“I’ll do it,” answered Reff Ritter.  “Anything to put a damper on that celebration.”

“Well, water will dampen the tar-barrels,” added Coulter, grimly.

CHAPTER X

PUTTING OUT A LIVELY BLAZE

Pepper was so full of high spirits that at the supper table he could not resist the temptation to play a joke.  He saw Joe Nelson using his handkerchief and, on the sly, took up the pepper-shaker and dosed the cloth liberally with pepper.

Poor Joe caught the full benefit of the pepper, and in the midst of the meal commenced to sneeze loudly.

“Why, Nelson, what is the matter?” asked Mr. Strong, who was at the table that evening.

“I don’t—­ker-choo!—­know!” stammered Joe.  “I believe—­ker-choo! ker-choo!”

“Exactly,” whispered Pepper.  “Very simple explanation, very.”

“I—­ker-choo!—­I guess I had better—­ker-choo!” went on Joe.

“He’s ‘ker-chooing’ all he needs to,” was Jack’s comment, and this caused a general titter.

“I guess I’ll ask to—­ker-choo!—­to be excused—­ker-choo!” went on Joe, and jumping up he left the table and the room.  He ran out on the campus and there sneezed himself free of the pepper, much to his relief.

Joe was about to return to the mess-hall when he chanced to see two figures sneaking along in the semi-darkness, in the direction of the woods.  He was just able to make out that the pair were Reff Ritter and Gus Coulter when they disappeared behind the trees.

“Now, what are those fellows up to?” mused Joe, as he walked slowly to the mess-hall.  “No good, I’ll venture.”

He sat down and commenced to eat.  Then, of a sudden, he uttered an exclamation.

“I’ve got it!  That’s it!”

“What is it, Nelson?” asked George Strong.

“Oh—­er—­nothing,” stammered the cadet.  But when the teacher was not looking, he leaned over towards Jack.

“What is it, Joe?” whispered the young major.

“Tell Pepper I just saw Ritter and Coulter sneaking into the woods.”

“You did!” Jack closed one eye.  “And you think——­”

“They may have learned about the barrels.”

“If that is so, we’ll have to watch ’em,” murmured Jack, and immediately passed word to Pepper, Dale and Andy.

The cadets could scarcely wait to finish their meal, and cut themselves short on cake and pears.  Pepper was the first out, but he was quickly followed by Andy and Jack.

“Let us try to surprise them—­if they are after the barrels,” said The Imp.

“Maybe they’ll set fire to ’em before we get there,” suggested the acrobatic youth.

“If they do that, I’ll make ’em pay for the barrels,” cried Pepper.  “I am not going to put up three dollars for another fellow’s fun.”

“Did you pay the roofer that much for the barrels?”

“Yes.”