“For the present,” answered the eldest Rover.  “But after this let us keep a sharp eye on Flapp, Pender & Company.”

And so it was agreed.

CHAPTER XII

THE ELECTION FOR OFFICERS

On the following morning all of the cadets but Harry Moss appeared in the messroom.

“Joe Davis says Harry is quite sick,” said Powell to Dick.

“That’s too bad.  Have they sent for a doctor?”

“I don’t know.”

When Lew Flapp heard that Harry was sick he grew pale, and during the morning session could scarcely fix his mind on his studies.

“I hope the little fool don’t blab on us,” was his thought.  “If he does there is no telling what the captain will do.  He’s altogether too strict for comfort in some things.”

No doctor was sent for, so it was finally agreed that Harry Moss was not as ill as had been supposed.  But the young cadet did not enter the schoolroom for all of that day.

The sickness had frightened Captain Putnam, who was not yet over the scarlet fever scare, and he questioned Harry thoroughly about what he had been doing, and about what he had been eating and drinking.

At first the young cadet did not dare to tell the truth, but finally he blurted out that he had taken a glass of liquor against his will and it had turned his stomach in a most painful manner.

“Where did you get the liquor?” demanded Captain Putnam sternly.

“I—­I—­oh, must I tell you, sir?”

“Yes, Harry.”

“I—­that is, Lew Flapp—­Oh, sir, I don’t want to be a tattle-tale.”

“Did Lew Flapp give you the liquor?  Answer me at once.”

“Yes, sir, he and another cadet named Pender.  But, sir, I don’t want to hurt them.  I—­I—­” and here Harry burst into tears.

“Where was this?”

“Down in Cedarville, sir.  But, I—­I—­I shan’t say any more, Captain Putnam,” and after that Harry remained silent.  As it was plain to see that he was suffering, Captain Putnam did not push the matter.  But he called Lew Flapp and Pender into his private office and interviewed the unworthy pair for fully half an hour.

“To do such a thing is outrageous,” said the captain.  “If I hear of it again I shall dismiss you from the Hall at once.”

On the following morning one of the assistant teachers made a brief announcement that filled the entire school with curiosity.

“On next Monday you are to have an election of officers for the term,” said he.  “As you know, twenty cadets were selected as worthy of being elected.  The list has since been cut down to eighteen.  Lew Flapp and Augustus Pender will not run.”

At this announcement Dick and Powell looked at each other significantly.  All of the other cadets looked around to find Flapp and Pender, but the pair were absent, nor did they put in an appearance at all until the next school session.