CHAPTER XI
THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG
As the boys were nearing the camp on their way back they suddenly heard the sound of angry voices, and Percival whispered:
"Wait a minute, Jack. Some of the boys are having a quarrel, and I believe I know who they are."
"I told you to let my boat alone, you idiot!" the boys heard Herring say just ahead of them.
They were in the woods adjoining the camp, and the two quarreling boys were very close to them.
"Well, I didn't hurt it!" they heard Merritt say angrily. "You are making a lot of fuss over an old tub that isn't any good anyhow. Look how little Smith beat us this afternoon, and he the smallest boy in the Academy. I didn't hurt your boat."
"I say you did, and I told you not to go out with it. You've busted the engine."
"No, I didn't. It wasn't any good anyhow. You tried to put Sheldon's boat out of business, but you couldn't."
"You had as much to do with that as I did!" sputtered Herring.
"Well, you started it, same as you started telling that detective that Sheldon had a bad name in the Academy, and—-"
"Shut up! Somebody will hear you. You had as much to do with that as——-"
Percival suddenly let out a great bellow, such as a calf in search of its mother might make.
"Gracious! what's that?" cried Herring in alarm, making a dash for the camp, the lights of which could be plainly seen.
Merritt followed in hot haste, frightened out of his wits, and Percival broke into a hearty laugh, not caring if the two conspirators heard him or not, and greatly enjoying their terror.
They may have done so, but they did not pause until they reached the camp, and were challenged by the sentry.
"That's good!" laughed Dick. "And we have found out something as well. Now we know who it was who tried to put your boat out of commission. I have always suspected those rascals of having had something to do with it, and now I am certain."
"Yes, but that was not as bad as——-"
"As trying to make you out a bad character. No, it is not. I had my suspicions on that score, too. If you had asked me to name the fellows who were most likely to do a thing of that sort I would have named them in a moment. They are just mean enough."
"Well, it does not matter," said Jack. "No one would believe them who knows me. It is not worth thinking about."
"But I think it is!" said Percival hotly. "You don't know how far a thing of that sort might go. Suppose the detective had arrested you before he saw the doctor or you had a chance to explain? It would have taken a long time to explain things away."
"I do not think so," Jack replied. "I have friends enough in town to say nothing of the Academy. Besides, who is going to arrest me in any such peremptory fashion as all that? Do you suppose I would submit to it?"
"No, I guess not!" and Percival laughed again. "You are a quiet sort of fellow, Jack, but when it comes to a thing of that sort you can be as lively as any one, myself for instance. I remember the time you knocked this same Herring bully down for insulting you. It was a surprise to him, and to all of us, for we all thought you were a quiet chap who would stand most anything for the sake of peace."
"Well, I don't seek quarrels," Jack replied, "but being in one——-"
"As Shakespeare says you stick it out," and Percival laughed again. "I think it ought to be known that Herring and Merritt tried to give you a black eye, Jack. It is no more than right."
"But they did not give it to me, Dick, and there is no use in stirring up trouble. Let it go. Both Herring and Merritt must know by this time that the Hilltop boys in general will not believe their lies."
"Well, if they do not they must be very stupid," grunted Percival, and by this time the boys were in the camp.
"Pete Herring and Erne Merritt saw a ghost!" laughed Billy Manners, as the boys came in. "They were frightened to bits. I believe myself that it was nothing but a white calf."
"You were frightened by a calf yourself once, Billy," chuckled Dick, "and declared that it was a roaring bull."
"Did I?" asked Billy innocently. "When was that?"
"You know well enough," said Percival, "so you need not be so innocent. However, I know what frightened Herring and Merritt."
"What was it?" asked Billy, and a number of others.
"Guilty consciences!" said Dick shortly, and with some emphasis, and then he and Jack went on to their tent.
"They will want to know more, Dick," said Jack. "You should not have given them a clue like that."
"I won't say any more, then. They are within hearing and they will understand, and you will see that they are careful how they talk about you to any one after this."
"Let them talk," laughed Jack.
For two or three days things went on as usual in the camp on the river, the boys doing a certain amount of study, drilling a little, exercising in the outdoor gymnasium, skimming along the river in their boats and otherwise occupying themselves, the time, on the whole, passing very pleasantly.
Then one day a messenger came from a boys' camp some miles down the river asking them to take part in a regatta, which was going to take place at the other camp in a day or so.
"We know you Hilltop boys," said the messenger, "and we would like to have some representatives of your Academy at our sports. Will you send a few of them?"
The messenger had met Percival and Jack, and Percival now answered:
"We shall be very glad to send any number. Do you intend to have any other besides aquatic sports? Any running, jumping, or anything of that sort? Our boys are good at all of them."
"Mostly water sports, but I suppose we could have some of the rest. There will be races for motor-boats, shells, canoes, a tub race, and a swimming match. We have a good stretch of river at our camp, and there is plenty of room."
"And the affair takes place the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes, beginning at two in the afternoon. That will give you time to get home after it is over, either by train or in your own boats."
"Very well. We will be on hand. I cannot tell you whom we will send, for the doctor will have something to say about that, but there will be some of us there beyond a doubt."
"You have a boy named Sheldon, who is a dandy at running a motor-boat, haven't you?" the other boy asked.
"Yes, and he can get speed out of a canal-boat," laughed Dick.
"Do you want him?"
"We certainly do," said the other emphatically. "We have heard of him, and we certainly want him."
"Here he is now. You can ask him yourself." The other boy was a bit surprised at seeing the very boy he had been talking about, and said:
"But I thought you were bigger. They said you were strong and wiry, and I expected to see a giant. Why, you are no bigger than I am. And you can run a motor-boat?"
"Certainly he can," replied Dick. "Size does not count in a thing like that. Why, I am bigger than Jack, but he can beat me running a boat. Then there is little Jesse W. Smith, who is the smallest thing in the way of a boy in the Academy, and he has beaten boys twice his size."
"And you will be down?" to Jack himself.
"If I am chosen to represent the Hilltop boys, I will certainly be on hand," Jack replied. "I should like nothing better."
Other boys now came up, and Percival told them about the regatta to be held at the other camp on the next day, but one, all of them being greatly excited over it.
"Even if we don't take part I suppose we can go?" asked Billy Manners.
"There ought to be a lot of fun in it."
"There will be if you race, Billy," said Percival. "There is going to be a tub race as one of the attractions."
"Good enough! I can win a tub race as well as anything else if I put my mind on it," laughed Billy. "I think I'll enter for it."
"Anything to make things lively," said the messenger, and then he shortly took his leave, while the Hilltop boys were greatly excited over the coming contest wherein they hoped to take more than one prize.