“We won’t say a word,” said The Imp. And thereupon the sneak took him and the young major to where the hornets’ nest was located. “I’ll give you the ball to-morrow,” said Pepper, on the way back to the camp. “Now, mum’s the word all around remember.” “I won’t tell anybody I told you,” answered Mumps. CHAPTER XV HAZING A BULLY Pepper and Andy slept close together in one of the tents. That night, about twelve o’clock, each was rudely awakened by having the cot upon which he rested tipped up on one side. Both rolled to the floor and bumped into one another. “Hi, what’s this?” cried the acrobatic youth. “Hazing!” returned Pepper. “Will you kindly take your head out of my stomach,” he added. “Who did it?” asked Andy, as he struggled to get up, a blanket having become twisted about his feet. “I don’t know—excepting it may be the Reff Ritter crowd,” returned Pepper, rubbing his nose, which had been bumped on the floor. Cries came from the tent adjoining, and the two boys soon discovered that the cots of a dozen cadets had been turned over. One sufferer’s nose was bleeding, and all of the crowd were more or less angry. “It was Ritter!” cried one cadet. “I saw him just as he dodged around a corner of the tent.” “How is it you were awake?” asked another suspiciously. “I just came in from guard duty. I was on Post 5.” “Well, if it was the Ritter crowd we ought to get after ’em,” came from Dale. “How could it be the Ritter crowd?” came from another cadet. “I heard they were going to have a feast to-night.” “That comes off to-morrow night,” answered Joe Nelson. As quietly as possible, so as not to disturb Captain Putnam and George Strong, the cadets looked around the various tents of their enemies. They found Ritter in his tent, lying on his cot and snoring loudly. “He is shamming,” whispered Pepper. “Just wait till I prove it.” “How will you do it?” asked Dale. “I’ve got some red ink in a bottle here. I’ll daub his face with that. It’s indelible and it won’t come off for a month. He’ll look like an Indian on the warpath.” The Imp spoke in a whisper and on tiptoes he approached Reff Ritter. As he bent over the bully the latter sat up very suddenly. “You let me alone!” he blustered. “Don’t you dare to daub me with your red ink!” “Ha! so you are wideawake, just as I suspected,” cried Pepper. “Don’t you touch me with that red ink, Pepper Ditmore!” “Red ink?” questioned The Imp, innocently. “Who mentioned red ink?” “You did—but you’re not going to put any on me! I’ll report you if you do!” “You must be dreaming, Ritter. I haven’t any red ink. I just came in to see if you were awake. Do you usually snore so loudly when you aren’t asleep?” “Humph! think you’re smart, don’t you?” “He was shamming true enough!” cried Andy. “Boys,” he went on, addressing his friends. “I move we initiate Ritter into the mysteries of a trip on an airship.”