moment Randy was seen to turn over and pitch out
into the snow.

"Stop the sleigh! Stop the sleigh!" yelled Andy. "One man overboard, and
no life-line handy!"

"Oh, dear! do you think he is hurt?" questioned May anxiously.

"He looks it!" answered her cousin. "Look out, or you'll get hit;" for
scarcely had Randy landed in the snow than he picked himself up and
began to make snowballs, which he sent after the sled in rapid
succession. In the meantime, the driver had brought the turnout to a
halt.

"Stop that, Randy," warned Jack. "You might hit some of the girls."

"No more such horseplay," announced Gif. "It's too dangerous, and,
besides that, some of the girls might get hurt. You fellows have got to
act like gentlemen. Ahem!" and Gif straightened himself up in imitation
of Asa Lemm.

"Please, teacher, can't we act like ladies?" piped out Andy in a thin,
effeminate voice.

"You'll remain after school for that, Rover, and recite one hundred
lines of Caesar backward," commanded Gif.

"You bet your pink necktie, I'll be backward about reciting the hundred
lines!" murmured the fun-loving boy.

The cadets had already arranged it between themselves to stop at a town
about twelve miles away. There all hands trooped into a candy store to
regale themselves with dainty sandwiches and hot chocolate. Some of the
boys also obtained boxes of candy, and also some popcorn and peanuts, as
well as apples, and these were passed around.

So far, Jack had had no opportunity to speak to Ruth in private, but
while the others were still at the little tables in the rear of the
candy shop, he motioned to her, and the pair walked toward the front.

"I want to ask you about the man we rescued in the woods, Ruth," he
said. "Probably you know him. His name is Stevenson, although he said he
was usually called Uncle Barney by all who knew him."

"Why, can that be possible!" exclaimed the girl in astonishment. "Uncle
Barney Stevenson! Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I'll tell you why," he answered. "I was afraid that possibly it might
create some sort of scene. By the way this Barney Stevenson acted, I
knew there was something wrong between him and your folks. When I
mentioned your father's name, he said he didn't want to hear anything
about him--not a word!"

"Poor old man! I am so sorry for him;" and Ruth's manner showed that she
spoke the truth.

"Why doesn't he want to hear from your father? But, excuse me,
Ruth--maybe t