Elmwood
restaurants much patronized by the students. Bruce ordered a tasty
little lunch, and they were in the midst of eating it when there came
the sound of several lads entering the next room. There was talk and
laughter, somewhat boisterous, and then a voice exclaimed:

"Sit down, fellows, and make yourselves at home. This is on me and
Nick. We'll have a jolly time, and I'll run you back in my car!"

Tom started. "Sam Heller!" he exclaimed, half rising in his seat.

"Keep quiet," advised Bruce. "Of course it's Sam. This is part of my
experiment. Now you listen."

There was some more talk and laughter, and then a waiter came to take
the orders. Sam called for a rather elaborate lunch, and while it was
being gotten ready a voice, which Tom recognized as that of a Sophomore
with whom he was slightly acquainted, asked:

"You had great sport this summer, didn't you, Sam?"

"I should say we did! Nick and I helped find a treasure in an old
mill."

"Whew!" gasped Tom. "So he found it, did he?"

"Keep quiet," whispered Bruce. "Listen!"

"And what's this I hear about playing a joke on Tom Fairfield, and some
of his friends?" asked another voice.

"A joke!" gasped Tom.

"Quiet!" warned his friend.

"Ha! Ha!" laughed Sam. "Yes, it was a _joke_ all right. You know
those fellows happened to go camping near where Nick and I were. We
met old Skeel--you know, the prof. who used to be here. Well, he had
some scheme of finding a hermit's money hidden in the old mill, and we
went in with him. Then we found that Tom and his crowd were on the
same trail.

"Nick and I decided to have some fun with 'em. So one day we sneaked
into their camp, when Tom was out, and just took Bert, Jack and a
fellow named Dick something-or-other prisoners. Say! but they did kick
and struggle, but we managed 'em.

"We carted 'em off to the old mill, and there we put 'em in a secret
room. It was jolly fun, until Tom came, made quite a row, and got 'em
out. But it was all a joke."

"By Jove! and a good one, too!" cried several laughing voices.

"Did you get the treasure?" someone wanted to know.

"Yes, it was there all right. The old hermit got it. I don't know
just how that was, for Nick and I left. But I think Tom and the old
chap had a row, and part of a wall fell down, showing a secret room.
Oh, but you should hear how indignant Jack and Bert got when they found
we were standing guard over them! It was as good a