"Do you want another pistol explosion?" asked one of the others,
referring to an incident between Tom Rover and Hans which had
nearly ended in a tragedy.

"Mine cracious, no!" howled the German lad. "I go me not py a
hundred feet mid an old pistol again alrietty! I vould radder sit
town on von can of dynamite to sleep, yes I vould!" And he shook
his curly head earnestly.

"We won't have any pistols in this," broke in Tom, who felt like
shuddering every time the incident was mentioned. "We'll just have
skyrockets, and Roman candles, and pin-wheels, and all of the rest
of the good old-fashioned things -- that is for the celebration on
the outside."

"And for the celebration on the inside let us have cake, ice-cream,
fruits, and nuts," put in Larry. "At this minute I feel hungry
enough to eat the captain out of house and home."

"Ditto myself," came from another student.

"Perhaps the captain will be glad enough to have us celebrate -- at
our own expense," suggested a cadet in one corner, yet he did not
mean what he said, knowing that bluff Captain Putnam, the owner and
headmaster of Putnam Hall was whole-souled and generous to the
core.

The stage had already covered over a mile of the road, and now the
turnout left the lake shore and began to climb a long hill leading
to the heights upon which the academy was located. But there was