se. All
of the Rovers were glad enough to give up further work at the oars.

"I am awfully sorry our little outing turned out as it did," remarked
Jack to Ruth.

"And it was too bad to frighten you so," added Randy, to all of the
girls.

"Oh, it wasn't your fault that the squall came up," answered Ruth.
"And, besides that, now it is over I think I rather enjoyed the
adventure--that is. I'll enjoy telling about it," she corrected.

"Some day I hope we'll be able to spend a nicer time together," said
Jack.

"Perhaps," murmured Ruth, and blushed.

Before the Rovers left for Colby Hall, they asked if Jennie Mason and
Ida Brierley had returned.

"They have not come back yet," answered one of the teachers. "We saw
them going up the lake against the wind. We were a little bit worried,
but I presume the motor boat can take care of itself in quite a blow."

"All they've got to do is to turn on the gasolene, while in a rowboat
sometimes a fellow's muscles give out," was Andy's comment, and this
caused a smile.

After bidding the girls and the others good-bye, the four Rovers walked
towards the town. There they were fortunate enough to find the Hall
auto-stage, and were soon at the school once more.

"Gee! but my arms ache!" was Fred's remark on the way. "The muscles
hurt so I can hardly keep still."

"You'd better bathe them well with witch hazel or alcohol," returned
Jack. "My muscles feel sore, too."

"It took the wind right out of me," came from Andy. "Funny, too--with
so much wind all around," he added merrily.

"I can't help but think of how Martell and Brown treated us," said
Randy, seriously. "It was as mean as dirt!"

"I believe they would have left us there to drown!" added Fred.

"Oh, I wouldn't like to think that of them," broke in Jack. "Just the
same, it was a very dirty thing to do. Not on our account so much as on
account of the girls."

When the boys got back, the first person they met was Spouter, who
wanted to know how his cousin May had enjoyed the outing. He listened
in some alarm to the story the Rovers had to relate.

"It was a narrow shave all right," was the comment. And then his face
took on a stern look. "And to think Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown
treated you that way! Those fellows ought to be run out of this
school!"

The squall on the lake had been noticed by some of the other cadets who
had been out on the river; and the news soon spread of the danger into
which the Rovers