Chapter XVIII: The Young Major Shows His Courage

All too soon for the young cadets the encampment in the grove came to an end, and the march back to Putnam Hall was taken up.

"This gives us a taste of what the annual encampment will be like," said Andy. "My, but won't we have just boss times!" And his face glowed with anticipation.

The day was positively cold, and the young soldiers were glad enough to march along briskly. Mile after mile was covered, until they came to the place where they had taken dinner when coming from the Hall.

While they were resting Jack and Pepper fell in with a boy of the neighborhood, who was riding a bicycle. The boy asked them about life at the Hall, and in return they questioned him about his wheeling trips.

"You can try my wheel if you wish," said the youth to them, and Pepper took a short spin up the road and back. Then Jack turned his sword over to his chum and hopped into the saddle.

"The seat isn't quite high enough for me," said the young major. "But it's a good wheel and I feel as if I could pedal ten or twenty miles without half trying."

Jack had gone quite a distance down the road when he heard a whirring sound, and looking in the direction, saw an automobile approaching. It was coming at good speed, and swaying from side to side.

"Hullo, I'll have to get out of the way, or run the risk of being run over," he said to himself, and drew up near a stone fence.

As the automobile came closer he saw that it contained only a lady and a little girl. The lady was holding on to the steering wheel with one hand, and holding the girl with the other.

"Oh, help!" she cried out, as the automobile passed Jack. "Help! I cannot stop the machine!" And then she passed by in a cloud of dust.

For the moment Jack did not comprehend. Then he shut his teeth hard, turned around, and raced after the automobile on the bicycle.

"I'll have to stop that machine for her if I can!" he reasoned. "I suppose she is afraid the girl will fall out, or else the lever is stuck."

The automobile was now a good distance down the road, and running dangerously close to the stone fence. Then it swayed to the other side, two wheels going into some mud.

"Help! help!" the lady shrieked, at some cadets standing near.

"Here comes Jack on the bicycle!" exclaimed Andy.

"Look, he is going after the auto!" put in Pepper.

Along the road swung the ponderous machine, the lady continuing to call for help, and the little girl crying in her terror. Behind, Jack was doing his best to catch the runaway machine.

It was a stiff race, and for several minutes it looked as if the young cadet would not make it. But at last he closed the gap ahead, and came up directly behind the automobile. Then, with a quick leap, he cleared the bicycle handle bars and caught hold of the back seat of the turnout ahead.

"What's the matter?" he asked, as he piled forward. "Can't you stop it?"

"No, the lever is stuck!" gasped the woman. She was on the point of fainting through excitement and fear.

Jack bent down, and his knowledge of automobiles stood him in good stead. He saw how the lever had become bent. With all of his might he tugged upon it, and brought it back. At once the automobile began to slacken its pace. Then came another pull, and the ponderous machine came to a complete standstill.

"Oh!" murmured the lady, and sank back in a deathlike swoon.

"Oh, Aunt Annie is dying!" shrieked the little girl. "Oh, dear, I never want to ride like this again!"

"She isn't dying," said Jack. "She'll soon be better."

He looked back and saw some of the cadets hurrying along the road. Soon Pepper came up, followed by Andy and a dozen others, and then Captain Putnam put in an appearance.

The lady was lifted from the automobile and carried to a shady spot under a tree. She had smelling salts with her, and was treated with these, and her face was bathed with water from the brook. Soon she opened her eyes and stared around her.

"You are safe, madam," said the captain. "Pray take it easy."

"And Jennie, my niece?"

"She is safe too."

"What a fearful ride I have had," went on the lady, with a shudder. "It was awful! The auto got entirely beyond my control. Where is the brave young gentleman who stopped it for me?"

"Here he is," answered Captain Putnam, pointing to Jack.

"What, you! Why, you--er--you are the young man that--that had the trouble with my husband a few days ago," faltered the lady, and reddened.

"Never mind about that," said Jack, quickly. He remembered what the lady had said on that occasion. "I'm glad I happened to be on the bicycle."

"You sprang from the wheel into the machine?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"It was a brave thing to do. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

A few minutes later a buggy came along, being driven furiously by the man who owned the automobile. He leaped out and ran toward his wife and his little niece.

"Are they hurt?" he demanded.

"No, Carl, we are not hurt," answered his wife.

"What made you run off so furiously, Annie?"

"I didn't do it on purpose. The machine started up, and I could not stop it."

"That young soldier saved us, Uncle Carl," came from the little girl. "He rode on his wheel after us, and jumped into our auto and pulled on the handles till it stopped."

The man looked at Jack, and his face grew red.

"Why--er--did you--er--you stop the auto for my wife?" he stammered.

"I did," answered the young major, coldly.

"He did it at the risk of his life, too," added the lady. "Carl, we owe him a great deal."

The man's face became a study.

"How did you do it?" he asked at length. "Tell me the story, won't you?" And Jack did so, and then the lady had her say, and so did Captain Putnam.

"I thank you, sir," said the man. "It was handsome of you, handsome. And after I treated you so meanly, too! Say, do you know how I feel? I feel like two cents!"

"Let us drop it," said Jack, and walked away. But the man came after him, and his voice was full of emotion.

"Don't go off that way. I want to tell you something. I--I acted like a fool the other day. It wasn't fair at all. And now you've done the handsome thing. It was great, simply great! I thank you, and I ask your pardon at the same time. Won't you shake hands?"

"Certainly!" cried Jack, and held out his hand, which the other grasped tightly. "It's all right--only please give us a little more show when we're on the march after this."

"You shall have the whole road--you deserve it!" answered the man, heartily. "This has taught me a lesson I'll not forget," he added, as he turned back to look after his wife and inspect the automobile. It took some time to repair the big machine, and in the meantime the cadets walked away, and Jack delivered the wheel to the owner.

"That was a great ride of yours," said the boy. "And that jump into the auto was grand. Do you know that man?"

"No."

"His name is Carl Reuterman. He is a rich brewer. He runs all over these roads, and he is rather careless. But I guess he'll be more careful after this."

"He'll have to be--or he and his family will get into trouble," returned Jack.

"Did he reward you, Jack?" asked Pepper, later on.

"No, and I don't want any reward," answered the young major. "I don't risk my neck for pay."

The march back to school came to an end that evening at seven o'clock. A hot supper awaited all hands, and the manner in which the students pitched in was astonishing.

"We're going to have cold weather now," said Pepper, on turning in. "There's a heavy frost on the ground already."

"Frost will be good for the nuts," came from Andy.

"That's the idea!" put in Henry Lee. "Let us organize a nutting party. I know where we can get a lot of nuts. The trees are just loaded with them."

"All right, I'm ready any time Captain Putnam will let us off," came from Jack. "But I don't believe he will let us off this week, on account of the outing we have already had," and he was right.

The cold weather continued, and there was a promise of snow in the air. The week passed, and on the following Saturday the master of the Hall said all of the pupils could go out in the woods for three hours, if they wished.

"But you must be careful of two things," he said. "Do not get lost, and do not poach on private grounds."

"I don't think I'll get lost," said Andy. He had been out in the woods a number of times.

The boys divided up into half a dozen parties, and set off with light hearts. Each party carried bags for nuts, and Jack had a pocket compass, in case his party should miss the way.

Just after they had started Dale came to Jack.

"Baxter is going up to Top Rock Hill," said he. "I believe that is private property."

"I was going there myself," said the young major, "but not on private grounds. There are a good many trees outside of the inclosures."

"I'll wager Baxter gets into trouble," said Dale. And he was right, as later events proved.