he student asked Mr.
Sanderson and Sam to have something.

"No, I don't care to eat just now," said Sam. "I'll take another look
around," and he left the Sandersons and Songbird together.

But Sam's walk around the town was productive of no results. He called
again on the two doctors, only to be told that Tom had not shown
himself at either place. At the depot nobody seemed to remember seeing
him. The youth visited several stores where Tom was known, but none of
the clerks had seen the missing one.

"I suppose all I can do is to return to Brill and wait," said Sam, on
rejoining those at the hotel. "I might send out a general alarm, but
I'd hate to do that and then have Tom walk in as if nothing unusual had
happened."

"And it would be just like him to do it," returned Songbird.

It was nearly ten o'clock when Sam and his chum returned to the
college. Tom had not yet shown himself, nor had he sent in any word.
His books and his clothing were exactly as he had left them.

"Well, he didn't take anything with him," was Sam's comment, as several
of his chums came in to sympathize with him. "That looks as if he
hadn't meant to go far."

"Oh, he'll be back, don't worry," said Spud, optimistically.

All did their best to cheer poor Sam up, but this did little good. Sam
was much worried and his face showed it.

"I don't know what to do," he said. "I certainly don't feel like going
to bed."

One of the proctors had heard that Tom was missing and came to the room
to see about it. Sam told him all he knew and the proctor said he
would immediately report the case to Doctor Wallington.

"You know he can't stay out as late as this without permission,"
observed the proctor.

"Permission or no permission I wish he was here," answered Sam. "He is
sick and I am very much worried about him." And then the proctor left.

An hour dragged by and the other students went to bed. Sam sat up in
an easy chair, trying to doze, but starting up at every sound. He
tried to figure out what would be best for him to do, but could reach
no satisfactory conclusion. He looked out of the window. The moon was
setting and soon all became dark. A wagon rattled by on the roadway
beyond the campus, and the clock in the college tower tolled out the
hour of midnight.

"This is simply awful!" murmured Sam, as he walked back to the easy
chair and dropped down. "I wonder if I hadn't better send a message to
Dick? But I can't do it u