United States or Czechia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
On account of the storm the morning drill was held in the gymnasium, and then the young soldiers marched to the mess-room. On the way several could not resist the temptation to pick up some snow and throw it at each other. "Hi, you stop that!" roared Reff Ritter, as a snowball took him in the neck. "Who threw that?" he demanded; but nobody answered him.
Reff Ritter stepped back to guard himself, but before he could do so, Jack's arm shot out and a heavy blow landed on the bully's chin, sending him staggering into Coulter's arms. "That's the way to do it, Jack!" came from Pepper. "He started it, now give him what he deserves!" added Fred. "That's for the slap in the face, Reff Ritter!" said Jack, in cold tones. "Now mind and keep your distance."
"Who said I met any one?" "We saw you, I and Major Ruddy and Pep Ditmore." "Huh! Been spying on me, eh?" And Reff Ritter's face took on its old look of sourness. "It was an accident. But I want to know who that man was." "What for?" "I have my reasons." "I don't see that I am called on to answer your questions, Andy Snow. If I want to meet anybody I'll do it."
"I think Reff Ritter would like to be a captain or major." "He never will be he can't get the support. Why, hardly any of the cadets go with Reff any more. Even Paxton seems to have dropped him. About the only close friend he has is Gus Coulter." "Maybe the boys have dropped him because his father is no longer rich."
"What's the matter with Harry Blossom?" asked Bert Field. "He seems to be a nice sort." "He is." "I understand Reff Ritter wants to be a captain," put in Stuffer. "Sure, an' he'd be afther wantin' to be major, only he ain't popular enough," came from Emerald. "Coulter is out for a captaincy, too," said Jack, who had come up during the talk.
"Just what I think!" cried The Imp. "Did you get a look at his face?" "Not a close look, and it was too dark to see much. But that Smith had a queer catch in his voice and this fellow had the same thing." "Yes, I remember that." "Was that the fellow Reff met?" demanded Andy. "We are not sure, Andy, but we think so." "What was he doing here?" asked Fred.
Jack washed up and brushed his uniform, and then made his way to Captain Putnam's private office. He found that Reff Ritter had hurried and gotten ahead of him, and was telling his story, both to the head of the school and to the first assistant teacher. Ritter's mouth, nose and one eye were swollen, and he looked anything but happy.
Jack knocked one blow aside and dodged the second. Then he let drive, right and left, as quick as lightning and with all his strength. One blow took the bully in the nose and the second in the mouth. Over he went against one of the wooden horses. Then his eyes suddenly closed, and in a limp mass he slid to the floor. "Reff Ritter has been knocked out!" "My, what blows they were!"
Smith was partly intoxicated at the time of his capture, and informed the detective that some jewelry he had in his possession had come from Reff Ritter. He stated that Ritter took the stuff from the cadets and the others while they slept, and it was Smith's part to pawn the things and divide the proceeds." "And Ritter was guilty of all the thefts at the Hall?" cried Pepper.
Don't you tech them hosses!" shouted the general utility man in alarm. "That off hoss is a new one an' he's mighty skittish, I can tell you. This mornin' when I was hookin' him up he nigh kicked the leg off o' me!" "Say, how are we going to get to the Hall?" came in ugly tones from Reff Ritter. He, with six other boys, was standing beside the carryall.
Word Of The Day