me crack on the ear!"

"Can he swim?"

"Sure, he can swim! If he can't we can haul him in easy enough."

"I don't believe the river is very deep here."

Such were some of the words uttered immediately after the
well-delivered blow from Jack Rover had sent his opponent spinning into
the swiftly flowing waters of the Rick Rack River. Fortunately, the
moon and the stars were shining brightly, so it was not as dark as it
otherwise might have been. Indeed, had it not been for the brightness
of the night it is doubtful if the fight could have been carried on as
already described.

All of the cadets present lined up along the river bank, and an instant
later saw Nappy Martell come to the surface. He was striking out wildly
and spluttering at the same time, showing that he had gone overboard
with his mouth open and had swallowed some of the water. One hand and
shoulder were covered with mud from the river bottom, for at that
particular point the stream was less than five feet deep.

"Oh, he'll be drowned! I know he'll be drowned!" screamed Codfish in
terror.

"You shut up, you little imp!" burst out Gif. "You'll arouse the whole
school, and there is no need of doing that."

By this time Nappy Martell was close to the river bank, and he reached
up his hand appealingly to those above him.

"Here, give me your hand, Nappy!" cried Slugger Brown, and reached down
to aid his crony. But the bank was a slippery and treacherous one, and
he was in danger of going overboard himself.

"Wait a minute, Slugger--let me help you," cried Spouter, and he took
hold of the big youth's left hand.

Then the others also came forward to do what they could, and in a few
seconds more Nappy Martell was hauled up on the grass. He was pretty
well exhausted and panted painfully.

"I'm sorry you went overboard, Martell," said Jack, promptly. "I didn't
expect to knock you into the river."

"You did it on purpose! You know you did!" returned the other youth
wrathfully. "Yo--you--d--d--don't know how to f--f--fight fair," he
added, his teeth suddenly beginning to chatter, for the unexpected bath
at this season had proved awfully cold.

"Say! he's shivering like a leaf!" cried Fred.

"You had better get back to the Hall and change your clothing," advised
Jack.

"I won't change anything until I've given you a licking," roared Nappy
Martell.

"Oh, say, Nappy, you had better call it off for to-night," interposed
Slugger Brown. "You can't figh