ied the girlish student. "I heard
the explosion myself."

"What explosion?" asked several.

"An explosion in Oakdale, to-night," answered Polly. "Somebody tried
to dynamite Jason Sparr's hotel!"

CHAPTER XVII

A SERIOUS ACCUSATION

Instantly there was great excitement in the dormitory, and all of the
students crowded around Polly, to learn what he might have to say.

"It was this way, don't you know," said the scholarly youth. "I went
to Oakdale to see my uncle, who stopped off on his trip from Portland
to St. Louis. He wanted to ask me about some family matters, and he
didn't have time to come to the Hall. I went down in the buggy----"

"Oh, never mind that, Polly, tell about the explosion," interrupted
Roger.

"Well, I had just seen my uncle to the midnight train and was getting
into the buggy to come back when I heard a low boom! coming from the
direction of Sparr's hotel. The station-master and I were the only
people around, and I asked him what the noise meant, but he said he
didn't know. Then he jumped into the buggy with me to find out. We
drove to the hotel, and there was excitement enough, I can tell you.
The girls and women folks were screaming wildly and Mr. Sparr and some
men were running around, not knowing what to do. Soon a crowd began to
collect, and then we found out that a wing of the building--where the
dining-room is--had been blown up. Some men from the railroad said it
had been done by dynamite--the kind used for blowing up that old
bridge."

"Was anybody hurt?" asked Dave.

"Nobody but an old man who was sleeping in the house next to the
addition. He got so scared he jumped from an upper window and sprained
his ankle. Oh, that dining-room is a sight, I can tell you! One end is
completely gone--the wall away from the main house--and all the tables
and chairs and ornaments smashed! And the roof is full of holes!"

"How was it done?" questioned Gus.

"The dynamite was placed at the side of the dining-room foundation,
according to the railroad men, and it was set off by some sort of
clockwork," answered Polly.

"And who did it?" asked Shadow.

"They don't know, yet. But Sparr suspects Phil. That is why I woke him
up as soon as I came in," continued the girlish student.

"Suspects me!" exclaimed the shipowner's son.

"Yes. He says you are the only one who would do such a thing--you and
the crowd who have been backing you up."

"Well, I never!"

"Maybe he means me, too,"