aighten
the connecting rooms which the Rovers occupied.

"Ho, you fellows! aren't you up yet?" came from the corridor in the
voice of Gif Garrison. "Let me in. I've got some important news to tell
you."

"Oh, it's only Gif!" murmured the twins in relief.

"He said he had important news," put in Jack. "I wonder what it can be."

CHAPTER V

THE RIVAL SCHOOL

One of the doors to the rooms occupied by the Rovers was quickly swung
open and Gif Garrison strode in, followed by Dick Powell. Gif held a
morning newspaper in his hand, one which had been delivered to the
school only a short while before.

"You said you had important news, Gif," said Jack. "What is it?"

"There is an item here in the newspaper Gif wants to show you," put in
Spouter. "I am sure it will interest every one of us."

"It's not much of an item so far as size goes," said Gif. "But it
certainly is important--or at least it may be, especially to you
Rovers--seeing that none of us has ever been particularly friendly with
Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown."

"What! have you news of those two rascals?" demanded Randy.

"Did they run away from that detention camp in the South?" broke in
Fred.

"They'd be fools to do that," returned Andy. "The military authorities
would round them up in no time. It's no easy matter to keep out of the
clutches of Uncle Sam if he wants you."

"No, they haven't run away. They have simply been given their freedom,"
answered Gif. "Here--you can read the news for yourselves."

The item he referred to was only twelve lines long and located at the
bottom of a column on one of the inside pages of the newspaper. It was
dated from a well-known detention camp in the South, and gave a list of
six prisoners who had had another hearing and been given their freedom.
Two of the names were Napoleon Martell and Slogwell Brown, Jr.

"Well, they're loose, all right enough," was Andy's comment, after they
had perused the item. "I wonder what they'll do?"

"One thing is certain, being detained that way by the Government will
certainly prove quite a stigma," said Jack. "I shouldn't like to have
anything of that sort against me."

"I suppose they'll have it in for us," said Randy. "They always loved us
a lot--I don't think!"

"Do you imagine they would dare show themselves around here?" questioned
Fred quickly.

"Why not?" queried Spouter.

"I don't think they'll come here," answered Jack. "It's too slow for
them around H