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CHAPTER VIII


A SCENE IN THE GYMNASIUM


Lew Flapp spoke in such a loud, overbearing voice that a crowd began to collect in the corner where the punching apparatus was located.

"What's up?" asked more than one cadet.

"Lew Flapp and Dick Rover are going to try to beat each other at punching the bag," was the report.

"Rover will have to do his best then. Flapp is a prime one at bag punching. It's about the only thing he can do real well."

"This isn't a fair contest," put in another student. "Flapp took lessons from a man who used to do bag-punching on the vaudeville stage."

"If that's so I wouldn't try to beat him, if I was Dick Rover."

Dick heard some of this talk but said nothing. He was soon ready for the trial, and stepping up to the punching bag he began to undo the top strap.

"That bag is all right," blustered Lew Flapp.

"Yes—for you," answered Dick. "But you

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