k, Nappy!" came from Slugger Brown. "Don't let any new
boys lord it over you. If you want to fight, go ahead."

"I owe these Rovers one," muttered the loudly dressed youth. "I had a
run-in with this one in New York," and he pointed to Jack. "They are
all of a kind--too fresh to live."

"There is no use of your talking that way, Martell," broke in Jack. "We
didn't come here to scrap, but everyone of us can take his own part if
it is necessary."

A perfect war of words followed, and the argument proved so hot that it
looked as if there would certainly be a fight with Fred and Randy, and
possibly some of the others, on one side, and Nappy Martell, Slugger
Brown and one or two of their cronies who had come up on the other. But
then came a sudden diversion as a heavily built and military looking
man came from the main street of the town and walked towards them.

"Cheese it, boys!" came from one of the lads present. "Here comes
Captain Dale. He'll report us all if he knows there's anything like a
fight going on."

At the announcement that Captain Mapes Dale, who was the military
instructor at Colby Hall, was approaching, the boys who had attended
the academy the term previous fell back in alarm. They knew the captain
to be a strict disciplinarian who abhorred fighting except in a
military way.

"Well, boys, are you going up to the Hall?" said the captain
pleasantly, as he came closer. The old pupils present saluted him and
were saluted in return.

"Yes, sir," answered Spouter. And then before any of the others could
speak he added: "Captain Dale, will you permit me to introduce some new
scholars?" and thereupon he mentioned the Rover boys' names.

"Glad to know you," said Captain Dale, and shook hands all around.

In the meanwhile Nappy Martell had dropped somewhat in the background
so that the military instructor might not notice the soiled condition
of his clothing. Then one or two other new pupils were introduced, and
the whole crowd made for the auto-stage.

The stage was a large affair, and Slugger Brown, Nappy Martell and some
of their friends kept to the front end, leaving the Rovers and their
friends together at the rear, the captain and a professor connected
with the Hall seating themselves between the two factions.

"This row is only stopped for the time being," whispered Randy to Jack.
"I think that fellow Martell is too ugly to let it drop."

"He's rather a big fellow to tackle Fred," returned Jack.