CHAPTER XXV
MUMPS IS TAUGHT A LESSON
The cadets stared blankly at each other. Only two of them wereundressed; the others had all of their clothing on.
It was time for the head assistant to go the rounds, to see thatall was right for the night. Should he be allowed to enter thedormitory he would certainly "smell a mouse," and perhaps knockall of their plans for a feast in the head.
"Off with your clothing, all of you!" whispered Tom. "I'll managethis affair. Pretend to be asleep."
"But, Tom, it's my fault--" began Dick, when his younger brothercut him short.
"Into the bed--I'll be all right, Dick."
Satisfied that Tom had some plan in his head for smoothing mattersover, the other boys disrobed with marvelous rapidity and creptinto their beds. While this was going on the knocking an the doorcontinued.
"Boys, open the door!" said George Strong. "Open the door, do youhear?"
"Answer him!" whispered Tom to Larry, whose bed was nearest him."Pretend you have just awoke," and he flung himself on the floor,with one of a pair of big rubber boots in each hand.
"Oh--er--Mr. Strong, is that you?"
"Yes, open the door."
"Why--er--is it locked?
"Yes."
At once Larry tumbled from his bed, unlocked the door and stoodthere rubbing his eyes. "Excuse me, Sir, for not hearing youbefore."
"I want to know what the meaning is of the noise in here?" saidGeorge Strong severely, as he gazed around the dimly litapartment, for the lamp was turned low. "You boys are--graciousme! What's this?"
The teacher started back in genuine surprise, and his wordsaroused all of the boys in the beds, who followed his gaze inequal wonder.
For in the center of the floor sat Tom, his eyes tightly closed, arubber boot in each hand, and rocking backward and forward withgreat rapidity, as if rowing.
"Two lengths ahead!" muttered Tom. "I'll beat you yet, Larry!Three lengths! Oh, but this is a dandy race! Pull away, youcan't beat me! Oh! There goes an oar," and, bang! went one ofthe rubber boots against the base board, and Tom made a leap as ifdiving into the water after it, sprawling and spluttering as hepretended to swim.
"He's got the nightmare again!" shouted out Sam, quick tounderstand Tom's dodge. "Tom, wake up there!"
"The nightmare!" echoed Mr. Strong. "Is it possible? Poor boy!Wake up, Thomas!" and he caught Tom by the shoulder and shook himand finally set him on his feet.
"The oar--I will have the-- Oh!" Tom opened his eyes and staredaround him blankly. "Why--er--what's up?"
"My boy, you've had the nightmare," answered the teacher kindly.
"Nightmare!"
"I told you not to eat that pie tonight," put in Sam. "He saved hispie from dinner, and ate it just before we came up here,"--which wastrue.
"Er--I thought I was on the lake racing Larry Colby," murmuredTom and hid his face as if in embarrassment. "What did I do?" hefaltered.
"You almost raised the roof, that's what you did," answered Dick."You had better send home for some of those digestion tablets youused to take," and then he hid his face in the blankets to keepfrom laughing out loud.
"I will." Tom turned to George Strong. "Excuse me, Mr. Strong, Iam sorry I have caused you so much trouble."
"How do you feel now?" questioned the assistant anxiously.
"Oh, I'm all right now."
"Well, then, go to bed; and I trust you sleep more soundly for thebalance of the night," said the teacher; and he remained in theroom until Tom was tucked in, when he went off, taking the key ofthe door with him.
"Tom, you're a brick!" came from Frank, when the teacher was outof hearing. "What a head you have on your shoulders!"
"Strong took the key of the door," said Fred.
"I don't like that."
"Shove a chair-back up under the knob," suggested Dick, and thiswas done, the chair thus making an excellent brace.
"Now to get that stuff in," said Dick, donning his clothing withall possible speed. "I shouldn't wonder if the soda and root beerare frozen as hard as a rock."
He was soon ready to descend, and the others lowered him by aid ofthe wash line. Then the boxes and packages were hoisted up, andDick came after.
A few minutes later came a slight tapping on the door, repeatedthree times. It was a signal, and Sam opened the door, admittingGeorge Granbury and seven other cadets from dormitory No. 2. Theoccupants of several other dormitories followed.
"Are we to have Mumps and his crowd in here?" asked one of thenewcomers.
"I don't want Mumps," answered Dick. "Not because he ran againstme, but because he was Baxter's toady and is a regular sneak."
"Little Luke Walton and Mark Gross voted for you, Dick," saidHarry Blossom. "They ought to be invited."
"All right, tell them to come in, and anybody else who wishes,outside of Mumps," answered Dick.
The young captain went off, and soon returned with six boys ofSam's age or younger.
"Mumps is awfully mad," he announced. "My idea is, he is going tocause us trouble if he can."
"We'll wax him good if he does!" cried Tom. "Say, Sam, let uswatch him," and he hurried into the hallway, while the othersattacked the several good things Dick had provided for them.
Tom and Sam had been in the dark hallway but two minutes when thedoor of Mumps' dormitory opened and the sneak came out, wearinghis slippers and his long overcoat. He glided swiftly toward theside stairs leading to Captain Putnam's private apartments.
"He's going to peach!" whispered Tom, "Come on, Sam, let uscapture the enemy!" and he hurried after Mumps and caught him bythe arm.
"Hi! who is this?" demanded the sneak, turning in fear. Then, asTom and Sam confronted him, his face grew white.
"Come with us, Mumps, we want to treat you," answered Tom readily,into whose head another trick had entered.
"I don't want any of your treat," growled the sneak. "Let me go."
"Oh, you must come," urged Tom. "We have a fine bottle of rootbeer and a lot of candied fruit for you."
If there was one thing that Mumps liked, it was root beer, whilehe knew candied fruit was very rich eating. Accordingly hehesitated.
"I'll get all I can first and tell on them afterward," he thought,and allowed Tom, and Sam to conduct him into the dormitoryoccupied by the Metropolitan Sextet.
"Here is Mumps come to join us!" cried Tom, as he introduced thesneak into the room and he winked at Dick. "Now, Mumps, sit downand make yourself at home, and I'll get something for you," and hemotioned the sneak to a position at the head of his bed.
He hurried off, and presently came back to Mumps with a fine sliceof candied orange. The sneak was greedy, and instantlytransferred the entire slice to his mouth and began to chew itvigorously.
"Oh!" he cried presently, and drew down his face in disgust.
"What's the matter, Mumps?" asked Sam.
"This orange tastes like kerosene!" spluttered Mumps, and rushedto the window. As he put out his head, Tom pointed to the sneakand then to the lamp at which he had "flavored" the candied fruit."We'll get square just wait," he whispered. "You gave me thatpiece on purpose," howled the sneak, as soon as he had clearedhis mouth. "Oh, what an awful dose! Somebody give me a drink ofwater."
"The water is all gone, Mumps," answered Tom. "Awfully sorry.Have a glass of root beer," and he poured out a tumbler full.
Willing to drink anything to take that taste out of his mouth, thesneak took the tumbler and gulped down about half of the rootbeer.
The remainder was about to follow, when suddenly he stopped short."Oh, my!"
"Awfully good, isn't it?" put in Dick.
"Good? It tastes like salt water!" snorted Mumps. And he was notfar wrong, for Tom had taken the pains to put a lot of salt in tothe glass before filling it up.
"Why, that is the best root beer I ever tasted," put in Larry."It's as sweet as sugar. Let me taste your glass, Mumps."
"Do so
with pleasure," and the sneak passed it over. Larrypretended to take a gulp. "Fine! Couldn't be better. Isn't thatso, Frank?" and he passed the glass to Harrington. "It'scertainly as good as mine, and that's O. K.," answered Frank; andthen George Granbury took the tumbler and declared the root beerwas even better than what he had had previously.
"It's certainly your stomach, Mumps, my boy," said Tom. "You lookkind of funny--just like a fellow I knew who got the smallpox."
"He does look like a fellow getting the smallpox," put in Dick."Mumps, does your tongue feel dry-like?"
"Dry, of course it is dry--and salty," growled Mumps, but hebegan to grow uneasy.
"Let me see your tongue," put in Sam, who happened to have a bluepencil in his pocket. As he spoke he broke off some of the bluepoint and crumbled it in his fingers.
"My tongue is all right," answered Mumps. Nevertheless, he heldit out; and Sam slyly dropped the bluing on it.
"It's as blue as indigo!" he exclaimed, "Look into the glass foryourself."
Somewhat against his will, Mumps strode over to the looking glass.As he noted the condition of his tongue, he grew very pale andbegan to tremble.
"It is blue," he whined, "and--and--I feel sick all over. Oh,say, do you think I really am getting the smallpox?"
For an instant there was a dead silence. Then the boys could holdin no longer, and a long but smothered laugh showed the sneak howcompletely he had been sold.