letters!" ejaculated Jack. "Letters!"

"Letters! Letters!" was the general cry, and then the whole crowd of
cadets rushed down to meet the old hunter.

CHAPTER XIX

LETTERS FROM HOME

While Gif was sorting out the mail, which included not only letters but
also several packages which had been sent by parcel post, Jack and
Spouter told the old hunter about the coming of the two bullies to the
Lodge, and how they had sneaked away at daybreak.

"Accordin' to that, them fellers can't be very good friends o' yourn,"
remarked the old hunter dryly.

"They are our enemies," answered Spouter. "They did all sorts of mean
things at Colby Hall, and when they were found out Werner got so scared
that he ran away and never came back."

"I guess their folks ought to take 'em in hand. If they don't they'll be
sorry fer it later on," said Wallop. "But I must be gittin' on now, fer
I've got to git ready to-night fer a big day's work to-morrow."

"Some day we want you to come down here and go out hunting with us,"
said Jack. "Can't you show us where we can get a chance at a deer, or
something else that is worth while?"

"Wot's the matter with stirrin' up a bear?" replied the old hunter, with
a grin, his eyes twinkling.

"That would suit me to a T!" exclaimed Randy.

"Trot out your bears and we'll polish 'em off!" added his twin.

"Not many bears 'round here," announced Jed Wallop. "But you might
strike something jest as bad, especially if the snow keeps on gittin'
deeper. The wolves in this neighborhood git mighty pestiferous when they
can't git nothin' to eat."

"Wolves!" exclaimed Fred. "Gee! I don't know that I want to run up
against a savage wolf."

After promising to come down and see them during the following week, Jed
Wallop drove off, leaving the boys to return to the Lodge and look over
their letters and parcel post packages.

"Here is a letter from mother, and it encloses a letter from dad!" cried
Jack, as he glanced over the epistle.

"I've got a letter from Mary," said Fred. "And here is one from May
Powell, too."

"Who is your second letter from, Jack?" queried Spouter.

"Oh, never you mind about that."

"Looks as if it might be in Ruth Stevenson's handwriting," said Andy,
with a grin.

There were letters for everybody. Two of the packages were from the
Rover boys' homes, and the third had been sent to Spouter by his mother.

"A fruit cake!" exclaimed Fred, as he opened the package addressed t