ould have got into any trouble, does
he?" said Marcy anxiously.

"He didn't say a word on that score."

"But it looks as though he was afraid of it," replied Marcy. "If he
wasn't afraid something had happened to them he would not ask about
them."

This interview with Dixon would have added to Marcy's fears, even if he
had not learned, as he did a few minutes later, that all the boys in the
hall were talking about it, and wondering what had become of Rodney and
Dick. Like many others these two had openly defied all the rules for
weeks past, but they had never before stayed out after dark, and some of
the students declared that they wouldn't do it now if they were not
prevented from coming back to the academy. When Marcy heard this, he
decided that something ought to be done. He went upstairs and told the
orderly to ask if he might speak to the colonel.

"I think I know what you want," whispered the orderly, "and I tell you
plainly that he won't let you do it. But I'll go in with your message."

There were others among the students who thought they knew what Marcy
wanted, and who followed him to the head of the stairs to "see how he
would come out with the old man." The orderly disappeared through the
colonel's door, but came out a few minutes afterward to report--

"What did I tell you?"

"What did he say?" inquired Marcy.

"He says he doesn't want to be bothered. I put in a good word for you,
suggesting that perhaps you wanted permission to go to Barrington and
see what has become of Rodney, and he said in reply that you need not
trouble yourself. You could not go. He will not allow a boy outside the
gate after dark, no matter what his business is, and he'll chuck Rodney
and Dick into the guard-house the minute they return, and keep them
there."

For the first time since he had been a student at that school Marcy Gray
felt rebellious. He stood high in his class, was always on hand when
duty called him, never ran the guard, hadn't asked for a pass for more
than a week, and for the colonel to send him off in this way, without
even listening to the request he had to make, was rather more than Marcy
could stand.

"I was going to ask him to let me go to town and see if I could learn
what has become of Rodney and Dick," said he to the boys who were
waiting for him at the top of the stairs. "But he sent word by the
orderly that he wouldn't see me. I'm going to Barrington all the same."

"Do you want company?" ask