"Find out if they are there first — and lock the door after we are gone."
Leaning out of the window Dick tapped on the next glass. At once Sam showed himself.
"It's quite a climb, but I reckon I can make it," said the youngest Rover.
Waiting to hear no more, Tom hurried below, followed by Fred, and mingled with the crowd of students entering the mess hall.
Many of the boys were talking about the quarrel between Sam and Tubbs, and all condemned the actions of Jasper Grinder.
"He ought to have set them to doing extra lessons; that would have been punishment enough," said one of the big boys, who was captain of Company A of the students for that term.
This opinion was that held by the majority. Several of the boys came to Tom to learn what he had to say. But he merely shrugged his shoulders.
"Wait and we'll see what we will see," he said.
"Rover's got a card up his sleeve, that's as sure as you're born," said one of the students, and winked at Tom. But Tom only looked wise and turned away.
When the students sat down to eat it was noticed that Dick's chair was vacant.
"Master Thomas Rover, do you know anything of your brother Richard?" asked an under-teacher.
"Perhaps he is having a talk with Mr. Grinder," said Tom.
"Oh!" Then the under-teacher noticed that Mr. Grinder's chair was also vacant, and said no more.
While the boys were eating, Peleg Snuggers came to the door and looked carefully about the mess hall.
"You won't find them here, Peleg," said Tom to himself. Then the man of all work disappeared, and the supper continued as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.
CHAPTER V
A SCENE IN THE SCHOOLROOM
In the meantime, what of affairs in the dormitory? Was all going as quietly as Tom had anticipated?
As soon as Tom went below Dick locked the door, then turned again to the window. Sam was trying to climb from one room to the next, but could not get a satisfactory hold.
"Here, give me your hand," cried Dick softly, and reaching forth he soon helped his brother to a position of safety.
"Say, aint it dangerous?" asked Tubbs anxiously, as he gazed to the ground, twenty feet below.
"You've got to run some risks, Tubbs," said Dick. "Quick, or you may be too late."
Fearful of a fall, the rich youth put out one foot and a hand. Dick tried to reach him, but was unable to do so.
"A little further, Tubbs," he said encouragingly.
"I — I'm afraid I'll fall," was the trembling
answer. Then the rich youth let out a cry of alarm. "Somebody is coming!"
"Come!" cried Dick, and reached out a trifle further. As Tubbs gave the eldest Rover his fingers Dick hauled him from the window and literally swung him into the dormitory. Then, as Tubbs landed in a heap on the floor, Sam closed the window and locked it.
"Now you must clear out to another room!" cried Dick. "Whoever was coming will find that window wide open, and guess you have escaped in this direction."
"But where can we go to?" asked the rich youth.
"Go to Dormitory No. 6. Only young Adler is in there, and Hemmingway, and they are on a vacation until after Christmas. The closet is a big one, and you can both hide on the upper shelf. Quick! I'll bring you some supper."
All three left the dormitory, and Sam and Tubbs scurried off in the direction indicated. As for Dick, he lost no time in reaching the mess hall.
"Sorry, sir," he said to the under-teacher. "The bell couldn't have rung very loud."
"It rang as loud as usual," was the answer, and no more was said, the teacher's head being just then full of other matters.
Glad to get off so easily, Dick lost no time in eating his supper. While making way with the food he stowed a goodly portion in his pockets, in a couple of spare napkins, and by some silent motions from Tom learned that his brother was doing the same.
Just as the students were finishing the meal, Jasper Grinder came in and walked down the aisles between the tables. He looked both angry and perplexed. As he came close to Tom he paused.
"Excuse me, Mr. Grinder, but won't you let Sam out of the stone cell?" asked Tom, to avoid being questioned.
"You be silent, Rover," muttered the teacher, and passed on without saying more.
After the supper hour it was usual for the students to have half an hour to themselves, during which they might read, play games, or do as they pleased. But now Mr. Grinder called them together in the main classroom.
"I wish to talk to you young gentlemen," said the teacher, when all were seated.
"We're going to catch it now," whispered Tom to Dick. "Don't you give the secret away."
"Indeed I won't," answered the eldest Rover. "I intend to lay the whole case before Captain Putnam as soon as he returns."
"Silence!" thundered Jasper Grinder. "I want you boys to stop talking instantly."
"I didn't say anything," murmured several in an undertone.
"Silence, I say!" repeated the master, and then all became so quiet that the ticking of the clock could be heard distinctly.
The teacher gazed around at the scores of faces and looked more stern than ever.
"I am going to question all of you separately, and I trust each of you will tell the truth. The question is, Do you know what has become of Samuel Rover and William Tubbs? or, Do you know what they have done? I shall start with the first boy. Hickley, what have you to say?"
"I don't know anything about them," answered the boy named Hickley.
"Brainard, do you know?"
"No, sir."
"Parkham?"
"I know they had a little set-to in the gymnasium, but that's all. The whole thing was a friendly bout, I guess."
"I am the best judge of that. It was a disgraceful fight. What have you to say, Griggs?"
"If you say it was disgraceful I suppose it was, sir. I thought it was only a friendly dispute —— "
"Stop!
