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THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS

Or, Good Times in School and Out

by

ARTHUR M. WINFIELD

Author of "The Rover Boys Series," "Bob, The Photographer," etc.

Illustrated







Grosset & Dunlap
Publishers   .    New York


      *      *      *      *      *      *

BY THE SAME AUTHOR


  THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS;
    Or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore.
  THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS;
    Or, Good Times in School and Out.
  THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS;
    Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch.
  THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER;
    Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat.
  THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP;
    Or, The Rivals of Pine Island.
  THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA;
    Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands.
  THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS;
    Or, A Hunt for Fun and Fortune.
  THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES;
    Or, The Secret of the Island Cave.
  THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST;
    Or, The Search for a Lost Mine.
  THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE;
    Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa.
  THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN;
    Or, A Chase for a Fortune.
  THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL;
    Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall.

 _12mo, finely illustrated and bound in cloth._
         _Price, per volume, 60 cents._


                GROSSET & DUNLAP
          PUBLISHERS   .    NEW YORK

      *      *      *      *      *      *


Copyright, 1901
by
The Mershon Company




CONTENTS


  CHAPTER                                                           PAGE
  I. Introducing Some Cadets                                           1
  II. The Mysterious Sloop                                            10
  III. A Case of Bribery                                              19
  IV. Electing a Major                                                29
  V. Off on a Picnic                                                  38
  VI. An Odd Bit of Punishment                                        47
  VII. How the Boat Races were Won                                    56
  VIII. The Cadets to the Rescue                                      66
  IX. The Chums Make a Call                                           74
  X. In the Hands of the Enemy                                        84
  XI. A Great Game of Football                                        92
  XII. Happenings after the Game                                     101
  XIII. The Circus, and a Monkey                                     110
  XIV. All about a Tiger                                             120
  XV. Prisoners of a Wild Beast                                      129
  XVI. Off on a Long March                                           138
  XVII. Mumps Sees a Ghost                                           147
  XVIII. The Young Major Shows His Courage                           156
  XIX. The Result of the Nutting Party                               165
  XX. Out in the Cold                                                175
  XXI. The Boys "Hold the Fort"                                      185
  XXII. Josiah Crabtree is Nonplused                                 194
  XXIII. Buried under the Snow                                       203
  XXIV. A Challenge Accepted                                         210
  XXV. How the Fight Ended                                           217
  XXVI. Friends in Need                                              225
  XXVII. The Punishment of a Bully                                   233
  XXVIII. The Results of a Fire                                      241
  XXIX. The Disappearance of George Strong                           249
  XXX. A Lucky Escape--Conclusion                                    257




                              INTRODUCTION


My Dear Boys: In bringing out this story, "The Putnam Hall Cadets," the
initial volume in the "Putnam Hall Series," I feel it necessary to make
an explanation why it is that this tale is brought out when I have
already written so much concerning the doings of the students at Putnam
Hall.

Ever since I presented to the boys the first volume in the "Rover Boys
Series," I have been urged by the boys--and girls, too, for the matter of
that--to write something concerning the doings of the students at the
Hall previous to the coming of the Rover boys on the scene. When the
Rovers arrived they found a wide-awake, jolly crowd of cadets already
there, some of whom had been at the academy several years. My young
friends wished to know more about these, and it is for their benefit that
I have instituted this new series, which will tell of many things that
happened at the famous seat of learning from the time it was first opened
to the present day.

Putnam Hall is an ideal boarding school for boys, located on the shore of
a beautiful lake in upper New York State. The students there are bright,
manly fellows, full of vigor and fun, and bound to get the best there is
out of school life. There are some keen rivalries, and in the story are
related the particulars of a mystery which had an unlooked-for ending.

In offering this first book of the new series I wish to thank the
thousands everywhere who have written to me regarding the "Rover Boys
Series." It does my heart good to know that the tales have been so well
liked. I trust sincerely that the present story meets with equal
approbation.

    Affectionately and sincerely yours,
                                                Arthur M. Winfield.
  _July 25, 1905._




                         THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS




                               CHAPTER I
                        INTRODUCING SOME CADETS


"Hurrah, Jack, I've got news! To-morrow we are going to ballot for
officers!"

"I'm glad to hear that," answered Jack Ruddy, as he threw down the
algebra he had been studying. "I was almost afraid we weren't going to
have officers this term."

"I suppose Captain Putnam wanted to find out if there was any military
material here before he let us fellows take charge," went on Pepper
Ditmore, as he swung himself up on a corner of the dormitory table. "Tell
you what, Jack, it's a great thing to organize a school like this, and
get everything in working order, all in six weeks."

"Do you think you are organized, Pep?" queried Jack Ruddy, with a twinkle
in his eyes.

"I'm organized about as much as I'll ever be," returned Pepper Ditmore.
"You can't expect a fellow like me to settle down and be as quiet as a
lamb, can you?"

"No, you're more like a jumping-jack. The fellows don't call you the Imp
for nothing."

"It's a base slander," returned Pepper Ditmore, with an injured air. "I'm
as meek, sometimes----"

"When you are asleep."

"As a--a----"

"Circus clown. By the way, have they found out yet who mixed the salt and
sugar last Saturday?"

"Can't say as they have."

"And who put that little bulldog in Josiah Crabtree's bedroom in the
dark?"

"They haven't asked me about it," and now Pepper Ditmore began to grin.

"Then let me congratulate you on your escape," and Jack Ruddy smiled
broadly.

"Let's change the subject, Jack. Don't you want to be an officer of the
Putnam Hall Cadet Corps? I should think that would just suit you. Your
father was an army officer."

"It would suit me first-rate. But the fellows don't know much about me.
Most of them are strangers to me."

"Well, they are mostly strangers to each other. If you want to become an
officer, say the word and I'll do the electioneering for you."

"Don't you want to be an officer yourself?"

At this question Pepper Ditmore gave a merry laugh.

"I'd make a fine-looking officer, wouldn't I?" he returned. "No, I'll
remain a high private in the rear rank--and take my sport in some other
way."

"And you expect me to be an officer over you, Pep? How in the world will
I manage you?"

"By not trying, Jack. But come, are you going to be an officer or not? As
a battalion, we are to have a major, two captains, two first lieutenants,
two second lieutenants, and a lot of sergeants and corporals. I want to
see you a captain at least."

"That's kind."

"I'd rather see you an officer than that Dan Baxter. Do you know, Jack, I
don't like that chap at all."

"No more do I. He is very overbearing. I heard him bossing some of the
little fellows around in regular slave-driver style."

"Well, he shan't boss me around."

"Oh, it's not likely he'll bother the big boys," came from Jack Ruddy, as
he arose from his chair and stretched himself. "Those chaps usually make
the little fellows toady to them. What time is it?"

"Just five o'clock."

"Then come on down to the lake and have a row before supper."

At that moment something soft, thrown up through the open dormitory
window, struck Jack Ruddy on the shirt bosom. It was a lump of mud, and
it left quite a mark behind.

"Hi, there, who threw that?" he cried, angrily, as he rushed for the
window. He was just in time to see a lank youth diving out of sight
behind some bushes.

"I know that lad," came from Pepper Ditmore. "His name is John Fenwick,
but they call him Mumps."

"I'll Mumps him!" retorted Jack Ruddy. "Come on!" And he rushed out of
the dormitory, and down the broad stairway three steps at a time. He was
just near the bottom when he passed a tall and rather sour-looking
teacher, who was coming up.

"Master Ruddy, not so fast----" began the teacher, when of a sudden
Pepper Ditmore struck the man on the shoulder, hurling him flat on his
back at the foot of the stairs.

"Oh, excuse me, Mr. Crabtree!" burst out the cadet. "I--er--I didn't mean
to run into you!"

"Yo--you imp!" spluttered Josiah Crabtree. "What do you mean by tearing
downstairs like a--a cyclone?"

"We're after a fellow who threw some mud up into our room," explained
Jack Ruddy.

"I didn't see you coming," added Pepper. "Very sorry--it shan't occur
again."

"This jumping downstairs has got to be stopped!" fumed Josiah Crabtree.
"I shall make an example of you, Ditmore. Go back to your classroom and
write this sentence one hundred times: 'It is best to walk with care.'"

"Have I got to go back now?" cried Pepper.

"At once."

"It isn't fair