se two fellows on the outside had confederates on the
inside," remarked Jack, in talking the affair over with his cousins.

"More than likely that's the truth of it," said Randy. "Those fellows
often work in gangs."

During the days following the victory over Hixley High, a number of
the cadets had gone down to Haven Point at various times, and several
brought back the report that they had met Slugger Brown and Nappy
Martell driving through the town in their runabout. Slugger and Nappy
had put on a lordly air, bowing very condescendingly to those they
knew, but refusing to stop for any conversation.

"Those fellows make me weary in the bones," was the way Dan Soppinger
expressed himself. "What ever brought 'em to Haven Point? If I had
been fired out of the school the way they were, I wouldn't want to
show my face around here again."

"Yes, Dan; but you aren't the sort they are," declared Jack. "I don't
believe either Slugger Brown or Nappy Martell has a particle of real
pride. They think just because they have a little more spending money
than most fellows, they can lord it over anybody."

It worried all of the Rovers to think that Brown and Martell were
hanging around Haven Point, and Jack telephoned to Clearwater Hall
several times, calling up Ruth and also his sister Martha, asking if
they had been annoyed in any way by the pair.

"We saw them again down near our boathouse," said Ruth over the
telephone. "They acted as if they wanted to talk to us, but we did not
give them any chance to do it."

"If they dare to say a word to any of you, just let us know and we'll
take care of them," declared the oldest Rover boy.

On the third day came a long letter to Jack and an equally lengthy
communication for Fred. The letters were from their fathers, and in
them Dick and Sam Rover gave the particulars of how they had
volunteered for service in France and how Dick had been commissioned a
captain and Sam a lieutenant. They mentioned the fact that they were
soon to leave New York City, along with a number of other volunteers,
to go to Camp Huxwell, a beautiful site selected by the government and
located on the Atlantic coast.

"Why, say, that isn't very far from here!" exclaimed Jack. "I've often
heard them talk about that place."

Jack's father also mentioned the fact that Colonel Colby had obtained
a commission as a captain and that a great many others of his old
school chums from Putnam Hall, and likewise two of hi