Grinder's chair was also
vacant, and said no more.

While the boys were eating, Peleg Snuggers came to the door and looked
carefully about the mess hall.

"You won't find them here, Peleg," said Tom to himself. Then the man of
all work disappeared, and the supper continued as if nothing out of the
ordinary was happening.

CHAPTER V.

A SCENE IN THE SCHOOLROOM.

In the meantime, what of affairs in the dormitory? Was all going as
quietly as Tom had anticipated?

As soon as Tom went below Dick locked the door, then turned again to the
window. Sam was trying to climb from one room to the next, but could not
get a satisfactory hold.

"Here, give me your hand," cried Dick softly, and reaching forth he soon
helped his brother to a position of safety.

"Say, aint it dangerous?" asked Tubbs anxiously, as he gazed to the
ground, twenty feet below.

"You've got to run some risks, Tubbs," said Dick. "Quick, or you may be
too late."

Fearful of a fall, the rich youth put out one foot and a hand. Dick
tried to reach him, but was unable to do so.

"A little further, Tubbs," he said encouragingly.

[Illustration: A PERILOUS CLIMB.
_Rover Boys in the Mountains_.]

"I--I'm afraid I'll fall," was the trembling answer. Then the rich
youth let out a cry of alarm. "Somebody is coming!"

"Come," cried Dick, and reached out a trifle further. As Tubbs gave the
eldest Rover his fingers Dick hauled him from the window and literally
swung him into the dormitory. Then, as Tubbs landed in a heap on the
floor, Sam closed the window and locked it.

"Now you must clear out to another room!" cried Dick. "Whoever was
coming will find that window wide open, and guess you have escaped in
this direction."

"But where can we go to?" asked the rich youth.

"Go to Dormitory No. 6. Only young Adler is in there, and Hemmingway,
and they are on a vacation until after Christmas. The closet is a big
one, and you can both hide on the upper shelf. Quick! I'll bring you
some supper."

All three left the dormitory, and Sam and Tubbs scurried off in the
direction indicated. As for Dick, he lost no time in reaching the mess
hall.

"Sorry, sir," he said to the under-teacher. "The bell couldn't have rung
very loud."

"It rang as loud as usual," was the answer, and no more was said, the
teacher's head being just then full of other matters.

Glad to get off so easily, Dick lost no time in eating his supper. While
making way with the fo