While both boys were recovering from the adventure all the lights in Mike Sherry"s resort were put out and every door and window was locked.
"He wants to steer clear of trouble," said Powell.
"I put the blame on Lew Flapp," answered d.i.c.k. "To my mind he is about as mean as any boy around here."
"Of course we can"t report him, d.i.c.k."
"No, I"m no tale-bearer, Songbird. But he ought to be punished."
"He"ll make a fine major, if he"s elected," went on Powell, as he and d.i.c.k started for the road leading to the academy.
"He shall never be elected, if I can help it."
"I am with you on that."
They found Harry Moss and Joe Davis walking slowly toward Putnam Hall.
Joe seemed to feel all right now that he was out in the fresh evening air, but Harry complained of a strange sickness at the stomach.
"It was horrid of Lew Flapp to make us drink," said the young cadet. "I told him I didn"t want anything stronger than soda. But he and Pender made me take it."
"I think the walk will do you good, Harry," answered d.i.c.k kindly.
"Here, take my arm, and Songbird can take your other arm."
When the Hall was reached they found that Lew Flapp and his cronies had already gone to bed. d.i.c.k took Harry and Joe to their dormitory and then rejoined Powell.
"Going to keep mum?" asked the latter.
"For the present," answered the eldest Rover. "But after this let us keep a sharp eye on Flapp, Pender & Company."
And so it was agreed.
CHAPTER XII
THE ELECTION FOR OFFICERS
On the following morning all of the cadets but Harry Moss appeared in the messroom.
"Joe Davis says Harry is quite sick," said Powell to d.i.c.k.
"That"s too bad. Have they sent for a doctor?"
"I don"t know."
When Lew Flapp heard that Harry was sick he grew pale, and during the morning session could scarcely fix his mind on his studies.
"I hope the little fool don"t blab on us," was his thought. "If he does there is no telling what the captain will do. He"s altogether too strict for comfort in some things."
No doctor was sent for, so it was finally agreed that Harry Moss was not as ill as had been supposed. But the young cadet did not enter the schoolroom for all of that day.
The sickness had frightened Captain Putnam, who was not yet over the scarlet fever scare, and he questioned Harry thoroughly about what he had been doing, and about what he had been eating and drinking.
At first the young cadet did not dare to tell the truth, but finally he blurted out that he had taken a gla.s.s of liquor against his will and it had turned his stomach in a most painful manner.
"Where did you get the liquor?" demanded Captain Putnam sternly.
"I--I--oh, must I tell you, sir?"
"Yes, Harry."
"I--that is, Lew Flapp--Oh, sir, I don"t want to be a tattle-tale."
"Did Lew Flapp give you the liquor? Answer me at once."
"Yes, sir, he and another cadet named Pender. But, sir, I don"t want to hurt them. I--I--" and here Harry burst into tears.
"Where was this?"
"Down in Cedarville, sir. But, I--I--I shan"t say any more, Captain Putnam," and after that Harry remained silent. As it was plain to see that he was suffering, Captain Putnam did not push the matter. But he called Lew Flapp and Pender into his private office and interviewed the unworthy pair for fully half an hour.
"To do such a thing is outrageous," said the captain. "If I hear of it again I shall dismiss you from the Hall at once."
On the following morning one of the a.s.sistant teachers made a brief announcement that filled the entire school with curiosity.
"On next Monday you are to have an election of officers for the term,"
said he. "As you know, twenty cadets were selected as worthy of being elected. The list has since been cut down to eighteen. Lew Flapp and Augustus Pender will not run."
At this announcement d.i.c.k and Powell looked at each other significantly. All of the other cadets looked around to find Flapp and Pender, but the pair were absent, nor did they put in an appearance at all until the next school session.
"The captain found it out in some way," said d.i.c.k to Powell.
"Shouldn"t wonder if Harry Moss let the cat out of the bag," was the answer.
"It"s queer about Flapp and Pender," declared Tom to his older brother.
"Do you know why they were dropped?"
"Yes, Tom, but I don"t want you to say anything about it."
"There"s a report around that they were found cutting loose in the village," put in Sam.
"Well, as I said before, I don"t want to speak about it," went on d.i.c.k.
A few of the boys dared to question Flapp and Pender, but got no satisfaction.
"If I want to drop out I reckon I can do it," growled Flapp, and that was as much as either he or his crony would say.