ime!" whispered Tom, as soon as he was certain the man of
all work was gone.

"But which way shall we go?" questioned Sam

"Follow me, and I'll show you."

Leaving the storeroom, Tom led the way through the semi-dark hallway and
up the stairs. At the rear of the upper hall was a bedroom reserved for
the captain's private guests.

"Come in here for the present," said Tom. "And when I tap on the window
unlock the sash and be prepared to climb from the window to the next,
which connects with Dormitory No. 2."

"Good for you!" said Sam. "But how are you going to get to the
dormitory?"

"Leave that to me."

Leaving Sam and Tubbs to take care of themselves, Tom left the bedroom
and walked out in the upper hall once more.

He was just in time to hear Peleg Snuggers returning with Jasper
Grinder.

"It's all nonsense," he heard, in the teacher's harsh voice. "The cold
will do both of the boys good."

"He said he was half frozen," insisted Snuggers. "If anything
serious-like happened to them, I dunno what the captain would say."

"I know nothing serious will happen," growled Jasper Grinder. "He was
merely trying to work upon your sympathies. Both could stay there till
morning easily enough."

"The wretch!" murmured Tom to himself. "I'm mighty glad I let them out!"

A few seconds later he heard a cry of dismay.

"Rover is gone!"

"Gone?" came from Snuggers.

"Yes, gone. Snuggers did you leave the door unlocked?"

"No, sir, I couldn't get the key in the lock. Here it is." And the
general utility man produced it.

"Ah! here is a key on the inside. What can this mean?"

"I don't know, sir. I left him a-groanin' only a few minutes ago."

"It is very strange." Jasper Grinder gazed around the empty storeroom.
"Did you hear anything from Master Tubbs?"

"No, sir."

The teacher stepped out of the storeroom and made his way to the stone
cell.

"He is gone too!" he ejaculated.

"Really, sir, did you say 'gone'?" cried Peleg Snuggers, in dismay.

"Yes. This is--ah--outrageous, Snuggers. Where can they be?"

"I'm sure I don't know, sir. Master Rover got out mighty quick."

"Look for them among the students, and if you find them bring them to me
at once."

"I will, sir."

As soon as Peleg Snuggers had departed Jasper Grinder looked around the
storeroom and the stone cell to learn if he could find any trace of the
boys.

This gave Tom the chance to slip through the captain's private rooms and
into the s