awley in a whisper.

"No. What'll be the good of that? It'll be better to follow up the wagon
quietly, and then if we can find out where they put the canes, maybe a
little later we can get them away without the sophs knowing anything
about it. Don't you see we'll be making it all the worse for them."

"We don't _know_ that the canes are in the wagon," suggested Foster.

"Of course we don't, and it's all the same whether we try to find out
now or follow it up and find out a little later."

"Phelps is right about it," said Hawley. "If the canes shouldn't be
found in the wagon, we would be making fools of ourselves if we stopped
it, but if we let it go on and follow it up we'll be all the better."

Meanwhile the wagon itself had passed the place where the boys were
concealed, and groaning and creaking had begun the ascent of the
opposite hill. Only the driver was to be seen, and his appearance and
actions were unmistakable. He was a farmer and well advanced in years,
and if he was aware of the contest that was being waged between the
rival classes in Winthrop it was evident that he had no share in the
excitement.

"How'll we do it, fellows?" inquired Hawley anxiously. "He'll get away
before we get our eyes open, if we don't look out."

"Let's follow him," said Will Phelps quickly. "We mustn't go in a bunch,
but string out. But we mustn't be so far apart that we can't hear if one
of us calls or whistles."

"Come on, then," said Foster. "You go ahead, Will, and we'll come along.
You're a runner, and if the old fellow begins to start up his horses you
can follow him better than any of us can. But we'll have to do our
best."

Quickly the suggestion was adopted, and Will ran swiftly along the road
until he discovered the wagon not far in advance of him. It was moving
at the same monotonous pace as when it had passed the hiding place of
the boys. Will Phelps, when he came within a hundred yards of the wagon
he was following, decreased his own speed and endeavored to keep close
to the fences by the roadside, so that he would not be seen by the
driver if he should chance to look behind him.

They were soon within sight of Winthrop, and the shadowy towers of the
college buildings could be discerned in the distance. It was long past
midnight, and the only lights that could be seen were those of the
twinkling stars and the occasional flash of the moonlight when the
broken clouds that were moving across the face of the sky