



Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net






 THE HEROES
 OF THE SCHOOL

 Or

 The Darewell Chums
 Through Thick and Thin

 BY
 ALLEN CHAPMAN

 AUTHOR OF "BART STIRLING'S ROAD TO SUCCESS," "WORKING
 HARD TO WIN," "BOUND TO SUCCEED," "THE YOUNG
 STOREKEEPER," "NAT BORDEN'S FIND," ETC.

 [Illustration:

 _The_
 GOLDSMITH
 _Publishing Co._

 CLEVELAND   OHIO

 MADE IN U.S.A.]




 Copyright, 1908, by
 Cupples & Leon Company




CONTENTS


 CHAPTER                                 PAGE
       I. Expelling a Pupil                 1
      II. The Wrong Slide                   9
     III. A Queer Character                15
      IV. A Hut in the Woods               22
       V. The Challenge                    30
      VI. A Great Game of Ball             38
     VII. Alice has a Chance               47
    VIII. The Strange Boatman              52
      IX. A Plot Against Bart              59
       X. A Cow in School                  67
      XI. Honoring the Seniors             73
     XII. Frank's Queer Letter             82
    XIII. Sandy on Guard                   89
     XIV. Peculiar Operations              96
      XV. Ned Stops a Panic               104
     XVI. A River Trip                    111
    XVII. The Tramp's Headquarters        116
   XVIII. A Night Scare                   123
     XIX. The Farmer and the Bull         130
      XX. Followed by Sandy               137
     XXI. At the Fair                     143
    XXII. Up in a Balloon                 149
   XXIII. Above the Clouds                157
    XXIV. Into the River                  164
     XXV. Captured                        175
    XXVI. Planning to Escape              183
   XXVII. The Escape                      192
  XXVIII. The Pursuit                     199
    XXIX. An Unexpected Meeting           208
     XXX. Striking Oil--Conclusion        215




THE HEROES OF THE SCHOOL




CHAPTER I

EXPELLING A PUPIL


"What are you looking so glum about this morning, Stumpy?" asked Ned
Wilding as he greeted his chum, Fenn Masterson, otherwise known as
"Stumpy" because of his short, stout figure. "Haven't you got your
lessons, or are you going to be expelled?"

"I'm not to be expelled but some one else is, Ned."

"What's that? Some one going to be expelled?" asked Bart Keene, coming
up in time to hear what Fenn said.

"John Newton is," replied Stumpy.

"What's that got to do with you?" asked Bart, for, as had Ned, he
noticed that Fenn looked worried.

"It might have something to do with me if John--"

Just then the bell of the Darewell High School began to ring, and, as it
was the final summons to classes the three boys and several other pupils
hurried into the building. On the way up the stairs Ned Wilding was
joined by a tall youth with dark hair and eyes.

"What's this I hear about John Newton?" asked the tall lad.

"Hello, Frank! Why Stumpy says John's got to leave the school, but it's
the first I heard about it."

"Are they going to expel him this morning?"

"Seems so. We'll soon know."

A little later several hundred boys and girls were gathered in the
auditorium of the school for the usual morning exercises. When they were
over the principal, Professor McCloud, came to the edge of the platform.

"I have a very unpleasant duty to perform," he began.

Most of the boys and girls knew what was coming. The principal never
prefaced his remarks that way unless he had to expel a pupil. Ned and
Bart looked over toward where Fenn sat. They wanted to see if there was
any reason for Stumpy's seeming apprehension.

"John Newton!" called Professor McCloud, and a tall youth, with