[THE FOUR LADS BEGAN TO TUG AT THE TREE TRUNK.]

THE ROVER BOYS
ON SUNSET TRAIL

OR

THE OLD MINER’S MYSTERIOUS
MESSAGE

BY

ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
(Edward Stratemeyer)

AUTHOR OF “THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL,” “THE ROVER BOYS
DOWN EAST,” “THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL,”
“THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES,” ETC.

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS

Made in the United States of America

Books by Arthur M. Winfield
(Edward Stratemeyer)

THE FIRST ROVER BOYS SERIES

• THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL
• THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN
• THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
• THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST
• THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES
• THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS
• THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP
• THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA
• THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER
• THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS
• THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS
• THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM
• THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE
• THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE
• THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST
• THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR
• THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK
• THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA
• THE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESS
• THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR

THE SECOND ROVER BOYS SERIES

• THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL
• THE ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLAND
• THE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVAS
• THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT
• THE ROVER BOYS IN THE LAND OF LUCK
• THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG HORN RANCH
• THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG BEAR LAKE
• THE ROVER BOYS SHIPWRECKED
• THE ROVER BOYS ON SUNSET TRAIL

THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES

• THE CADETS OF PUTNAM HALL
• THE RIVALS OF PUTNAM HALL
• THE CHAMPIONS OF PUTNAM HALL
• THE REBELLION AT PUTNAM HALL
• CAMPING OUT DAYS AT PUTNAM HALL
• THE MYSTERY AT PUTNAM HALL

12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York

Copyright, 1925, by
EDWARD STRATEMEYER

The Rover Boys on Sunset Trail

INTRODUCTION

My Dear Boys: This book is a complete story in itself, but forms the ninth volume in a line issued under the general title, “The Second Rover Boys Series for Young Americans.”

The volumes issued in the First and Second Series so far number twenty-eight, and of these the publishers have already sold over three million copies! To me this is an astonishing number, and I must confess that I am tremendously pleased over the way in which the boys and girls, as well as their parents, have stood by me in my efforts to entertain them.

In the initial volume of the First Series, “The Rover Boys at School,” I introduced my readers to Dick, Tom and Sam Rover and their friends and relatives. This book and those which immediately followed related the adventures of the three Rover boys at Putnam Hall Military Academy, Brill College and while on many outings.

Having graduated from college, the three young men established themselves in business in New York City and became married to their girl sweethearts. Dick Rover was blessed with a son and a daughter, as was likewise his brother Sam, while Tom Rover became the proud father of twin boys. As the four youths were of a lively disposition, it was considered best by their parents to send them to a boarding school, and in the first volume of the Second Series, entitled “The Rover Boys at Colby Hall,” I related what took place while they were attending that institution. From Colby Hall the scene was shifted to “Snowshoe Island” and then to stirring adventures while “Under Canvas.” Then the boys went “On a Hunt” and later to “The Land of Luck.” Then came further adventures at “Big Horn Ranch,” at “Big Bear Lake,” and then when “Shipwrecked,” where we last met them.

In the present book the scene is laid first during the final days at Colby Hall and then on Sunset Trail in the far West. The boys had good times and also some strenuous adventures, all of which are related in the pages that follow.

Once more I wish to thank the young people for their interest in my books and for the many pleasing letters they have written to me. I trust that the reading of these books will do them all good.

Affectionately and sincerely yours,

Edward Stratemeyer.

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

THE ROVER BOYS ON
SUNSET TRAIL

CHAPTER I
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LAKE

“Some baseball game, if you ask me!” exclaimed Andy Rover, as he threw his cap high into the air in satisfaction.

“Jack had the whole bunch from Longley guessing from the start,” added Andy’s twin brother, Randy Rover.

“What got me was the way Tommy Flanders was batted out of the box in that fatal sixth inning,” put in Captain Fred Rover. “It was worse than the time we batted him out before,” and he grinned broadly.

“You mustn’t give me too much credit for winning that game,” came modestly from Major Rover, as he smiled at his cousins and the other cadets of Colby Hall who were with him, all togged out in their natty baseball uniforms. “Remember, I made only one of the eleven runs we got. Fred made two and so did Dan, while Gif brought in three.”

“Of course we all helped, Jack,” returned Gif Garrison, the captain of the Colby Hall nine. “But what counts big with us is that you held Longley down to a sum total of one big goose egg. Wow! that’s enough to keep them off the diamond for a year or two.”

“And I hope it does,” came from Spouter Powell, who had gone with the team as a substitute. “Remember, our team has got to be thoroughly reorganized next season, with Jack and Fred and Gif dropping out.”

“It’s a good thing that Colonel Colby didn’t enforce that rule he was going to put through of keeping officers out of athletic contests. If he had done that, we’d have been minus Jack and Fred for this game.”

“Gosh! how I’m going to miss old Colby Hall,” sighed Fred Rover. “At first I thought graduating and getting away was going to be fine. But when I think of what we’re going to miss in baseball and football and in the gymnasium and on the campus—well, I’m not so sure,” and his face clouded.

“Oh, well, we can’t be cadets and schoolboys all our lives,” consoled his cousin Jack. “Just the same, I’ll hate to give up baseball, and I’ll hate to give up being major of the school battalion, too.”

“How the Longley Academy fellows hated to see that silver trophy going to us,” put in Phil Franklin, who had gone along as scorer. “Some of the fellows looked as black as a thundercloud when the committee wrapped it up in that cloth and turned it over to Gif.”

“Well, I guess the fellows from Hixley High and Columbus Academy felt just as bad,” came from Spouter Powell. For the trophy was one which had been fought for by four of the schools on and in the vicinity of the lake.

“We’ve got the goods! We’ve got the goods!

Because we played good ball.

No matter what we try to do,

Old Colby’s got the call!”

chanted Andy Rover gayly. “I don’t see why Colonel Colby can’t add a Chair of Baseball to the curriculum,” he added, with a grin. “We’d have a whole lot of professors to fill it.”

The cadets from Colby Hall were on their way to the boat-landing, where they intended to embark on several motor boats which were to take them across Clearwater Lake to where the military academy they attended was located. Behind them came a motley collection of other cadets and spectators in general, including not a few girls from Clearwater Hall. Two of the members of the ball team—the second baseman and the right fielder—carried between them an object carefully wrapped in a bit of dark cloth. This object was a tall silver vase beautifully engraved. It had been put up as a prize by the owners of the rival institutions of learning on the lake, and now, having been won three times by the Colby Hall nine, had become the permanent property of that organization.

“What will we do with the vase, now we’ve won it?” questioned Fred.

“Better melt it up and make souvenirs of it,” suggested Randy Rover, with a smile. “Each cadet might get a medal the size of a quarter, stamped, ‘In Memory of the Time that We Licked Longley out of Its Boots,’” and at this there was a general laugh.

“I guess we’ll have to put it in that glass case in the gymnasium along with the other Hall trophies,” said Gif. “It doesn’t belong to any one in particular, you know. It belongs to the whole school.”

When the cadets reached the lake front they began to separate because the various motor boats were tied up at different landings. As the four Rover boys went forward they heard a girlish cry behind them and, turning, saw four young ladies hurrying toward them.

“Oh, Jack! Wait a minute!” cried Ruth Stevenson, a tall and exceedingly good-looking girl, as she came up and extended her hand. “I want to congratulate you on your splendid victory. It was simply great!”

She caught the young major’s hand and squeezed it warmly.

“Oh, Fred, to think you really won that trophy!” burst out May Powell, another of the girls. “Oh, I could just have hugged somebody when I heard the good news!”

“Dad will be awfully glad to hear of this new victory of yours, Jack,” said Martha Rover.

“I’m going to write a long letter home to-night,” added Fred’s sister Mary quickly. “I’m just going to let them know what real heroes you two boys are.”

“Oh, say, Mary! don’t pile it on so thick,” interrupted her brother. “Remember, a baseball game is only a baseball game, after all.”

“All aboard!” shouted one of the cadets from a motor boat near by. “Remember, fellows, it’s getting late and we’ve got quite a trip before us.”

“Yes, and remember that we’ve got to get ready for the celebration to-night,” added another cadet.

“Oh, I wish we could see the celebration!” cried Ruth Stevenson.

“You don’t wish it any more than I do,” answered Jack quickly. “But I don’t see how it can be done.” And then, after a few words more, the boys and girls separated and the four Rovers boarded one of the Colby Hall motor boats, along with Gif, Phil Franklin, and half a dozen others.

“Who’s got the silver trophy? Where is the silver trophy?” came from others on the boat-landings.

“We’ve got it safe and sound,” sang out Phil Franklin.

“Well, take good care of it,” came from another cadet. “That trophy is worth just about a million dollars to Colby Hall.”

“Make it nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand, and I’ll believe you,” answered Andy Rover loudly, and this produced a general chuckle. Then, one after another, the motor boats bound for Colby Hall set off across Clearwater Lake.

It was an ideal day in late June, with bright sunshine and just sufficient breeze to make the air bracing. There had been a good attendance at the ball game, and now the surface of the lake was alive with all manner of craft carrying spectators to various points on the water front. There were canoes and rowboats, motor boats and steam yachts, as well as catboats and several small sloops. From the shore, where a road ran up and down the lake front, could be heard the sounds from numerous automobiles and motorcycles.

“I’ll bet the hole in a button against the hole in a doughnut that there won’t be much of a celebration at Longley to-night,” remarked Randy Rover, as the motor boat, under the guidance of Pud Hicks, one of the school employees, proceeded cautiously out from among the mass of craft near by.

“You’ll be able to cut the gloom with a knife,” answered his twin.

“And the gloomiest boy of the bunch will be Tommy Flanders,” put in Fred.

“I hope it takes some of the conceit out of him,” answered Jack. “I haven’t forgotten how he treated us when we were in camp up at Big Bear Lake,” he went on, referring to some happenings which have already been related in detail in another volume.

“I wonder if Tommy Flanders and his bunch will be at Longley next season,” mused Fred.

“I heard so,” returned Spouter Powell. “Tommy and his cronies didn’t pass some of the examinations last year, so they have got to hold over another term.”

“Gee! I hope we pass in our final examinations,” said Andy wistfully. “I’d hate awfully to flunk at the last minute, wouldn’t you?”

“Don’t mention it, Andy!” returned his brother. “It’s enough to give a fellow the shivers.” The twins were given to so much fun and horseplay that it was next to impossible for them to buckle down to their studies, and, as a consequence, each successive examination became more or less of a nightmare to them.

“Oh, we’ve got to pass—every one of us!” burst out Jack. “Now that the games are all at an end, each fellow has got to buckle down for all he’s worth. Just think of what the folks at home would say if we failed!”

“I wonder what that silver trophy is worth,” came from Phil Franklin. “It certainly is a handsome vase.”

“I heard somebody say it cost over two hundred dollars,” answered the young major of the school battalion.

“Yes, and then there is a lot of engraving to go on it, and that will be extra,” put in Gif. “Remember, the name of the winning club and the date of the final victory are still to be put on it.”

“Wouldn’t it be fine if we could take it home and show it to the folks,” said Fred wistfully.

“I didn’t get a very good look at it,” remarked Randy. “Phil, let’s take a look at it now while we’re going home.”

“Be careful and don’t get it tarnished,” cautioned Gif. “We want to keep that as nice as possible until we can put it under glass.”

“Oh, looking at it isn’t going to hurt it any,” answered Andy.

As the motor boat bounded on its way across Clearwater Lake in the direction of the Colby Hall dock, Phil and Randy, assisted by Andy, took the dark cloth covering off the tall silver vase and set the trophy up on the forward deck of the motor boat where all might inspect and admire the object.

“Gee, it certainly is a peach of a vase!” exclaimed Randy, as he and his twin brother turned the object around and inspected it closely.

“It certainly is an art to turn out a vase like this,” answered Fred, who was also looking the object over. “Just look at that curve to the top, will you? And that little vine that trails around and down to the bottom? Why, you can see every leaf just as plain as if it was real!”

“It’ll look better yet when it’s all engraved,” observed Randy. “I wonder where they will put the name and the date? On this side, I suppose,” and he turned the vase around.

“Look out there! Watch where you’re going!” came in a yell from Pud Hicks.

The cry was so sharp and unexpected that all of the cadets started in alarm. As they glanced up they saw a steam yacht bearing almost directly across their bow.

“Gee, we’re going to be hit, as sure as guns!” exclaimed Spouter Powell.

“Back her, Pud! Back her!” yelled Jack.

“Sheer off! Sheer off to the right!” came from Gif.

Badly frightened by the proximity of the steam yacht which had come up without warning, Pud Hicks stopped his motor and then threw over his steering wheel in a wild endeavor to sheer to starboard. But the steam yacht was too close. There came frantic cries to “look out!” from the craft, a blast of a steam whistle and the jangling of a bell, and then motor boat and steam yacht slid up to each other sideways.

For a moment it looked as if the motor boat must be capsized. The craft careened at a sharp angle, shipping not a little water. The shock was greatest at the bow, and in a twinkling Phil Franklin shot overboard. Andy and Randy Rover followed, carrying the silver trophy with them.

CHAPTER II
SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVERS

“Sheer off! Sheer off!”

“You’ll send us to the bottom!”

“Why don’t you look where you’re running?”

“It wasn’t our fault! You changed your course!” came from the steam yacht.

“Nothing of the sort! I was runnin’ as straight as an arrow!” yelled Pud Hicks, in reply.

Then the two boats sheered away from each other and presently both came to a standstill in order that the occupants might ascertain what damage had been done. In the meantime Phil Franklin, who had disappeared beneath the surface of the lake, reappeared and struck out lustily for the motor boat.

“Where are Andy and Randy?” gasped Fred, who had kept himself from being hurled overboard by a firm hold on the rear gunwale.

“Ouch! My fingers!” came in a wild yell from Spouter Powell. He had had the digits of his left hand severely pinched when the two craft came together.

“The trophy went overboard!” groaned one of the other cadets. “Andy and Randy took the silver vase with them!”

“Never mind the trophy!” interrupted Jack quickly. “If only they are not hurt!” he added fervidly.

The youthful major had scarcely spoken when a head bobbed up on the surface of the lake about fifty feet away. It was Andy Rover, and he struck out somewhat feebly for the motor boat.

“Andy! Andy! Are you all right?” yelled Jack.

“I—I guess so!” gasped his cousin.

“Where is your brother?” screamed Fred. He was in mortal terror, fearing Randy had been seriously hurt and gone to the bottom.

The words were scarcely off his lips when the waters of the lake parted once more and Randy Rover reappeared. He threw up a hand feebly.

“Help! Help!” he gasped out. “Somebody help me!”

“He’s got a cramp, or something!” exclaimed Jack. “I’m going after him. Bring the boat over,” and without further ado he balanced himself on a seat of the motor boat and then dove overboard in the direction where his cousin had appeared. Randy’s head and hand had gone down slowly, and now he was once more out of sight.

As my old readers know, the young major was an excellent swimmer and he struck out with vigor for the spot where his cousin had disappeared.

In less than a minute after Jack left the boat Andy managed to reach the craft and was pulled on board by Fred and Gif. Then the motor boat was turned in the direction where Jack was swimming.

“Be careful, Pud. We don’t want to hit anybody,” cautioned Fred. And then he and some others helped Phil Franklin to clamber aboard.

“I’ll be careful,” answered the man at the wheel. “Confound those fellers on that steam yacht! They’re to blame!”

“It’s a steam yacht from up the lake—Jocelyn,” said a cadet. “It belongs to the crowd that hangs around the Outlook Hotel.”

A minute of vigorous swimming brought Jack to the place where he had seen Randy go down. Filling his lungs with air, he dove beneath the surface, keeping his eyes wide open for whatever might appear.

He saw his cousin a few yards away, struggling feebly to regain the surface. In another moment he was at Randy’s side and then both came up as quickly as possible.

“Oh, Jack, I’m so glad you came after me!” were Randy’s first words, coming with severe gasps. “I was afraid I was a goner.”

“What was the matter, Randy, that you couldn’t swim better? Were you struck or was it a cramp?”

“Neither. It was the silver trophy. I tried to save it, but it was too heavy for me.”

“Oh, gee, I forgot all about it!” answered Jack. “Then the trophy has gone to the bottom of the lake! But never mind—I’d rather have the trophy missing than you,” he added grimly, and then aided his cousin to keep afloat until the motor boat came alongside and they were both assisted on board.

And now I think it is high time that I pause for a moment to introduce the Rover boys and their friends to those who are meeting them for the first time. In the first volume of this line of books, entitled “The Rover Boys at School,” I introduced three brothers, Dick, Tom and Sam Rover, and related how they were sent to Putnam Hall Military Academy where they made a number of chums, including a cadet named Lawrence Colby. From Putnam Hall the three Rover boys went to Brill College and then entered business in Wall Street, New York City.

During their days at school the Rover brothers fell in love with three nice girls, Dora Stanhope and her cousins, Nellie and Grace Laning. The three young couples became married and settled down in connecting houses on Riverside Drive in New York City. As the result of his marriage Dick Rover became the father of a son, Jack, and a daughter named Martha; Sam Rover was blessed with a girl named Mary, and then a son, who was christened Fred. About this same time Tom Rover’s wife, Nellie, came forward with a lively pair of twin boys, who were named Anderson and Randolph after their grandfather and their great-uncle. Andy and Randy, as they were always called, were full of fun, thus following in the footsteps of their ever-lively father.

Residing side by side, the younger generation of Rover boys, as well as the girls, were brought up very much as one large family. At first they attended private institutions of learning in the metropolis. But presently, when the lads began to develop a propensity for fun, it was decided to send them to some stricter institution of learning.

At that time Larry Colby was at the head of a military academy called Colby Hall. Jack and Fred, as well as the lively twins, were sent to that institution of learning, and what happened to them during their first term there has already been related in a volume entitled “The Rover Boys at Colby Hall.”

At school and elsewhere the young Rovers made many friends, and also a few enemies. Among their warmest chums were Gif Garrison, the son of their fathers’ old friend, Fred Garrison, after whom Fred Rover was named, and Spouter Powell, the son of the older Rover boys’ chum, John Powell, always known as Songbird.

A term at Colby Hall had been followed by some stirring winter adventures on “Snowshoe Island.” Then the cadets returned to school to go into an encampment “Under Canvas.” Later still the lads went on a great “Hunt.” During these times Jack and Fred took a great interest in military matters, and the former gradually worked up until he became major of the school battalion while Fred became captain of Company C. This was at a time when the World War was taking place and when their fathers, and also Colonel Colby, were doing their duty on the battlefields of France.

The war at an end, the older Rovers returned to the United States. Through a soldier whose life he had saved Dick Rover became interested in the oil fields of Texas and Oklahoma, and how he journeyed to the oil fields, taking the four Rover boys with him, is fully set forth in a volume entitled “The Rover Boys in the Land of Luck.” Dick Rover, aided by the boys, was highly successful in his quest for oil, but he made several bitter enemies, including Carson Davenport, who, with two of his pals, was sent to prison.

From the oil fields the boys returned to school, but a short time later accompanied Spouter Powell on a trip to “Big Horn Ranch.” Later still they went with Gif Garrison to “Big Bear Lake,” where they had some great doings. It was here that they found some of the Longley Academy boys in camp and where Tommy Flanders, the pitcher for the rival academy, had sought to do them much harm and had been brought to book.

Colby Hall was located on Clearwater Lake not far from the town of Haven Point. On the other side of the town was situated Clearwater Hall, a school for girls. Among the pupils at this institution were Ruth Stevenson and also May Powell, a cousin of Spouter Powell. Jack and the other lads speedily became acquainted with these girls and later on induced the folks at home to allow Martha and Mary to become pupils at the place.

Before Jack Rover had been elected major of the school battalion, Ralph Mason had occupied that important position. Through Ralph the lads obtained an invitation for a motor boat trip out to Nantucket and Cape Cod. What this trip led to has already been related in the volume preceding this, entitled “The Rover Boys Shipwrecked.” They found themselves carried down to the West Indies and were there plunged into an unexpected hunt for pirates’ gold.

“Well, we certainly had great times on that trip,” declared Randy. “I don’t suppose we’ll ever have such strenuous times again.” But Randy could not look into the future. Strenuous days were still to come for the boys, as the pages which follow will prove.

“Do you feel all right, Randy?” questioned Fred anxiously, as his cousin came aboard, followed by Jack.

“I—I think I’m all right!” gasped Randy. “Gee, it’s too bad the silver trophy went to the bottom of the lake! I hung on to it as long as I could, but it was too much for me.”

“You shouldn’t have risked your life for it,” said Phil Franklin.

“I had hold of it, too, but I let go before Randy did,” put in Andy. “I wasn’t going to drown for any trophy, no matter how valuable it was.”

“It’s all the fault of that steam yacht,” growled Pud Hicks. “We’re lucky they didn’t cut us in two.”

“Run up alongside and see what they’ve got to say,” said Jack, and as he spoke the young major of the school battalion did what he could to wring the water from his baseball uniform. Fortunately, it being a warm day, there was little danger of those who had been submerged taking cold.

The steam yacht was crowded with men and boys, most of whom had attended the ball game.

“You can’t lay this accident on me,” growled the man in charge of the steam yacht, a burly fellow with reddish hair and a bristly mustache. “I blew my whistle and I had the right of way.”

“No such thing!” retorted Pud Hicks. “You ran into us on purpose. I’m goin’ to report you.”

“It certainly was too bad it happened,” said a young man on the steam yacht, as he eyed the cadets critically. “You fellows didn’t get hurt, did you?”

“I came pretty close to getting drowned,” growled Randy.

“Yes, and the silver trophy we just won was knocked overboard,” added his brother. “I guess the owner of the yacht will have to settle that bill.”

“We won’t settle anything! It was all your fault, and you know it!” said the man who was running the steam yacht. “If any one is to make a complaint, it ought to be me!”

After this there was a wordy war lasting for five minutes or more. Each side seemed to be convinced that the fault lay with the other crowd. Finally a number of men aboard the steam yacht began to grumble.

“Stop chewing the rag and take us up to the hotel,” said one man. “I’ve got to catch that evening train.”

“That’s the talk!” put in another. “You fellows can settle this some other time.” And a minute later the steam yacht continued on its way up Clearwater Lake.

“Well, we didn’t make much out of that,” remarked one of the cadets.

“Just the same, I hold that they are responsible,” said Pud Hicks sturdily.

“I think so myself,” answered Jack. “But whether you can hold them for it or not is a question. If you took it to court probably they would have as many witnesses to side with them as we’d have for us.”

“I wouldn’t care so much if only the silver vase hadn’t been lost,” sighed Randy, who was now feeling once more like himself. “Gee! what are we going to tell the other fellows and Colonel Colby when we get back to the school?”

“I’m afraid there’ll be an awful howl go up when the fellows learn that the trophy has been lost,” answered the young major soberly.

“Why can’t we fish it up?” questioned Fred quickly. “How deep do you suppose the water is around here?”

“Thirty or forty feet at least—maybe twice that,” answered Pud Hicks.

“Well, we’ve got to get it back somehow!” cried Gif. “We worked too hard to win it to lose it this way.”

The motor boat was run around in a circle in the vicinity of the spot where the precious silver trophy had disappeared beneath the waters of the lake. Then, with heavy hearts, Pud Hicks and the cadets turned once more in the direction of the Colby Hall boat-landing.

CHAPTER III
AN UNEXPECTED EXPLOSION

“Here they come!”

“Hurrah for the conquering heroes!”

“The fellows who snowed Longley under!”

“Let’s form a parade and march around the campus with the silver trophy!”

“I’ll tell you that was sure something worth while!”

Such were some of the cries that rang out as the motor boat containing the Rover boys and their friends approached the Colby Hall boat-landing.

“Gee! how are we ever going to face that bunch?” murmured Andy, and for once his face grew pale.

“I almost feel like hiding,” came from his twin, and it must be confessed that Randy looked thoroughly miserable.

A number of motor boats had already landed their occupants, but, strange as it may seem, none of these cadets had seen the collision between Pud Hicks’ craft and the Jocelyn, due, no doubt, to the fact of there being so many boats making it necessary for every one in command to pay strict attention to how he was fashioning his course across the lake.

“Hello! Why, you’re dripping wet!” exclaimed Fatty Hendry, the stoutest lad in the school, as Jack, the first to land, leaped on the dock. “Whatever happened? Did you fall overboard?”

“We had an accident,” answered the young major.

“Hello, Andy and Randy are wet, and so is Phil Franklin!” put in Dan Soppinger, another of the chums.

“Anybody hurt?” questioned Ned Lowe, a cadet who was quite a singer and who generally led the cadets in their school songs.

“I had my fingers pinched, but it didn’t amount to much,” answered Spouter Powell. “But something pretty bad happened,” he went on.

“What was it?” questioned a dozen cadets at once, and then several added quickly: “Where is the silver trophy? Weren’t you to bring it over?”

For a moment there was a silence that was intense. Nobody seemed to be willing to break the bad news. Even Pud Hicks bent his head away and pretended to be at work over the engine of the motor boat.

“Well, we might as well tell the truth,” announced Gif at last. “The silver trophy is at the bottom of the lake.”

“At the bottom of the lake!”

“How did that happen?”

“Why didn’t you fish it up again?”

Thereupon there was wild excitement, and the cadets began to crowd closer to those who were just landing. The boys kept coming up until at least fifty of the Colby Hall pupils were assembled. Then, seeing the unusual crowd, Captain Mapes Dale, the chief military instructor of the institution, strode forward hastily.

“A steam yacht ran into us and nearly bowled us over,” said Randy.

Then all the boys who had come across the lake with Pud Hicks tried to explain at once. Numerous questions were asked and answered and a dozen lads became wildly excited.

“Why didn’t you have the owner of the Jocelyn arrested?” questioned Walt Baxter.

“He ought to have been tarred and feathered,” came from Bart White.

“Gosh! I’ll bet you fellows will catch it for losing that trophy,” came from a thin boy who had weak, shifty eyes and an unusually broad mouth. His name was Henry Stowell and he was generally known as the sneak of the school.

“It wasn’t our fault, Codfish,” answered Fred, calling the sneak by the nickname which was often applied to him. “The other boat headed directly for us. If Pud Hicks hadn’t acted quickly our boat might have been cut in two and some of us might have been killed.”

“Humph! that’s easy enough for you to say,” sneered Stowell. “If you could save yourselves, as you did, I don’t see why you couldn’t save the vase.”

This was a mean remark to make, since the sneak did not know the details of the affair. But his snap judgment was taken up by not a few of the other cadets and they looked rather sourly at the Rover boys and those who had been with them in the ill-fated trip across the lake.

“So you won the trophy only to lose it, eh?” came from Captain Dale in a voice that showed his regret. He had sense enough to know that no lads would have worked so hard to win a prize unless they were willing to do almost anything to keep it. “Are you quite sure the collision was not your fault, Hicks?” he demanded of the school employee. Hicks was really the janitor’s assistant, but had spent several years on the lake and was known to be a careful man among both sailboats and motor boats.

“It wasn’t my fault at all, Captain Dale,” was Hicks’ firm reply, and he went into the details, as he knew them, of the happening.

“We’ll have to look into this and without delay,” said the military instructor. “You had better report to Colonel Colby.”

After that the Rovers and their chums hurried to the gymnasium, and there those who were wet, as well as the others, changed from their baseball outfits into their uniforms. By this time it was close to the supper hour, and Jack and Fred had to hurry off to take charge of their commands.

It must be confessed that Andy and Randy felt in anything but an enviable frame of mind when they went for their rifles and joined in the brief parade around the campus which always preceded the entrance to the mess hall.

“Some of the fellows will never forgive us for losing that trophy,” remarked Andy, and his usually smiling face showed nothing but gloom.

“I guess you’re right,” answered his twin. “No matter how we try to explain it, they’ll always think that somehow or other we ought to have hung on to the trophy when the collision came.”

“Yes, but, Randy, you nearly lost your life trying to save it!”

“There will be some of the fellows who’ll never believe that—Codfish, for instance.”

“Oh, you mustn’t pay any attention to that sneak.”

“Well, there’s a bunch of others besides Codfish. I heard Walt Baxter talking to Ned Lowe just a few minutes ago; and while they didn’t say it in so many words, it was easy to see that they rather thought we should have made more of an effort to save the trophy.”

“If only we can fish it up again!”

“I’m certainly going to have a try at it, and that very soon. More than that, what’s the matter with offering a reward for its recovery?”

“That’s the talk! We’ll do it!”

Here the conversation had to come to an end as the boys took their places in the company’s ranks.

“Battalion attention!” came a minute later from Major Jack Rover, and every cadet straightened up, with eyes front and rifle at his side. A moment later the order came to march, the drums and fifes struck up, and away went the three companies of the school battalion around the campus and then around the school buildings. A few minutes later the cadets filed inside, placed away their rifles and side arms, and crowded rather noisily into the big mess hall, there to distribute themselves at the various long tables presided over by the teachers.

Discipline was rather strict this term, so that conversation flagged during the time set apart for eating. Yet the Rover boys could well understand that nearly everything that was said in an undertone related to the loss of the silver trophy.

“It will certainly put a damper on the celebration to-night,” whispered Fred to Gif, who sat beside him.

“Oh, we don’t have to take it as seriously as all that, Fred,” answered the manager of the baseball team. “We won the championship, and that’s the main thing, after all.”

“Yes, we can’t send that to the bottom of the lake,” returned the youngest Rover boy, with a slight grin.

In anticipation of a possible victory, a number of the cadets had been gathering boxes and barrels with which to build bonfires, and as soon as it grew dark enough these bonfires were started along the lake front, being placed there so that the Longley boys might see how their successful rivals were celebrating the victory.

“The baseball nine to the front!” shouted Fatty Hendry, who on account of his weight never played ball but was one of the best rooters the team possessed. “Come on! Get your bats and join the parade!”

Andy and Randy felt like declining this invitation; but Fatty and a number of others would not listen to it and shoved them forward, and in a very few minutes those who belonged to the baseball team found themselves bats in hand and surrounded by the other cadets, some with drums and fifes and others with horns, rattles, pans, and anything else that might be utilized in making a noise. At the head of the procession marched three of the tallest cadets, each carrying a new broom borrowed for the occasion from Mrs. Crews, the housekeeper.

Up and down the lake front went the cadets, singing one school song after another always ending with the well-known Hall refrain:

“Who are we?

Can’t you see?

Colby Hall!

Dum, dum! dum, dum, dum!

Here we come with fife and drum!

Colby, Colby, Colby Hall!”

“That’s the stuff! Give it to ’em louder!” shouted Fatty Hendry, dancing wildly in front of the singers and brandishing a stick. “Sing it so loud that they can hear it clear across the lake!”

“Oh, Andy, we almost forgot!” cried his twin suddenly.

“Forgot what?” put in Fred, who was marching alongside his cousins.

“The cannon! We forgot the cannon,” answered Randy.

“Say, did you fellows fix the cannon after all?” questioned Fred quickly.

“We sure did! Come ahead, Fred. Now is our chance to make a little noise in the world.”

“Say, don’t you know that that cannon hasn’t been shot off in years?” demanded the young captain of Company C. “It was only planted along the lake front as an ornament.”

“Oh, well, we didn’t put in much of a charge,” answered Andy. “It will make more of a sky-rocket effect than anything else. We’ll elevate it high into the air and have a barrel of fun when it goes off.”

The field piece to which the lads referred was one Colonel Colby had obtained from the Government after the close of the World War. It had been captured on the battlefront in France and the owner of Colby Hall was proud to have the piece planted at the corner of the school campus overlooking the lake. At first the cadets had been curious concerning this piece of artillery, but soon their interest flagged and few paid any attention to it. Then the idea entered Andy’s head to place a charge in the old piece and in case of a victory over Longley to discharge the same during the evening’s celebration. Fred and Jack had been called in consultation, but both had said that it would not be altogether safe to do this. Nevertheless, the twins had gone ahead and placed the charge in the piece when they thought nobody was looking.

“We’ve got to be careful, Andy, when we fire it,” cautioned his twin. “We can’t take too many chances on such a gun as that. It may have needed cleaning out when it was brought over here.”

“Oh, it will be all right,” was the ready reply. “There isn’t any ball or shot in it, or anything like that—it’s only a blank charge, one of those left over down in the powder house. Besides that, I’ve got a pretty long fuse, so we’ll not have to stand anywhere near the thing when it goes off.”

Making their way out of the crowd, the three Rover boys stole in the direction of the cannon. No one was near the piece, although they noticed that one of the other cadets was following them.

“Confound it, it’s Codfish! He’s always sneaking around to try to get something on us,” murmured Randy.

“Hi, Codfish! where are you going?” called out Fred sharply.

“None of your business,” retorted the sneak of the school, and then slunk back behind some bushes.

With only the fitful glare from the bonfires to light the way the three Rover boys advanced to the cannon and gave it a hasty inspection.

“Let’s try to elevate it a little,” suggested Randy. “Then the charge will make more of a showing.”

Not without considerable effort, the boys managed to raise the muzzle of the field piece until it was elevated to an angle of about forty-five degrees. Then Andy brought forth his fuse and attached the same.

“Now for it!” cried the fun-loving Rover, and without hesitation struck a match and applied the light to the fuse. Instantly the latter began to fizz, and all of the boys took to their heels.

Bang! [It was a tremendous explosion], much louder than any of the boys had anticipated, and it fairly made the windows of the various school buildings rattle. Looking, they saw not one spurt of flames, but a dozen or more shooting in various directions.

[IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION.]

“It’s busted! The cannon has busted!” gasped Fred, who had been thrown off his feet by the concussion.

“Gee! it can’t have been much of a piece,” was Andy’s comment, and he looked startled.

The tremendous report which echoed and re-echoed against the buildings and the hills beyond was followed by a moment of silence. Then came a yell from the cadets at the other end of the lake shore.

“I’m hit! I’m shot in the arm!”

“Something struck me in the back!”

“Help! Help! I’m killed! Somebody shot me!”

So the cries ran on while the three Rover boys gazed at each other in abject consternation.

CHAPTER IV
THE ACCUSATION

“Somebody’s shot!” cried Fred.

“They must have been hit by some pieces of the cannon!” gasped out Randy. “I felt something whizz by my ear when it went off.”

“Yes, something whistled close to me, too,” answered his twin. “Gee! I hope no one is seriously hurt.”

“You wouldn’t think so at such a distance,” said Fred. For the nearest group of cadets in the celebration was more than a hundred yards away, for the captured cannon had been placed on the boundary line of the campus.

Already a number of cadets and teachers were hurrying in the direction where the cannon had been located. The piece itself had blown in various directions, only a portion of the base remaining.

“Halt! What is the meaning of this?” came in ringing tones from Captain Dale, as the military instructor ran swiftly in the direction of the explosion.

“Oh, Captain Dale, we didn’t mean to smash the cannon!” cried Randy quickly. For a brief instant he, as well as the others, had contemplated running away, then had tacitly decided to face the consequences of their ill-advised attempt at fun.

“Did you discharge that cannon?”

“Yes, sir. But we had no idea that it was going to explode,” answered Andy. “We didn’t put anything into it but a small blank charge—not enough to bust up a one-pounder.”

“Was any one seriously hurt?” questioned Fred anxiously.

“I don’t know. Colonel Colby and Professor Grawson are investigating. The colonel sent me up here to question those responsible for the affair. You admit that you did it, do you, Captain Rover?” he added sternly.

“It wasn’t Fred’s fault!” burst out Andy quickly. “I—and my brother—put the charge in the piece and set it off. But really and truly, Captain Dale, we didn’t expect it to do more than make a very small report. All we placed in the cannon was one of those blank charges from the powder house—one of those old ones marked ‘BB 27.’”

“What did you put on top of the blank charge?” demanded the military instructor. “Rammed the cannon full of stones, I suppose?”

“No, sir. We didn’t put in anything but a couple of loose newspapers. We thought the papers would scatter over the campus and make some fun.”

“Are you sure you didn’t put in any stones?” and the military instructor turned to Randy.

“Nothing but the newspapers, Captain. I am positive of it.”

“In that case how do you account for the cannon exploding? It undoubtedly needed cleaning, but it was too heavy a piece to blow up with nothing more in it than a blank BB 27 charge. Well, the three of you go to the office and report to Colonel Colby when he comes in,” ordered Captain Dale. “We’ll have a thorough investigation of this as soon as the excitement is over and we have found out how badly those cadets are injured.”

“Can’t we go and see if Jack is all right first?” questioned Andy.

“Yes, you may do that. But don’t waste any time. I ought to place you under arrest, but if what you say is true about using only a small blank charge, evidently you meant it only in fun to help along the celebration. Of course, you had no right to take anything out of the powder house. But that point can be settled later.”

In the meanwhile the excitement among the cadets was gradually calming down. It was found that Ned Lowe had been struck in the shoulder and a cadet named Grimshaw had been hit in the back, while several others had received minor injuries. Both Lowe and Grimshaw were severely bruised and were sent to the school, there to be placed under the matron’s care until a doctor could be summoned.

“Jack! are you all right?” questioned Fred, as he ran up to his cousin, followed by the twins.

“All right, except that a stone or something flew right past my face,” was the reply. “Who shot off that cannon?”

“We did,” answered Andy, indicating himself and his brother. “But we didn’t know the confounded thing was going to bust,” and thereupon the twins made a complete confession, Jack, Gif, Spouter, and a number of others listening with interest. Then the three Rover boys went to the office as ordered.

Flashlights and lanterns were brought into play, and it was soon ascertained that none of the broken parts of the cannon had come near where the cadets had been celebrating. Pieces of cannon had struck behind the gymnasium and along the lake front, and other pieces had probably gone into the water.