The Rover Boys Under Canvas Or The Mystery of the Wrecked Submarine Part 29

While trying to regain his breath and to undress, Glutts kept his ears wide open, and presently heard Gabe Werner approaching. Then the ex-lieutenant dove into the tent, quickly tying the flaps behind him.

Without saying a word, he began to pitch off his clothing.

"Gee, I'm glad they didn't catch you, Gabe," muttered Glutts, in a hoa.r.s.e whisper.

"They did! But I gave 'em a couple of kicks they won't forget! And then I ran for it."

"Do you suppose they recognized you?"

"I don't think so. The minute we went down the light went out."

"We sure did make a botch of that job," grumbled the wholesale butcher's son.

"How was I to guess that they'd be awake watchin' us?" retorted the ex-lieutenant. "When I looked into the tent I thought the whole bunch was fast asleep. But shut up now--they may be coming this way, and we want to do the innocent act."

"It's me for that," chuckled Glutts, and, having finished undressing, he turned over on his cot and commenced to snore. And in this Gabe Werner soon followed his example.

Both waited impatiently for five minutes or more. Then, as nothing came to disturb them, both breathed more freely.

"I guess they missed us," whispered Glutts.

"It looks like it, Bill. But, say! I just thought of something," went on Werner, and the tone of his voice showed his dismay.

"What's wrong now?"

"In the struggle I dropped that flashlight and the silk handkerchief I had tied over it."

"Gee, that's too bad! Did either of the things have your name or initials on it?"

"No."

"Well, that's good. You haven't got to admit that you own 'em."

"That's all right, Bill, but that flashlight and the handkerchief cost money," grumbled Gabe Werner.

After that there was silence, but it was a long while before either of the rascally cadets could get to sleep. Both were bitterly disappointed over the failure of their scheme to do Jack and Fred an injury, and both wondered whether they would be found out.

CHAPTER XIX

AT CAMP BARLIGHT

There was so much to do in the morning, getting breakfast, taking down the tents and packing them in the motor trucks, and doing other necessary things, that the Rovers got no opportunity to talk over the stirring events of the night before. As officers Jack and Fred had many duties to perform.

Jack and Fred noticed that Gabe Werner and Bill Glutts were in their usual places in the company ahead of them. Once or twice they caught the ex-lieutenant and his crony gazing at them furtively, but to this they paid scant attention. Both were satisfied that these two unworthies were the guilty parties.

"I'm sure they are the ones," said Jack to Fred and the twins, when they had come to a halt at the roadside for the noon-day meal and the cadets had some time to themselves. The story had been told to Andy and Randy, who had listened with much interest.

"What did you do with the flashlight and the handkerchief?" questioned Andy.

"I've got them both in my pocket."

"Are you going to return them?" asked Randy.

"I don't see what else to do. I don't care to carry them about, and I don't care to give them up to Captain Dale or any of the professors. I wouldn't want Werner and his crowd to think we are squealers."

The matter was talked over among the Rovers and Spouter and Gif, who were let into the secret. Spouter looked the flashlight over, and was certain that it belonged to Gabe.

"I was down in Haven Point when he bought it," he said. "I was thinking of getting one of them myself, so I looked them over pretty carefully."

"I've got an idea!" cried Andy. "Just let me have those things, and I'll see to it that Werner and Glutts get them back--and with a vengeance."

"What's the scheme?" questioned his twin eagerly, while the others listened, being equally curious.

"I'll put each of them in a real, nice, comfortable, little package,"

answered Andy, with a grin. "And then to-night, if I can get the chance, I'll put one in Werner's cot and the other in Glutts's."

"What do you mean by a 'real, nice, comfortable, little package?'"

questioned Fred.

"Oh, a package that he'll feel when he lies down on it. Something that he won't be apt to overlook," returned Andy innocently.

"Wow! that's the stuff," cried Randy eagerly. "Let's have those things, Jack. We'll fix 'em up O. K."

"Well, you take care that you don't get caught at it," answered the young captain, and then pa.s.sed the flashlight and the silk handkerchief over to the twins.

The cadets were now among the Lookout Hills, and after the lunch hour they had a long hike over two more of the hills. On the top of the last of these, they paused to rest and to look around them. A grand panorama burst upon their view, stretching many miles in all directions. Directly ahead, through a somewhat dense forest, they could see Barlight Bay, the waters of which sparkled brightly in the suns.h.i.+ne. Off to the northeast were some cleared fields, and this spot was pointed out to them as that where the camp was to be located. To the southeast, beyond the timber and a series of jagged rocks, was another cleared s.p.a.ce stretching for several miles, and this was dotted by numerous low buildings and tents.

"That must be Camp Huxwell!" exclaimed Jack, as he looked at the buildings and tents.

"It is," announced Captain Dale, who was standing near. "If you care to look through my fieldgla.s.ses, Captain Rover, you will be able to see the camp quite distinctly."

"I'll be pleased to do that," answered Jack quickly, and took a good look through the gla.s.ses. Nearly everybody wanted to look, and Captain Dale good-naturedly allowed them to pa.s.s the fieldgla.s.ses around.

"It's not quite so close to our camp as I thought it was going to be,"

remarked Fred disappointedly. "There's a wide belt of rocks and timber between."

Barlight Bay, opening up on the rolling Atlantic, was shaped very much like a half moon. Within the semicircle there were two smaller bays, on the lower one of which was located Camp Huxwell, while on the upper one was to be established Camp Barlight. Between these two minor bays, as stated before, was a series of rocks and cliffs broken by a thick forest, with here and there patches of dense undergrowth.

"I'd like to take a tramp through those woods some time while we are in camp," said Jack. "It might be lots of fun."

"Oh, sure! We'll take more than one walk that way," answered Fred.

"And don't forget, we want to go over to Camp Huxwell."

The climb to the top of the last of the hills had tired a good many of the cadets, and they were glad that the remainder of the march would be downward instead of upward. Soon they were once more on the way, and reached the site of Camp Barlight about four o'clock in the afternoon.

The motor trucks had preceded them, and as the work of getting the place into shape had been proceeding for over a week, the sights to be seen were decidedly interesting. At one end of the grounds there were three long rows of platforms. Upon each platform a tent was to be erected. To one side was a much larger platform, and over this had already been erected a large mess tent, made quite substantial by means of a wooden frame. This mess tent had behind it the cooking quarters.