But before all the projected improvements could be made something else happened, as you will find related in detail in the third volume of this series, entitled "The Racer Boys to the Rescue."
Because of the failure of the heating system of the school there came an enforced vacation in the winter. The school had to close for repairs and the students went to their several homes.
Frank and Andy Racer took advantage of the unexpected vacation to go to the Maine woods on a hunting trip. Their uncle was a lumberman in that cold region, and the boys planned to go to one of his camps. They did go, taking Jack Sanderson and Ward Platt with them.
But, before they left they heard bad news from Tom Crawford, a student at Waterside Hall, a rival school of that attended by our heroes. Tom's little brother, Len, who was an invalid, had been at a sanitarium in Maine, and had wandered off in the woods. Then he was captured by some unscrupulous lumbermen, who held him for a ransom until the Racer boys got on the trail, and went to the rescue.
After their fun and adventures in camp the Racer boys and their chums returned to school, for the improvements were so far under way that it was more comfortable. The winter term passed, and the spring one came, with the Easter vacation. Then once more, the students went to their homes, and now, the start of the term that would end in the beginning of summer found our friends back again at Riverview Hall.
The school had not formally opened as yet, though many of the boys, including our heroes, had arrived to take possession of their rooms and get their belongings in shape. When Frank and Andy got there they found many of their chums to greet them, and the manner of that greeting I have already indicated.
"Well, fellows, what are we going to do?" asked Ward Platt, as he sat on Andy's bed, and tried to kick over a pile of clean clothes on the floor. Andy had taken them from his trunk and was about to put them in the bureau drawers. "Let's think of something flossy."
"Yes, it'll be flossy all right if you think of it," rejoined Andy.
"Oh, it will, eh?" and with that Ward succeeded in reaching, with the toe of his foot, the pile of collars, cuffs and other things. In another second they were scattered about the room.
"Here! what did you do that for?" yelled Andy.