away.
"Very well, Snuggers, I'll be back shortly," he heard, coming from the head assistant, and Strong walked from the stable toward the Hall.
In a twinkle Dick ran around the stable corner. "Quick, Peleg, here is the horse, all unhooked. Put him in his stall. The cutter is back there, out of sight," and as the hired man took possession of the animal, the youth ran off, to join his brother at the entrance to Putnam Hall.
"The door is locked!" groaned Tom. "Something is wrong."
Without replying, Dick ran around to a spot under the dormitory window. Making a soft snowball, he threw it against the glass, and followed this by several others. Presently the window was thrown up, and Sam, Fred, and Larry showed their heads.
"Say, you fellows, help us up!" cried Dick softly. "There is a washline in the closet — the one my Aunt Martha insisted on tying around my trunk when we came here last summer."
There was a scramble in the room, and presently the end of the line was thrown out. It was new and strong, and quite capable of supporting either of the lads' weight.
"You go first, Tom, but be quick!" said Dick softly, and his brother caught hold and went up with ease, bracing one foot after another against the rough stonework and projecting bricks. Then the rope came down a second time and Dick ascended.
Hardly were the boys in the room than there came a loud knocking on the door.
"It's Mr. Strong!" gasped Sam. "What shall we do now? It looks as if we were all caught!"
CHAPTER XXV
MUMPS IS TAUGHT A LESSON
The cadets stared blankly at each other. Only two of them were undressed; the others had all of their clothing on.
It was time for the head assistant to go the rounds, to see that all was right for the night. Should he be allowed to enter the dormitory he would certainly "smell a mouse," and perhaps knock all of their plans for a feast in the head.
"Off with your clothing, all of you!" whispered Tom. "I'll manage this affair. Pretend to be asleep."
"But, Tom, it's my fault —— " began Dick, when his younger brother cut him short.
"Into the bed — I'll be all right, Dick."
Satisfied that Tom had some plan in his head for smoothing matters over, the other boys disrobed with marvelous rapidity and crept into their beds. While this was going on the knocking on the door continued.
"Boys, open the door!" said George Strong. "Open the door, do you hear?"
"Answer him!" whispered Tom to Larry, whose bed was nearest to him. "Pretend you have just awoke," and he flung himself on the floor, with one of a pair of big rubber boots in each hand.
"Wha — what's that?" demanded Larry sleepily.
"I say, open the door!" repeated the assistant teacher.
"Oh — er — Mr. Strong, is that you?"
"Yes, open the door."
"Why — er — is it locked?"
"Yes."
At once Larry tumbled from his bed, unlocked the door and stood there rubbing his eyes. "Excuse me, sir, for not hearing you before."
"I want to know what the meaning is of the noise in here?" said George Strong severely, as he gazed around the dimly lit apartment, for the lamp was turned low. "You boys are — gracious me! What's this?"
The teacher started back in genuine surprise, and his words aroused all of the boys in the beds, who followed his gaze in equal wonder.
For in the center of the floor sat Tom, his eyes tightly closed, a rubber boot in each hand, and rocking backward and forward with great rapidity, as if rowing.
"Two lengths ahead!" muttered Tom. "I'll beat you yet, Larry! Three lengths! Oh, but this is a dandy race! Pull away, you can't beat me! Oh! there goes an oar!" and, bang! went one of the rubber boots against the baseboard, and Tom made a leap as if diving into the water after it, sprawling and spluttering as he pretended to swim.
"He's got the nighmare again!" shouted Sam, quick to understand Tom's dodge. "Tom, wake up there!"
"The nightmare!" echoed Mr. Strong. "Is it possible? Poor boy! Wake up, Thomas!" and he caught Tom by the shoulder and shook him and finally set him on his feet.
"The oar — I will have the —— Oh!" Tom opened his eyes and stared around him blankly. "Why — er — what's up?"
"My boy, you've had the nightmare," answered the teacher kindly.
"Nightmare!"
"I told you not to eat that pie to-night," put in Sam. " He saved his pie from dinner, and ate it just before we came up here" — which was true.
"I — er — I thought I was on the lake racing Larry Colby," murmured Tom and hid his face as if in embarrassment. "What did I — I do?" he faltered.
"You almost raised the roof, that's what you did," answered Dick. "You had better send home for some of those digestion tablets you used to take," and then he hid his face in the blankets to keep from laughing outright.
"I will." Tom turned to George Strong. "Excuse me, Mr. Strong, I am sorry I have caused you so much trouble."
"How do you feel now?" questioned the assistant anxiously.
"Oh, I'm all right now."
"Well, then, go to bed; and I trust you sleep more soundly for the balance of the night," said the teacher; and he remained in the room until Tom was tucked in, when he went off, taking the key of the door with him.
"Tom, you're a brick!" came from Frank, when the teacher was out of hearing. "What a head you have on your shoulders!"
"Strong took the key of the door," said Fred. "I don't like that."
"Shove a chair-back up under the knob," suggested Dick, and this was done, the chair thus making an excellent brace.
"Now to get that stuff in," said Dick, donning his clothing with all possible speed. "I shouldn't wonder if the soda and root beer are frozen as hard as a rock."
He was soon ready to descend, and the others lowered him by aid of the washline. Then the boxes and packages were hoisted up, and Dick came after.
A few minutes later came a slight tapping on the door, repeated three times. It was a signal, and Sam opened the door, admitting George Granbury and seven other cadets from dormitory No. 2. The occupants of several other dormitories followed.
"Are we to have Mumps and his crowd in here?" asked one of the newcomers.
"I don't want Mumps," answered Dick. "Not because he ran against me, but because he was Baxter's toady and is a regular sneak."
"Little Luke Walton and Mark Gross voted for you, Dick," said Harry Blossom. "They ought to be invited."
"All right, tell them to come in, and anybody else who wishes, outside of Mumps," answered Dick.
The young captain went off, and soon returned with six boys of Sam's age or younger.
"Mumps is awfully mad," he announced. "My idea is, he is going to cause us trouble if he can."
"We'll wax him good if he does!" cried Tom. "I say, Sam, let us watch him," and he hurried into the hallway, while the others attacked the several good things Dick had provided for them.
Tom and Sam had been in the dark hallway but two minutes when the door of Mumps' dormitory opened and the sneak came out, wearing his slippers and his long overcoat. He glided swiftly toward the side stairs leading to Captain Putnam's private apartments.
"He's going to peach!"