e, when all of us just came from the mess hall?"
questioned Larry.

"He's trying to sneak out of the trial," said a voice in the rear of
the crowd.

"I'll sneak you!" roared Lew Flap, in a rage. "I want you all to know
that I ain't afraid of Dick Rover, or anybody else."

"Do you want the trial to continue?" questioned Dick, in an even tone.

"Didn't I just say I was tired out? But I'll show you what I can do
some time," blustered Lew Flapp.

"Oh; all right."

"You needn't think you're king-pin of the punching bag," went on the
tall boy, who had lost control of his temper because of the exhibition.

"Thank you, Flapp, what I think and what I don't think isn't any of
your business."

"Pooh! I've heard about you and your two brothers, Dick Rover. They
tell all sorts of stories about you, but I don't believe the half of
them."

"Come, come, what's the use of quarreling," put in Larry pleasantly.

"I'm sure I don't want to quarrel," answered Dick. "He challenged me to
punch the bag against him, and I did so, that's all."

"You're dead stuck on yourself, Rover," went on Lew Flapp slangily.
"You think you're the only toad in the puddle. But you ain't, let me
tell you that. As soon as I heard about you, I made up my mind I
wouldn't knuckle under to you."

"This isn't right!" cried Larry. "Dick is my friend, and let me say he
never asks any cadet to knuckle under to him, unless the cadet did
something that wasn't on the level."

"That's true! That's true!" came from half a dozen of the students.
"Dick Rover is all right!"

"So you're all turning against me, eh?" burst out Lew Flapp fiercely,
his face growing dark with rage. "I was warned of this before I came
here."

"Who warned you?" asked Tom, who had just put in an appearance.

"A gentleman who used to teach here."

"What was his name?" questioned several.

"Mr. Jasper Grinder. He said he had left because the Rover boys tried
to run everything."

"That old fraud!" cried Larry.

"He left because he was kicked out," came from another.

"And he is a criminal," put in Dick. "I can prove it, if he wants me to
do it."

"Oh, you can talk all you please," growled Lew Flapp. "I know what I
know, and don't you forget it. And what is more, Dick Rover, don't you
expect me to knuckle under to you. If you try that game, you'll get
what you least expect," and so speaking Lew Flapp forced his way out of
the crowd and left the gymnasium.

"Well, of all the id