e up the idea. Then he continued to stamp his feet and slap his
arms, and even went through an imaginary prize fight, in order to warm
up. It was now growing dark, and with the darkness the atmosphere of the
storeroom became colder and colder.

CHAPTER III.

TOM ON A TOUR OF DISCOVERY.

Poor Sam was removed from the gymnasium so quickly that neither Dick nor
Tom had time to protest, and when they reached the main door of the
school building they found it shut and locked in their faces.

"Say, this is an outrage," burst out Tom. "Sam wasn't to blame for that
fight. He didn't trip Tubby up."

"I know he didn't," put in Fred Garrison, who had come up also. "It was
Larry Mason. But I shan't give Larry away."

"Neither will I."

"Mr. Grinder always carries matters with a high hand when the captain is
away," put in Dick. "And he gets red-hot at the least little thing."

"He doesn't deserve to be a teacher here," came from George Granbury,
who had followed the others. "To my way of thinking, he's worse than old
Crabtree was, even though he is perhaps better educated."

"I'd like to know what he is going to do with Sam," said Dick, with a
serious look on his face. "Sam has made such a good record this term I
hate to see it broken."

"He'll do something to punish 'em both," came from Fred. "It will be too
bad, though, if he puts 'em in the stone cell. They'll freeze to death
such a night as this is going to be."

"I won't allow it," ejaculated Dick. "Why, that would be inhuman!"

"I'm going in by the back way and find out what's going on," said Tom,
and promptly disappeared around the corner of the Hall. He was soon
inside the building, but to his chagrin found every door leading to
Captain Putnam's private apartments and to the stone cell and the
storeroom locked. Having gone through the mess-rooms and through several
of the classrooms, he rejoined the others, who had gathered around the
fire in what was called the students' general living room,--an apartment
set aside during cold weather solely for the boys' comfort, where they
might read, study, play quiet games, or do similar things in order to
make themselves feel at home.

"How did you make out?" was the question immediately put.

"Made out, and that's all," said Tom gloomily.

"What do you mean?" came from Dick.

"Every blessed door is locked, and so are the windows. I can't get
within two rooms of the office."

"Did you hear anything?" asked