run away from the Hall, as
told of in "The Putnam Hall Rebellion."

"I'd like to go to a boarding-school," said Flossie. "It must be lots of
fun!"

"Fun and work, mixed," answered Andy.

After the dinner, over which they took their time, the young folks
gathered around the piano and sang and played, and they also had several
dances, with the old folks looking on. All too soon it came time for the
boys to go back to the Hall.

"I have ordered the auto around," said Rossmore Ford. "John can take you
back, and he can also stop for your bicycles, if you wish."

"Thank you very much," answered Jack. "We'll ride home in the auto with
pleasure. But I guess we had better let the bicycles rest to-night where
they are; eh, fellows?"

"Yes," answered Pepper and Andy.

A little later the cadets said good-night. The big touring car was
brought around and they got in the tonneau. Then the chauffeur turned on
the power, and away they shot into the darkness, the girls crying a
good-by after them.

"Well, we had a dandy time, in spite of the breakdown," remarked the
young major.

"But we have got to find out who played this trick on us," came from
Pepper.

"That may be easier said than done," said Andy. "Whoever was mean
enough to play such a trick will do his best to lay low."

When the boys got back to the Hall they found that the majority of their
friends had gone to bed. Only Stuffer Singleton was up, reading a novel
by the light of a wax-candle he had smuggled up to the room.

"Hello! have a good time?" queried the boy who loved to eat, as he cast
aside the volume.

"Bang up," answered Jack, and then he went on quickly. "Stuffer, were
you near the gym this afternoon?"

"No. Why?"

"Somebody was mean enough to tamper with our bicycles," answered the
young major, and gave a few particulars.

"Oh, you can bet it was the Ritter crowd, or Ritter alone," said
Stuffer, quickly. "It would be just like them to do their best to spoil
your fun."

It was not until two days later that Jack and his chums had a chance to
go for their broken-down wheels. They found them exactly as they had
been left, and explained to the owner of the barn how they happened to
be there.

"It's all right," said the farmer. "You can leave them here a month if
you want to." He knew Captain Putnam well, having sold him some straw
for the school stables.

The cadets had to trundle the bicycles back to Putnam Hall and then had
many hours' wor