What in the mischief can they have done to old Dodge?"
wondered Greg as he hurriedly pulled on his shoes.

"You men will turn out instantly," ordered a cadet corporal,
thrusting his head in at the tent doorway. "Elaborate dressing isn't
necessary."

Dick bolted out, followed by Anstey, Greg bringing up the rear.

Cadets by scores and hundreds were falling in by companies, while
the company commanders stood by watchful and alert.

Only the members of the guard were excused from this assembly.

Almost instantly orders rang out crisply, and the ranks closed.
Then the cadet adjutant, the roll in his hands, began to call the
names by companies, holding a pencil in readiness to check down
any cadet found absent.

Back of the adjutant stood the cadet officer of the day and Captain
Vesey, of the Army, who was the tac. doing duty as O.C.

The calling of the roll, while the cadets stood in ranks, wondering,
brought a surprise to Captain Vesey. Every cadet supposed to be in
camp was present or satisfactorily accounted for.

"When dismissed," rang the cadet adjutant's voice, "men not on
duty will return to their tents and finish the night's rest. Dismiss by
companies."

As the drowsy cadets turned back to their company streets there
was a buzz of eager, under-toned conversation. Some of the men
of the guard threw in enough information so that the main part of
the story became known and flew like fire through the camp.

When post number three failed to answer at half past eleven
Corporal Hasbrouck and a squad of the guard went to that post in
double-quick time.

Dodge was found to be absent from his post, but his rifle, with
bayonet fixed, was securely tied to a near-by bush in the position
of "port arms."

Dodge simply was not to be found. At one point signs of a scuffle
had been found, but the trail, after starting down the slope, soon
disappeared.

Cadet Dodge could not be found. No one, unless some unidentified
hazers, knew where that young sentry was.

Assembly had been sounded and all cadets called out for roll call
in order that it might be learned what cadets, if any, were absent
from camp without authority. But roll each had failed to show any
absentees.

Captain Vesey was furious. So was Lieutenant-Colonel Strong, the
commandant of cadets, who had just been summoned, and who
was now at the tac. tent questioning Hasbrouck and others.

Through the night no trace was found of Mr. Dodge.

CHAPTER