d the way through the corridor and up the broad stairs.
In the meanwhile Professor Grawson had ordered the other cadets to their
rooms, so there was no one at hand to witness what was taking place.

Arriving on the second floor, Snopper Duke led the way into another
corridor and then up a somewhat narrow stairway leading to the third
floor.

"Hello! I wonder where he's going to take us now?" questioned Fred in
wonder.

"This is certainly a new wrinkle," declared Gif.

The third floor was but dimly lit until the professor turned on more
light. Then he turned into a little side corridor at the end of which was
located a long, narrow room which, during the previous year, had been
used by some of the hired help but which was now unoccupied.

"You will remain in this room until I have a chance to communicate with
Colonel Colby," said Professor Duke, as he marched the cadets in. "And
remember! I want no cutting up here. I want you to remain perfectly
quiet."

"How long shall we have to stay here?" questioned Jack.

"That will depend on what Colonel Colby has to say about it," was the
sharp answer.

"Do you expect us to stay here all night?" demanded Randy.

"You will have to stay here unless Colonel Colby gets back from the city,
and I think that hardly likely to-night," answered the teacher. "Now
remember! No noise and no horseplay or I'll do something that you won't
forget in a hurry," and with this admonition he walked out of the room,
closing and locking the door after him.

"Listen!" cried Fred, as all of the others started to talk at once. And
going to the door, he listened intently, and so did the others, and they
heard Snopper Duke pass through the little corridor and down the stairs.

"He's gone, all right enough," remarked Phil Franklin.

"Well, what do you know about this, anyhow!" cried Gif.

"I think he's treating us like a lot of children," declared Andy
angrily.

"I don't believe he has any right to keep us out of our regular rooms,"
came from his brother.

"Well, anyway, he took the right," answered Jack grimly. "And what is
more, he seems to have the best of us."

"He won't have if we break down that door."

"I don't think you'll have an easy job of it breaking down that door,"
put in Spouter. "I happened to notice that there was not only a regular
lock on it, but also a top bolt. You'd have to smash the whole door to
get out. But it certainly is a despicable piece of business," Spouter