Edward Stratemeyer

The Rover Boys in the Mountains Edward Stratemeyer

"Hurrah, boys, the lake is frozen over! We'll be sure to have good skating by to-morrow afternoon!" "That's fine news, Tom," came from Sam Rover. "I've been fairly aching for a skate ever since that cold snap of two weeks ago." "We'll have to start up some skating matches if good skating does really turn up," put in Dick Rover, who had just joined his two brothers in the gymnasium attached to Putnam Hall. "Don't you remember those matches we had last year?" "Certainly, Dick," answered Tom Rover. "Didn't I win one of the silver medals?" "Gracious! but what a lot has happened since then," said Sam, who was the youngest of the trio. "We've gotten rid of nearly all of our enemies, and old Crabtree is in jail and can't bother Mrs. Stanhope or Dora any more." "We didn't get rid of Dan Baxter," remarked Dick. "He gave us the slip nicely." "Do you think he'll dare to bother us again, Dick?" questioned Sam anxiously. "I hope not, but I'm not certain, Sam. The Baxters are a bad lot, as all of us know, and as Dan grows older he'll be just as wicked as his father, and maybe worse." "What a pity a fellow like Dan can't turn over a new leaf," came from Tom Rover. "He's bright enough in his way, and would make a first-rate chap." "It's not in the blood," went on Dick. "We'll have to keep our eyes open, that's all. If anything, Dan is probably more angry at us than ever, for he believes we were the sole means of his father being put in prison." "Old Baxter deserved all he got," murmured Sam.