“Oh, I’m as fine as a new-tooth comb,” answered Pepper Ditmore, with a grin.  “Ready for study and fun.”

“Especially fun, I’ll wager.  How about it, Jack?”

“Oh, Pepper usually manages to get his share,” came from the young major of the Putnam Hall battalion.  “But, Andy, did you——­ Hi, look where you are going, will you, Ritter!” cried Jack, rather angrily.

A tall youth, carrying a big dress-suit case, had forced his way through the crowd, hitting Jack in the knee with his baggage.

“What do you want to block the way for?” demanded Reff Ritter, sourly.  “Think you own the dock?”

“I’ve got as much right here, Ritter, as you have!” retorted the young major, sharply.  “Don’t you knock me again like that.”

“I will—­if you get in my way.”

“If you do, you’ll take the consequences.”

“Bah!  Don’t you try to dictate to me, Jack Ruddy!” growled Reff Ritter.  “You got the best of me last term, but you’ll not get the best of me this term, I’ll tell you that!”

“Phew!  Ritter is somewhat peppery!” whispered Andy Snow.

“I guess I know the reason,” came from a student named Dale Blackmore.

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you later—­too much of a crowd here,” rejoined Dale.

About twenty cadets, all bound for Putnam Hall Military Academy, had arrived on the boat from Ithaca, and these, along with some others who had come down to the dock to see the boat come in, gathered around Jack Ruddy and Reff Ritter to see the outcome of the unexpected encounter.

Jack Ruddy had good cause to consider Reff Ritter his enemy.  But he had hoped that during the term now opening at the school the bully of Putnam Hall would keep his distance.

“I am not trying to dictate to you, Ritter,” answered Jack, as calmly as he could.  “But I don’t propose to let you hit me with your suitcase.”

“Huh!  It was an accident!” growled Reff.

“Oh, come on, Reff!” put in Gus Coulter, the bully’s close crony.  “Let us get good seats in the carryall.”

“That’s the talk!  Let us get in before the others take the seats!” came from Nick Paxton, another crony.

He pushed ahead, and his elbow caught Pepper Ditmore directly in the ribs.

“Not quite so swift, Paxton!” cried Pepper, and he gave the cadet a quick shove backwards.  Paxton bumped into Reff Ritter, lost his footing, and fell over the dress-suit case in the bully’s hand.

“Hurrah!  One down!” cried Andy Snow.  “How many yards to gain for a touchdown, Nick?”

“What do you mean by knocking me down!” roared Nick Paxton, as he scrambled to his feet.  “I’ll not stand for it.”

“Then sit down again,” answered Pepper, merrily.  “And next time keep your elbow out of my ribs,” he added.  “Come on, we don’t want to get left!” he added to his chums.

A bolt was made by many of the cadets for the Putnam Hall carryall, and soon a crowd was inside and on the front seat, talking, joking and cheering, as suited the mood of each individual.  Jack, Pepper, Andy and Dale managed to crowd inside throwing their suitcases on the top.  Gus Coulter got in also, but when he saw that Reff Ritter and Nick Paxton had been left, he scrambled out again, and his place was taken by Fred Century, another student.