mp," replied Dick. "And if
that is so, I don't know but what it is my duty to report them."

"If you do that, Flapp will consider you the worst kind of a spy,
Dick."

"Perhaps, but as a captain of the command it is my duty to see that
such things are kept out of camp."

"Well, do what you think is best."

"Better make sure that the stuff they are carrying isn't all right,"
said Sam. "They may have nothing but soda in those bottles."

They hurried along faster than ever but, strange to say, failed to
catch up to Lew Flapp and his cronies, who were making for the hermit's
den with all possible speed.

"Maybe they got scared, thinking we might be spying on them," suggested
Tom, and hit upon the exact truth of the matter.

After that nearly a week passed in camp without anything unusual
happening. Lew Flapp and his cronies kept their distance, and so strict
was the guard set by Captain Putnam and his assistants that hazing
became, for the time being, out of the question.

To pass the time more pleasantly some of the cadets organized several
tug-of-war teams. This sort of thing pleased Tom very much and he
readily consented to act as anchor man on one of the teams. Another
team had Pender for an anchor man, with Rockley and seven others on the
rope.

"Let us have a regular contest," said one of the cadets, and all was
arranged for a match on the following morning after drill.

The students were enthusiastic over the match, some thinking one side
would win and others favoring the opponents.

"Tom's crowd will win that match," said Sam.

"What makes you so sure?" questioned Ben Hurdy.

"Oh, Tom knows how to pull and how to manage the others."

"And so does Rockley know how to pull," continued Hurdy. "And what is
more, he knows a trick or two that will pull your fellows over the line
in no time."

"I don't believe it, Hurdy."

"Want to bet?"

"No, I don't bet. Just the same, I think Rockley's crowd will lose."

Although Sam would not bet, some of the other students did, so that by
the time the match was to come off quite a sum was up.

George Strong had been chosen as starter and umpire. On the green a
line of white was laid down, and the team pulling the other over this
line would be the winner.

For the contest Captain Putnam provided a new rope of proper size. To
each end was attached a belt for the anchor men, and there was ample
room on each side of the line for the eight cadets on the rope.

"A