CHAPTER XXII
A SWIM AND SOME SNAKES
The majority of the cadets were now inclined to think that Rockley'steam would win the contest. They had seen Tom's followers sneezing,but thought this might come from the dampness of the ground.
"Don't give in, Tom!" cried Sam, dancing around. "You've got to beathim!"
"Bah! you act like a monkey," said Lew Flapp. "Rockley's fellows arebound to win."
In the meantime the rope was moving rapidly backward and forward. OnceRockley and his men had Tom's team dangerously close to the line. ButTom ordered a drop and there the team clung, refusing to budge an inchfurther.
"Time is almost up," said George Strong. "Three minutes more!"
"Up!" cried Rockley.
"Up and pull for all you are worth!" cried Tom. "Pull, I tell you! Makeevery ounce of muscle count!"
And pull Tom's team did as never before, and Tom with them, watchingfor the first sign of returning weakness. But the team was now on itsmettle and made the Rockleys come over the line in spite of the franticorders from Rockley himself to drop.
"It's ours!" screamed Tom, and with a final haul brought the opponentsover the line with a rush. Rockley, flat on his back on the grass,trying in vain to dig his heels into the soil, and the othersfloundering just as vainly.
A cheer went up for Tom's team, while Rockley and his followers leftthe field in disgust.
"It was well won, Tom!" said Dick enthusiastically. "I never saw abetter tug of war in my life."
"I'd like to know who threw that pepper," answered Tom, with an angryglance toward Lew Flapp and his cronies.
"Did somebody throw pepper?" asked Mr. Strong.
"I think they did, although I'm not sure. Anyway, something came alongand made the most of us sneeze."
"It's too bad, Rover. I'll try to make sure of this," said the teacher.But though he made an investigation nothing came of it.
Some of the cadets were so delighted with the success of Tom's teamthat they took Tom on their shoulders and marched around the entireencampment with him.
"I tell you, Rockley feels sore," said Sam, a little later.
"Around the belt?" asked Tom with a grin.
"I mean in his mind. He and Lew Flapp are having a regular quarrel overthe contest. I guess Flapp lost some money."
"Perhaps, if he has, it will cure him of betting," put in Dick.
Sam and Tom had received permission to go to the upper end of the lakein one of the rowboats on the following afternoon. Songbird Powell andFred Garrison went along, and all took their fishing outfits and plentyof bait.
"Bring home a nice mess of fish," said Dick, on parting with hisbrothers. "Sorry I can't go with you."
"Oh, you'll have company enough," declared Sam. "I heard that some ofthe country folks are going to visit the encampment to-day and perhapsthose Staton girls will be among them."
The four boys were soon on the way, two rowing at a time. The weatherwas ideal, and the water as smooth as that of a mill pond.
"What a beautiful spot this is," declared Fred, as they glided long."I'm sure Captain Putnam could not have selected a better."
"I have already gotten some splendid pictures," returned Powell, whopossessed a good snap-shot camera, now lying on the stern seat of theboat. "I'm going to take some more pictures to-day."
On the way to the upper end of the lake Sam did a little fishing andbrought in one bass of fair size.
"This makes a fellow feel like a true poet," murmured Powell, gazingdreamily at the water, and then he went on:
"I love to glide, By the green-clad side Of the glassy lake, And there to take My ease with book Or line and hook, And spend the day Far, far away From care and toil, On Nature's soil."
"Just to listen to Songbird!" cried Tom. "He grinds it out like aregular sausage-making machine," and then he went on gayly:
"I love to swim, In Nature's soil, By the green-clad side, Of a mountain wide, And there to bake, My little toes, On a garden rose, And take a hose, And wet the lake With a hot snowflake, In the middle of June-- If that isn't too soon-- And sail to the moon In a big balloon--"
"Oh, Tom, let up!" roared Fred. "Talk about a sausage-making machine--"
"And when in the moon, I'd drive a stake, And tie my lake Fast to a star, Or a trolley car, Then jump in a sack And ride right back--"
"To where you belong, And stop that song!"
finished Sam. "Oh, but that's the worst yet. Shall we duck him, Fred?"
"No, don't pollute the water," answered Garrison.
"He ought to be ducked," came from Powell, in disgust. "Whenever I havea poetic streak--"
"It's catching, as the fly-paper said to the fly," finished Tom. "Let'scall it square and take a new tack. Who's in for a swim when we reachthe end of the lake?"
"I am!" was the united cry from the others. They were passing severalsmall islands and now came to another turn in Bass Lake. Just beyondthis was a small sandy beach, backed up by a mass of rocks andbrushwood.
"That looks like a good place for a swim," said Powell, forgetting allabout his so-called poetry.
"Suits me," returned Tom. "Let's pull ashore and tie the boat fast, andI'll put up--"
"A peanut reward for the first fellow in," finished Fred. "Caught youthat time, Tom, just as you caught Songbird with his doggerel."
As happy as any boys could be, the four cadets tied up their boat. Indoing this one started to splash in the water, followed by another, andas a consequence before the cutting-up came to a finish the seats ofthe craft were pretty well wetted.
"Never mind," said Tom. "They'll soon dry in the sun. We can put ourclothes on the rocks."
The boys were soon in the water and having a most glorious time. Thelake was fairly deep off the end of the boat and here they took turnsat diving. Fred and Songbird also went in for a race, the former comingin only a few feet ahead.
"I guess we had better dress now and try our hand at fishing," said Samafter nearly an hour had passed.
"One more dive!" cried Tom and took one full of grace, to the verybottom of the lake.
As Tom came up to the surface he heard a cry from Sam, quickly followedby a yell from Fred.
"What's up?" he called out, swimming toward the shore.
"Land on the boat, Tom!" cried Sam, and leaped into the craft, followedby Fred and Powell.
"All right; but what is wrong?" asked Tom, and climbed tip over thestern.
"We can't get our clothes."
"Why not?"
"Look for yourself."
Tom looked and gave a low whistle of astonishment. And not without goodreason, for there on the rocks where they had left their garmentsrested a big black snake!
"This is interesting truly," murmured the boy, gazing at his companionsin dismay.
"I'm going to get a rock and throw it at the snake," said Sam.
A stone was close to the boat, and watching his chance, he picked it upand threw it at the reptile.
The snake darted to one side. It was merely grazed by the rock and nowit hissed viciously.
The hiss appeared to be a signal, and in a moment more another snakeand then another appeared, until fully a dozen reptiles each a yard ormore in length covered the rocks where all of the cadets' wearingapparel rested!