well as our own. Now maybe you can go to Colby Hall with us."

"Say, that would be immense!" Phil had returned with pleasure. And that
fall he had joined the crowd at the military academy and soon made for
himself a host of friends.

"Gee, I never thought going to school could be so nice," declared Phil
Franklin to the Rover boys one day. "I always considered going to school
a hardship. But this is bang-up in every way."

"I guess you haven't made any enemies yet, Phil," remarked Fred. "Don't
forget that Nappy Martell, Slugger Brown, and Gabe Werner all hailed from
here."

"I've met only one fellow that I don't like," returned Phil Franklin.
"That's a fellow who came in the day I did, a big, tall, lanky chap named
Lester Bangs."

"Oh, you mean Brassy Bangs," broke in Randy. "I know that fellow only too
well. I had quite a set-to with him one day in the gym."

"For a new cadet he's certainly pretty forward," answered Jack. "I'm glad
he isn't a member of my company. If he was I think I'd have to call him
down more than once."

"I guess Colby Hall is bound to have its bullies," Andy had remarked on
hearing this. "No sooner do we get rid of one group than another appears.
They seem to grow like weeds."

During the fall there had been the usual football season at the military
academy, and the boys had acquitted themselves quite creditably, winning
seven games out of twelve. Then had come the brief Christmas holidays.
And following this the lads had settled down once more into the grind,
resolved to do their best at their lessons. But, of course, they were
only boys, and they had to have their fun, and occasionally the fun went
a little too far and brought forth rather disastrous results, as we have
just seen.

CHAPTER III

WHAT THE SNEAK TOLD

"I certainly didn't think that snowball would go down the stairs so
easily," remarked Andy, when he and the other Rovers were alone.

"Keep quiet," warned Jack, who had remained at the partly-opened door. "I
want to hear what takes place."

"This is outrageous, simply outrageous!" they heard in Snopper Duke's
high-pitched voice. "How dared you roll such a snowball down these
stairs? And how came you to get that snowball up there anyway?"

"Excuse me, Professor, but I don't know what you're talking about,"
answered another voice; and at this Jack gave a slight start, for he
recognized the words as coming from Brassy Bangs.

"What is that? You do not know anyth