagon again anddrove off.
"Well, we've got the goods
, anyway," said Pepper, with a sigh of relief."Now to get back into the Hall without being discovered."
"Let us send the cakes up by way of the window," suggested Henry. "Itwon't do to be caught with them in our possession--if Coulter and Ritterhave squealed."
The boys ran across the campus, stooping at the roadway to pick up somepebbles. These they threw up to the window of one of the dormitories. Itwas a well-known signal, and the sash was immediately raised and Jack'shead appeared, followed by the head of Dale.
"What's wrong?"
"Lower a line and haul up these two boxes," answered Henry.
"Coulter and Ritter are onto our game," said Pepper. "Mumps gave usaway."
No more was said just then. A strong fishing line was let down fromabove, and one pasteboard box after another was raised up. Then the twocadets on the campus ran around to the side door of the Hall.
"As I suspected, they locked it," said Pepper, rather bitterly.
"Well, we've got to get in somehow. Wonder if they can't let down a ropeof some kind?"
"They might let down the rope in the bath-room," answered Pepper. Hereferred to a rope which was tied to a ring in the bath-room floor. Thishad been placed there in case of fire, even though the school wasprovided with regular fire escapes.
Once more they summoned Jack and the others, and Jack ran to thebath-room and let the rope down. Then those below came up hand overhand, bracing their feet against the wall of the building as they didso.
As the boys came from the bath-room they heard light footsteps on theback stairs. Andy and Dale were coming up, each with a big pitcher oflemonade. Both were snickering.
"Where does the fun come in?" asked Jack, as all hurried to hisdormitory.
"A joke on Coulter and Ritter," cried Andy, merrily. "We caught themnosing around downstairs and I called them into the store-room in thedark. Then I slipped past them and locked them in. They can't get outexcepting by the window, and then they'll have to get back into theHall."
"It serves 'em right," answered Pepper, and then told of what had beenheard by himself and Henry down by the apple-tree. "We ought to payMumps back for spying on us, too," he added.
It was voted to dispose of the strawberry shortcake and the lemonade atonce. The cakes were cut up and passed around, and voted "the bestever." The lemonade was also good, and the cadets drank their fill ofit.
"What are you going to do with the two pitchers?" asked Joe Nelson.
"Sure an' I have an idea, so I have," came from Emerald. "Phy not leave'em in Mumps's room?"
"That's the talk," cried Pepper. "And we'll leave this chunk of ice,too," and he rattled the piece in the pitcher as he spoke.
Taking the two pitchers, the Irish student and Pepper approached thedormitory in which John Fenwick slept, along with Ritter, Coulter, NickPaxton and Dan Baxter. They found the door unlocked and pushed it open.To their astonishment they met Mumps face to face. He was waiting forthe return of Ritter and Coulter.
"Say, what do you want?" he began, but got no further, for withoutceremony both boys thrust the empty pitchers into his arms. Then Pepperrammed the piece of ice down Mumps's neck, and he and Emerald ran offswiftly and silently.