Randy's blood was up, for he felt certain the raincoat had been taken by one of his fellow cadets, probably Werner or Glutts. Leaping forward, he cleared some low bushes at a bound, and then made after the figure skulking along among the trees.
"Drop that raincoat or I'll crack you on the head with my gun!" he roared, as he drew closer to the fleeing fellow.
"Keep back, or it will be the worse for you, Randy Rover!" cried the other cadet, and now Randy recognized the voice of Gabe Werner quite distinctly.
The fun-loving Rover did not reply to Werner. Instead he hurried on faster than ever, coming so close presently that he was able to reach the ex-lieutenant with his gun. He swung the weapon by the barrel, and the stock caught Werner a severe blow on his right shoulder.
"Ouch!" yelled the big cadet, and his right arm dropped to his side and the raincoat slipped to the ground.
"You're a fine rascal to steal my raincoat," remonstrated Randy, raising his gun as if to give the ex-lieutenant another blow.
"Aw! can't you take a joke? You Rovers didn't think anything of smashing my flashlight."
"You did that yourself, throwing it against your tent pole," answered Randy.
"Never mind who told me--I know it's the truth. Now, after this, Gabe Werner, you leave my things alone!"
"Bah! don't talk to me, Randy Rover. If it wasn't that you have nearly broken my right shoulder, I'd give you the licking you deserve."
"And for two pins, Gabe Werner, I'd report you for being absent from camp without leave," retorted Randy. "Now you get back to your tent just as fast as you can."
"Rats! don't you talk to me," growled the ex-lieutenant. Nevertheless, he turned and walked through the woods toward the encampment, and then lost no time in hurrying to his tent.
Randy slipped on his raincoat, and then resumed his duty as a sentinel. Back and forth he tramped, occasionally exchanging a word or two with Codfish or with the guard at the other end of his post. Thus two hours more dragged by. For half of that time it rained steadily, and if his feet did not get wet, they at least got very damp. Then, however, the shower passed on, and presently the morning stars shone forth.
Randy was watching for the first streaks of the coming dawn and congratulating himself that his lonely vigil would soon come to an end, when an unusual sound broke upon his ears. From a distance came a curious clank! clank! followed by another sound that seemed to be the rattle of several chains.