“Anybody hurt?” was Pepper’s question, as he crawled out of the wreck.

“I’m all right,” answered Fred.

“I got a twisted ankle, that’s all,” came from Dale, as he limped out.

“Look at Jack!” cried several.  “He’s hurt!”

All looked and saw the young major of the school battalion lying flat on his back in the front of the carryall.  He had a nasty cut on the temple and his eyes were closed.

“He is dead!” murmured Pepper, hoarsely.

“Oh, don’t say that!” said Andy, in sudden terror.  He had just dropped to the ground.

“If he ain’t dead he’s putty badly hurted,” said the farmer who owned the orchard.

Pepper caught his chum in his arms and brought him out and laid him on the grass.

“He is still breathing!” he cried.  “Get some water and we’ll bathe his face.  Maybe that will bring him around.”

“I’ll get the water!” exclaimed Dale, and ran towards a well located at the side of the orchard.

To those who have read the other volumes in this “Putnam Hall Series,” the lads already mentioned will need no special introduction.  For the benefit of others, let me state that Jack Ruddy and Pepper Ditmore were close chums, living, when at home, in the western part of New York State.  Jack was slightly the older of the two and was of rather a serious turn of mind.  Pepper was full of fun, and on that account was frequently called “The Imp.”

As related in my first volume, entitled “The Putnam Hall Cadets,” the lads left home to become cadets at a new institution of learning located on Cayuga Lake.  This new school was presided over by Captain Victor Putnam, a retired army officer, who had modeled his institution somewhat after the famous military academy at West Point.  It was a large school, ideally located on the shore of the lake, and had attached to it a gymnasium, a boathouse, and several other buildings.  On the lower floor of the main building were the classrooms, the mess-hall, and the offices, and upstairs were the dormitories.

Arriving at the school, Jack and Pepper soon made a host of friends, including the acrobatic Andy Snow; Dale Blackmore, who was a great football player; Paul Singleton, who was usually called “Stuffer” because of his constant desire to eat; Joseph Hogan, commonly addressed as “Emerald” because of his Irish blood, and Joe Nelson, who was one of the best scholars the school ever had.  They also made some enemies, the greatest of them being Reff Ritter, the big bully, and Gus Coulter and Nick Paxton, his cronies.

Not long after the students learned how to drill and to march they were allowed to ballot for officers.  A bitter contest was waged, which resulted in Jack being chosen major of the Hall battalion.  A bully named Dan Baxter had wanted to be major, and he bribed Gus Coulter and some others to vote for him, but without avail.  It may be added here that Baxter was now away on a vacation, but had written that he was going to return to the school before long.