This was agreed to, and Dale, Fred, and half a dozen others were told. Then Dale said he had heard that Ritter was going to give a little feast that night, he having sent to one of the lake hotels for cake, and bottled soda water and root beer. “Oh, if we could only get hold of that cake and the soft drinks!” cried Pepper. “Maybe we can,” said Dale. “A boatman named Lemoss is going to bring them.” “We must interview Lemoss,” said Pepper, and straightway he and Andy and Dale concocted a scheme for intercepting the boatman with the supplies. This was an easy matter, for Lemoss was an innocent fellow and did not dream that he was being humbugged. He had been paid for the stuff and turned it over to Pepper and Dale, when they came out in a rowboat to meet him. The boys quickly “doctored” the soda water and root beer by adding to it a large dose of pepper and salt, and they also peppered the cake. Then they rowed to the shore and put the things out on a fallen tree. Scarcely had they rowed away than they saw Ritter, Coulter and Paxton come out and look up and down the lake. The chums were behind some bushes and they heard Ritter utter an exclamation. “Well, if the old fool hasn’t put the things out here on a log!” came from the bully. “How careless!” “Too lazy to row in and tell us,” grumbled Coulter. “Never mind, the stuff is here, and that’s the main thing,” said Paxton. “I’d just like to have some of the root beer now.” “No, you’ve got to wait till to-night,” said Ritter. “There is just enough to go around.” And then the things were smuggled up to the camp and out of sight. That evening when the cadets had an hour to themselves, Pepper and Andy were accosted by Mumps. “You two fellows are wanted at Major Ruddy’s tent,” said the little sneak. “Hurry up.” “Who said so?” asked The Imp, with a grin to his chum. “Word was passed along, that’s all I know,” answered Mumps, and ran away, to avoid further questioning. Andy and Pepper hurried to the tent. On a cot rested a neat package. It was addressed as follows: _Major Jack Ruddy:_ _Call in your friends, Snow and Ditmore, and treat them._ _Two Lady Friends._ “Hello, so you’ve got it!” said Pepper. “I suppose the enemy is watching outside, to see developments.” “Hush,” whispered Jack. “I was going to suggest——” “Wait!” came from Andy. “Ritter celebrates to-night. Why don’t you postpone this—just to throw them off the track?” The cadets held a consultation and then came outside of the tent. They saw Ritter, Coulter and several others hanging around. “Looks like a fine cake,” said Jack, in a low voice, addressing his chums. “Must have come from the Fords.” “Wish you could cut it to-night,” grumbled Andy. “It will keep,” was the reply. “I’ll invite the crowd and open up the bundle to-morrow night, eight o’clock.”