Reff Ritter had crossed the float and now he stood beside the sloop that was Jack’s property.  As Pepper came closer he saw that the bully held an ax in his hand, the handle shoved up the sleeve of his jacket.

“He is up to no good,” thought Pepper.  “I’ll watch him and see what he does.”

Pepper stepped out of sight behind the boathouse.  Looking through a window and a door, he saw Ritter walk up and down the float.  Evidently the bully wanted to make certain that he was not being observed.  Then, with a swift movement, he leaped aboard the sloop and crouched down out of sight.

“Guess it’s time I got busy!” muttered Pepper to himself, and ran around the boathouse and out on the float.  He was soon at the side of the Alice.  He heard a blow sound out.  Ritter was using the ax, apparently in an endeavor to chop a hole in the bottom of the sloop!

“Of all the mean things!” muttered Pepper to himself.  “I’ll soon stop that!” And he made a leap over the guard-rail of the craft.  The ax was raised for another blow, but before it could be delivered, Pepper caught the bully by the shoulders and sent him sprawling on his back.

CHAPTER VIII

THE FOOTBALL ELEVEN

“Hi!  Let go of me!” spluttered Reff Ritter, as he found himself flat on his back, with the ax up-raised in his two hands.

“Ritter, you leave this boat alone!” exclaimed Pepper.

“Humph! so it’s you, Ditmore,” muttered the bully, and now he turned over and arose.

“Going to chop the boat to pieces, I suppose,” went on Pepper, “Well, not if I can prevent it.”

“I’ll chop you to pieces!” roared the bully, and swung the ax so suggestively that Pepper leaped back in alarm.  “You’ve got no right to interfere with me!”

“This is Jack Ruddy’s sloop; you have no right to touch her.”

“Aw, you shut up.”

“I’ll not shut up, Reff Ritter.  If you make another mark on this boat I’ll have you locked up!”

“Humph! you think you’ve got the best of me, don’t you?” sneered the bully, but his manner showed that he was considerably disconcerted.  He had imagined that all the cadets were at supper and that no one would see his foul actions.

“I want you to get off of this boat.”

“Supposing I won’t?”

“Then I’ll call help, and advise Jack to have you arrested.”

“Going to run the whole school, aren’t you?”

“I am going to run this affair, Ritter.  Now leave the boat.”

“Oh, I’ll leave,” muttered the bully, and walking to the side, he sprang down to the float.  Then he ran to the boathouse and placed the ax inside.  “Don’t you dare to mention this to anybody!” he shouted as he reappeared.  “If you do, you’ll get yourself in hot water.  My word is as good as yours.”  And then he turned and ran towards the school building.