who had followed the others. "To my way of thinking, he's worse than old
Crabtree was, even though he is perhaps better educated."

"I'd like to know what he is going to do with Sam," said Dick, with a
serious look on his face. "Sam has made such a good record this term I
hate to see it broken."

"He'll do something to punish 'em both," came from Fred. "It will be too
bad, though, if he puts 'em in the stone cell. They'll freeze to death
such a night as this is going to be."

"I won't allow it," ejaculated Dick. "Why, that would be inhuman!"

"I'm going in by the back way and find out what's going on," said Tom,
and promptly disappeared around the corner of the Hall. He was soon
inside the building, but to his chagrin found every door leading to
Captain Putnam's private apartments and to the stone cell and the
storeroom locked. Having gone through the mess-rooms and through several
of the classrooms, he rejoined the others, who had gathered around the
fire in what was called the students' general living room,--an apartment
set aside during cold weather solely for the boys' comfort, where they
might read, study, play quiet games, or do similar things in order to
make themselves feel at home.

"How did you make out?" was the question immediately put.

"Made out, and that's all," said Tom gloomily.

"What do you mean?" came from Dick.