added his twin.

"We hope to have some great times here," came from Fred.

Then one after another the boys were required to sign the register and
answer a number of questions regarding their age and previous
instruction, and the state of their health.

"I'll have Professor Brice assign you to your rooms," said Colonel
Colby, after the questioning had come to an end. "He has charge of that
matter so far as it concerns the older boys. The younger boys are under
the charge of Mrs. Crews, the matron."

The master of the Hall touched a bell, and when a servant appeared
requested that Professor Brice be summoned. The latter soon appeared, a
young man evidently just from college. He was introduced to the boys,
and then took them off to assign them their rooms.

"Hadn't we better get our suitcases?" suggested Jack.

"Yes; you might as well bring them along," answered Professor Paul
Brice. "That will save another trip downstairs. You can give your trunk
checks to me, and I will see that the trunks are brought up from the
station and placed in your rooms to be unpacked. After you've unpacked
them, they will be marked with your names and placed in the trunk
room."

It took the boys but a minute to reach the end of the hallway where
their suitcases had been left. Those of the twins were still there, and
also that belonging to Jack; but Fred's was missing.

"Hello! what's become of my suitcase?" questioned the youngest Rover,
anxiously.

"Maybe somebody carried it upstairs for you," suggested Jack.

All looked around the hallway and in the nearby rooms, but the suitcase
could not be found.

"Well, I don't think you need to worry," said Professor Brice lightly.
"There is no danger of thieves around here. Probably some boy picked up
the suitcase by mistake."

"Maybe," returned Fred; but then he looked at his cousins and shook his
head slowly.

"I guess you suspect Nappy Martell and his cronies," whispered Randy on
the way upstairs.

"I do!" answered Fred. "I think they took that suitcase to play a trick
on me."

CHAPTER IX

THE MISSING SUITCASE

In the letters sent to Colby Hall the Rover boys had requested that
they be placed in rooms close to those occupied by Spouter Powell, Gif
Garrison and their chums, and Colonel Colby had replied that he would
do what he could for them in the matter, although many of the choicest
rooms at the Hall had already been assigned to the old cadets.

"I can give you a c