“How?”
“Will you stand in with me if I tell you?”
“Most likely we will,” said Paxton. “Of course we don’t want to do something and get found out.”
“Nobody will be found out. We can make Ruddy lose, and if we lay some good bets on the Pornell boat we can make all kinds of money—win back what we lost and make a pile besides.” And then the three cronies went out on the lake, to row and to talk over the plan that Reff Ritter had in mind to carry out.
“That bicycle race has made Ritter and his crowd as sour as lemons,” said Andy, as he and Stuffer walked on behind the others, on the way to the Chetwood cottage. “Every time they pass me they glare at me like wild animals. They don’t pretend to be the least bit civil.”
“You’ve got to be on your guard, Andy. If they have anything up their sleeve you want to be ready for them.”
“I think they are down on Jack more than on any of us.”
“That’s because he is major of the battalion, I guess. Ritter said once that he thought there ought to be a change of officers every month. I reckon he wanted to carry a sword for a change.”
“I don’t believe the cadets will ever elect him—he hasn’t friends enough.”
“Oh, he might be able to buy up some votes—among the fellows who love to be taken out for a good time. He has lots of spending money.”