s!" And now Jack caught the
big youth by the arm.

"Let go of me, Rover!" demanded the ex-lieutenant, and then he raised
the hand that held the pocketknife.

It is not likely that he would have used the weapon. But Jack did not
care to take any chances. As quick as a flash he hauled back, and then
his fist crashed into Gabe Werner's chin, sending him sprawling on his
back.

For a second or two the big ex-lieutenant was dazed, but then, with a
muttered imprecation, he leaped up, dropping his pocketknife as he did
so, and rushed at Jack, hitting him in the shoulder.

By this time the blood of the young captain was up. He dodged a second
blow delivered by Werner, and then his fist shot out quickly, landing
on the ex-lieutenant's nose, drawing blood.

"Ouch!" spluttered Werner, and then he made a leap and grappled with
Jack. There followed a lively mix-up in which blows were given and
taken freely.

In the meantime Fred set up a cry of alarm, not knowing who was
attacking his cousin. In a few seconds a number of cadets and
Professor Brice came hurrying in that direction.

"I've got to clear out, but I'll fix you another time, Rover," hissed
Gabe Werner, and attempted to retreat.

"You're not going to get away, Werner!" cried Jack, and, making a leap
forward, he gave the ex-lieutenant a blow behind the ear which sent
him to the ground all but unconscious.

CHAPTER XXVI

AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY

"What does this mean, Captain Rover?" demanded Professor Brice, as he
rushed up, lantern in hand and followed quickly by Major Ralph Mason
and a dozen other cadets.

"I caught this rascal cutting the ropes to our tent," explained Jack.

"Gee, you'd better hold that tent down!" cried one of the cadets.
"There go three of the ropes now!" And what he said was true, the
ropes in question being those that Werner had partly severed with his
knife.

Fred had come out of the tent, and now he and a number of the other
cadets held down the canvas so that the wind could not get under it.
It was blowing furiously, so that they had no easy job of it to keep
the tent from going up.

"Do you mean to say he really cut the ropes here?" demanded Professor
Brice sternly, as Werner gathered himself together on the wet ground
and slowly arose to his feet.

"Yes, sir," said Jack. "And there is the knife he did it with," he
added, pointing to the pocket piece which had fallen under the
ex-lieutenant.

"It was--er--it was--e