The Putnam Hall Cadets: or, Good Times in School and Out

“What did – did he hi-hit me with?” stammered the fallen one.

“With his fist,” answered Dale. “I reckon it was hard enough, wasn’t it?”

“He struck me with something else – a stone,” cried the bully.

“No, I didn’t,” ejaculated Jack. He held up his open hands. “I haven’t a thing but my fingers and thumbs.”

Again the pair faced each other. Baxter was in a rage, and after a few light passes he rushed in and clinched. Around and around the ring went the two cadets, each trying to get the better of the other.

“Break away!” was the cry. “Break away!” But neither Jack nor Baxter paid attention. Baxter had Jack bent far over and was hitting him on the neck.

“That’s not fair!” cried Andy, but scarcely had he spoken when Jack ducked still lower, and like a flash Baxter was raised in the air and thrown over the young major’s back. He came down with a thud, and before he could get up Jack was on top of him.

“Do you give in, Baxter?” he demanded.

“I – er – I – ”

“Get off of him!” cried Paxton. “That’s no fair way to fight. Let him up.”

“I’ll let him up,” came from Jack, and he leaped up and away. Baxter sat up, stared around, and arose slowly to his feet.

“Come on!” cried the young major. “Unless you have had enough.”

“Oh, I’m all right,” was the reply. “I’ll fix you yet; see if I don’t.”

Once more the pair went at it, hammer and tongs. Blows flew thick and fast, but to the majority of the boys it was easily to be seen that Jack was getting the better of it. Baxter was almost winded, and stood up with difficulty. He felt that another blow or two would make him fall. Watching his chance, he tipped a wink to Paxton.

“Cheese it! Here comes one of the teachers!” called out Paxton. “Run for it unless you want to be caught.”

The cry was taken up on all sides, even though nobody saw the teacher. At once Dan Baxter stepped back and reached for his collar and coat.

“I’ll fix you another time, Jack Ruddy,” he muttered, and hurried away before the young major could reply.

Slipping on his own coat and adjusting his collar, Jack gazed around and then, with his chums, walked toward the gymnasium.

“That was a fake, I believe,” said he. “I don’t see anybody.”

“Paxton gave the alarm,” came from Dale.

“Baxter winked at him – I saw him do it,” said Stuffer. “I guess he wanted to stop. He was pretty dizzy. Another blow or two would have finished him.”

“Never mind, I’ll finish him some other time,” answered Jack. “He won’t behave himself until he is well whipped.”

Baxter did not stop until he reached his dormitory. He sank into a chair, and, later on, bathed his swollen face and eyes.

“He’s a pretty hard fighter,” said Paxton.

“Pooh! I am not afraid of him, Nick,” growled the bully. “The truth is I – I shouldn’t have tried to fight to-day,” he went on, lamely. “I’m not feeling well. My – er – my stomach is all out of order.”

“I knew there must be something the matter,” said Paxton, sympathetically. “You didn’t hit out like I expected.”

“Wait till I’m myself; I’ll lay him out cold,” said the bully, boastingly.

But for the present he was content to keep out of Jack’s sight, and in public he said little about the contest. Behind it all he was frightened.

“I’ve got to be careful how I go at him,” he told himself. “He knows how to handle his fists better than I thought.”

After the fight matters remained quiet for some time to come. A brisk wind cleared some of the snow from the lake, and the cadets spent a large portion of their off time in skating. Some of the cadets built themselves ice-boats, and had not a little fun in sailing up and down the lake shore. One ice-boat was the property of Dale and Harry Blossom, and on an afternoon Coulter, Paxton, and Mumps made off with the craft, without asking permission to use it.

“That is what I call nerve!” Dale declared, when he heard the news. “Just wait till they get back! I’ll give them a piece of my mind!”

“And so will I!” added Harry. “Our friends can use the ice-boat if they wish, but not such fellows as Paxton, Coulter, and Mumps.”

The cadets who had gone off with the ice-boat did not know much about running such a craft, although Mumps knew all about ordinary sailing boats, having come from the Hudson River, as previously stated. The wind carried the trio out of sight of the Hall, and they sat down to enjoy themselves.

“This is all right!” said Coulter, enthusiastically. “Nick, we ought to build a boat of our own.”

“Too much labor,” grumbled Paxton. “What’s the use, when you can get someone else’s craft for nothing?” And he laughed.

“They’ll be angry when they hear how we went off,” came from Mumps.

“Perhaps, but I don’t think they’ll do anything.”

Sailing with the wind was easy enough, and soon several miles were covered.

“We had better turn around,” said the sneak of the school. “Remember, it won’t be near so easy tacking back.”

“Oh, don’t turn back yet,” said Paxton. “It’s fine to spin along. Let her go!” And on they went for another mile.

“Hi! hi!” shouted Coulter, suddenly. “Look ahead! What’s that?”

“It’s open water!” gasped Mumps. “Stop her! Lower the sail! We’ll be drowned!”

As speedily as possible they lowered the sail of the ice-boat. But the momentum carried them closer and closer to the water, and at last they had to jump out on the ice to try to save themselves. All rolled over and over.

“Help! I’ll drown!” shrieked Mumps, when he found himself in the water. He floundered around, and so did his companions. Then Paxton stood up.

“Stand up – it’s not deep,” he called out, and they stood up and found the water only up to their waists. The ice-boat lay near, floating around on its side. Not far off was the bank of the lake.

“Birr! how cold!” came from Coulter.

“Don’t sa – say a wo – word!” chattered Mumps. “I – I – can – can’t get my br – br – breath!”

“Haul the ice-boat in,” came from Paxton, and in disgust they brought the craft to shore. Here they huddled close together, shivering from head to feet.

“I – I wi – wish we ha – had – hadn’t ta – ta – ta – taken the con – confounded bo – boat!” chattered Mumps. “Oh, this is dreadful! I’ll be frozen stiff in another minute!”

“How are we to get back?” questioned Coulter. “If we sail back we’ll be frozen to death before we re – reach th – the Hall.”