the others, and a peal of laughter rang through the car. At this Hans
grew suspicious, and at length a sickly grin overspread his features.

"I know you, Tom Rofer," he said. "Dot vos von of dem fish stories,
ain't it alretty?"

"No, it's a jibberjacker story, Hans."

"It vos a jibjacker fish story den annahow. You can't fool me some
more. I vos too schmart for dot alretty. Ven I go py der academy I git
mine ear teeths cut, hey?"

"All right, Hans, if you have cut your ear-teeth we'll call it off,"
said Dick, and here the conversation took a more rational turn.

"So far as I know only a few of the fellows have left the Hall on
account of the scarlet fever scare," said Larry. "And they were boys
that nobody seemed to care much about."

"I was told that the fellows expected to elect an entirely new lot of
officers," said Sam. "We have been away so much I've rather lost track
of our military affairs."

"Captain Putnam said we would have to ballot for officers as soon as
all the boys were back," said Larry. "Some of the old officers have
graduated, you must remember."

"I've not forgotten that I was once second lieutenant of Company A,"
put in Dick. "Reckon I'll have to try my luck once more--if the boys
want me to run."