ng a little and passed through some woods where
they could not see the river.

When they came in sight of it again the man said:

"Go on and rejoin your comrades. I will go another way. You can get back
from here?"

"Yes, without much trouble. Where are you going?"

"Away, where you will never see me again!" and the man suddenly darted
down a forest path.

"I hope he will do better," said Jack to himself, "but I don't know. He
says he has tried to do so before but he never succeeded. I hope he will
do so this time but I do not want to see him again. I cannot get over my
past recollections."

He took another path and at length came to a pass through the hills
which would cut off a considerable distance provided he did not lose his
way by taking a wrong turn and he decided to hazard it.

Overhead there were great round peaks about which the clouds always
seemed to hover, about him were giant trees which seemed to be hundreds
of years old and as he walked on the shadows stretched deep and
mysterious before him so that he might well pause for fear of going
astray or of meeting unwelcome companions.

In a short time he came out upon a level stretch of ground whence he
could easily see how the land lay and pick out a path back to the river
and the nearest town to Hilltop.

He set out at a good walk and reached a village below the station at the
foot of the hill whence he could make his way across at about eight
o'clock in the morning.

"I can get to the Academy in time for school," he said to himself, "and
give somebody a surprise. I'd like to know what they are thinking of now
but I know what they will think when they see me walk in to take my
examinations."

He had calculated the time correctly for as he reached the top of the
hill in front of the Academy and saw the well-known buildings stretching
out before him he heard the warning bell which told him he must hasten.

The boys were already indoors and Jack hurried on, entered and went to
the great schoolroom, taking his seat and saying quietly while all the
boys looked at him in astonishment:

"I am sorry to have been detained, sir but I trust that I am in here in
time for the first examination."

Then, although it was against the rules, the majority of the boys raised
a joyous shout and gave three hearty cheers.

CHAPTER XXIV

HOW IT ALL CAME OUT

There had been a good deal of anxiety the night before when Jack had
failed to return and all