"I'll be glad to meet Larry and George again," went on Dick. "I suppose they'll have something to tell of what they did during vacation."
"Every time I come to the Hall I think of the first time I came," said Tom. "Do you remember how I set off that giant firecracker?"
"Yes, and how old Josiah Crabtree put you under arrest for it," added Sam. "Wonder where old Crabtree is now?"
"He is out of prison," answered Peleg Snuggers. "I got that from a man in Cedarville. The man said as how Crabtree went to Canada."
"Hope he stays there and never attempts to bother Mrs. Stanhope again,"
was Dick's comment.
About half the distance to the Hall had been covered when there came a shout on the road and Peleg Snuggers had to rein in his team. Then several boys appeared, dressed in cadet uniforms, for Putnam Hall was a military academy.
"Whoop! here they are, fellows! Hurrah for the Rovers!"
"Rovers by name and rovers by nature!"
"Say, Tom, how do you like being adrift on the Gulf of Mexico?"
"Sam, don't you want to become a regular cowboy?"
"Dick, when I buy a houseboat I'm going to engage you as captain."
And then the students in the road clambered into the carryall and tumbled all over the Rovers, hugging them and trying to shake hands at the same time.
"Larry, glad to see you, but please don't smother me."
"I'll love you, George, if only you won't put your elbow through my ribs."
"I knew Fred would meet us."
"You gif me der honor of dis," came from Hans Mueller. "I tole dem fellers to come along alretty."
"Good for you, Hansy, old boy!" cried Sam, and gave the German cadet a tight squeeze.
"Songbird, why don't you turn on the poetry pipe line and let her flow?"
queried Larry Colby, who, even though an officer of one of the companies, was as jolly as the rest of the students.
"Yes, give us something by all means," said Tom. "Something about 'stilly night,' 'fond recollections,' 'starved cats,' and the like."
"Humph! 'stilly night' and 'starved cats'!" snorted Songbird Powell.
"You must think I'm running a hash mill instead of----"
"By no means, Songbird, dear!" piped Tom. "We all know you're the sole owner of the largest poem factory in New York state. Let her flow by all means."
"If you don't recite, we'll sing," said Dick.
"No, don't do that--yet," pleaded Songbird. "I've got a verse or two all ready," and he began, in slow, measured tones:
"Back to dear old Putnam Hall!
Back to the days of yore!
Back to the good old times we had!
May we have many more!
Back to our lessons and our books, And to the teachers, too, Back to the drills and hours off----"
"And to the mutton stew!"
finished Tom. "Don't forget to put in Mrs. Green's wonderful mutton stews."
"No mutton stews in this!" snorted Songbird. "The last line was, 'When days were bright and blue,'" and then he continued:
"We love to gather here again, And talk of times to come, And plot and plan, and plan and plot---- And plan and plot----and plot and plot---- And plan----and plan----and plan----"
"Songbird, you've plotted and planned too much," interrupted Dick, as the would-be poet hesitated. "Let's sing a song."
"That's the talk!" cried Fred Garrison, and started up the song well known to all of them:
"Putnam Hall's the place for me!
Tra la lee! Tra la lee!
Putnam Hall's the place for me!
The best old school I know!"
And then, as the carryall swung up to the campus, they set up the school yell, which brought out a score of students to witness the arrival of the Rover boys.
CHAPTER XI
WILLIAM PHILANDER TUBBS
As my old readers know, Putnam Hall was a handsome structure of brick and stone standing in the center of a large plot of ground, bounded on two sides by cedar woods. To the front was the campus and the wagon road and beyond this a slope leading to the lake. To the rear were rich farm lands, cultivated solely for the benefit of the institution. Besides the school, there were a building fitted up as a gymnasium, and also several barns and carriage houses. The Hall was built in the form of the letter E, and was three stories high. It contained numerous classrooms, a private office, a large mess hall, or dining room, and both large and small dormitories.
The master of the school was Captain Victor Putnam, who was a bachelor, and as kind as he was strict. Captain Putnam was a West Point graduate, and had modeled his school somewhat after that famous government institution. When the school was first organized the Rover boys did not go there, but a number of other bright and lively lads did, and what these cadets accomplished has already been related in a line of stories called "The Putnam Hall Series," starting with "The Putnam Hall Cadets."
These lads had some awful quarrels with the head assistant, Josiah Crabtree, and they were glad when the Rovers appeared and made it so hot for Crabtree that he had to leave. George Strong was now first assistant in place of Crabtree, and the cadets found him a teacher after their own heart.
"Hurrah! here are the Rovers!" was the cry from the campus. "Welcome back!"
"Boys, I am glad to see you again," came from Captain Putnam, as he appeared at the front door and shook hands. "From what I have heard you have had rather strenuous times during the past vacation."
"That is true, Captain," answered Dick. "I am glad to get back here."
"So am I glad," came from Tom and Sam, and all shook hands. Then the boys were told to go to the mess hall, where a hot supper awaited them.
Here Mrs. Green met them with her round, ruddy and smiling face.
"It's wonderful stories I've heard of you," said the matron. "I declare, you'll have to go into a museum!"
"Not until after supper anyhow," answered Tom, dryly. And then everybody present laughed.