Life — July 2, 1925 — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

yy The Ro By Corey Ford ver and Over Boys Volume VIII: Independence Day, and What Of It? AT tat tat! Rat tat tat! Rat tat tat!” sounded the rising bugle, as the Putnam Hall cadets tumbled sleepily out of their tents and stood at attention while Cap- tain Putnam ran up the flag. “Three cheers for Putnam Camp called the elderly Captain as he reached the top of the flag and led the cager students assembled below him in the famous Putnam Camp Cheer: “The Spot Ideal for Manly Boys. Located on the shores of mighty Lake A Rose. Tumbling water and call of birds, sturdy sun-tanned youngsters, council-fires under the stars. Mountain climbing and descending, swimming, wading, hiking, canoeing’ and glass- blowing. Fresh wholesome food, reason- able rates, address Captain Putnam, Box “Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!” added the cadets, proudly tossing their heads in the air and shouting lustily. “Now, how do I get down, though?” mused Captain Putnam, peering nerv- ously from the flagpole as the exercises came to an end. “Jump!” cried Tom Rover, winking “I've got a net!” So Captain Putnam. jumped ; and then Tom just had to laugh, because he didn’t have any net at all. Yet with it all Captain Putnam could not help but love the boy and wish “LEW FLAPP HAS RUN THe 100-YARn DASH IN EXACTLY ONE MINUTE.” he were his own, for just about five minutes. “First chap in the water gets a big red apple!” called Dick Rover, as he led the merry chase to the water's edge. Here some of the students engaged in aquatic sports while others went swim- ming in the icy water; when suddenly a great commotion arose in the middle of the lake, and Hans Meuller was seen to toss his hands in the air and shout lustily. “Ach du mein Zeit!” spluttered the “German” youth. “I vos catch such a cramp as neffer vos, you pet!” “Did you say ‘cramp’ or ‘crab’? quired Tom merrily. “Halp kvick!" yelled poor Hans, “oder 1 vos py der bottom of the lake alretty yet, ain't it!” “To the rescue!” shouted Tom, as the cadets lined up on the dock. Go in there and win, Tom,” whis- pered Nellie, giving the fun-loving Rov- cr’s hand a last-minute squeeze, while Dick and Sam crowded around him offering bits of advice. “Watch out for Lew Flapp,” added Sam, as the con- testants took their places. in- Cuarter , Ercnteen “DOOH, I've read about you and your two brothers,” sneered the new curry, SWRQANS, bully of Putnam Hall, swaggering up to Tom Rover. “We have the whole Rover Boys’ set home, and I don’t be- licve a word of them.” “Why don't you turn over a new leaf, you big bully, you?” asked Dick gen- crously, knocking Flapp’s hat down over his eyes while Tom pulled out his neck- tie and Sam untied both his shoelaces. “Oh, you think you're the only toads in the puddle,” fumed Flapp crossly, “but I'll teach you to suck eggs.” “You've got to spell ‘able’ first!" re- torted Tom glibly, as Captain Putnam commenced reading aloud the instruc- tions, “We will race to yonder Hans Meul- ler and return—" began the Captain. “By the way, I don’t see Hans Meul- ler any more,” interrupted Dick, peer- ing across the lake. “— to yonder rock and return,” corrected Captain Putnam. “The first man to win receives a prize,” he added; and so adding he raised his starting gun. Click! went the pistol, and like a flash Lew Flapp plunged into the water and struck out rapidly alone. exclaimed Captain Putnam, ex- amining the weapon. “Some one ha put a silencer on the starting-gun. Go he shouted, as the fun-loving Rover finally sct out after the retreating form of Flapp, and the two cadets tore down the track, which was later rebuilt at considerable expense. Cnarter E1cuteen “LJURRAY for Tom Rover!” cried the eager students as the con- testants rounded the curve and started down the home-stretch. “Leg it, Lew, leg it!” added Ben Garter, one of Fiapp’s supporters. Owing to several corks which Tom had cleverly scattered among the cin- ders of the track, the spikes of Flapp’s running-shoes became clogged, and now Tom sailed past him with ease. Amid the pandemonium of a hundred throats the fun-loving Rover fell forward onto the tape at the finish, when, to every comicbooks.com