al standing near.

By this time Larry was on the floor again, and he came up to learn what
Dick was doing.

"Dick, they tell me he is the best bag-puncher here," whispered Larry.

"I can't help it."

"He will crow over you if you don't do as well as he can do."

"Let him."

Dick began his punching exercise slowly, for he had not tried it for
some time, and was afraid he was a little stiff. But, it may be added
here, there was a punching bag in the barn at the Rovers' farm, so the
youth knew exactly what he was doing.

"Oh, anybody can do that," remarked Lew Flapp presently. "That's as
simple as A. B. C."

"Well, can you do this?" returned Dick, and branched off into something
a trifle more difficult.

"To be sure I can."

"Then what about this?" and now Dick settled down to some real work.
Clap! clap! went the bag, this way and that.

"Yes, I can do that, too," answered the tall boy.

"I'd like to see you."

Lew Flapp was only too anxious to show his skill, and having adjusted
the bag to suit him, he went at the work once again, doing just what
Dick had done.

"Now do this!" he cried, and gave a performance of his most difficult
exercise. It was certainly well executed and at the conclusion many of
the cadets began to applaud.

"Dick Rover will have to hump himself to do that," remarked one.

"I don't believe he can touch it," said another.

With care Dick fixed the bag and went at the exercise. It was something
he had not practiced for a considerable time, yet he did not miss a
stroke, and he wound up with a speed fully equal to that exhibited by
his opponent.

"Good for you, Dick!" cried Larry heartily.

"They'll have to call it a tie," suggested another cadet.

"I'm not done yet," said Dick. "Can you do this?" he asked of Lew
Flapp, and then commenced an exercise he had learned some time before,
from a boxing instructor. It was full of intricate movements, all
executed so rapidly that the eye could scarcely follow them. The cadets
looked on in wonder, Lew Flapp staring angrily at the performance.

"Wonderful!"

"I didn't know Dick Rover could do such punching!"

"Say, Flapp, you'll have to get up early in the morning to beat that."

"Oh, you shut your mouth!" retorted Lew Flapp angrily. "I can do ten
times better, if I want to."

"Let us see you."

"I--I--I'm in no condition to go ahead just now. Remember, I was
punching the bag for an hour before Rover got here."

"How can that b