pear in the unenviable light. Will Phelps advanced as if he was about
to open the door, but a silent gesture from Hawley caused him to abandon
the project. As he stepped back the latch clicked and the door was
suddenly opened. Evidently the inmates were surprised that the door was
free, and three or four cautiously stepped forth to peer into the dimly
lighted hall. Before they were fully aware of the true condition of
affairs they were seized by the waiting freshmen. There were sounds of a
momentary struggle, but when those who were within the room attempted to
come forth the door was quickly closed in their faces and they were
prisoners again. The four who had been seized were quickly bound, and
then the assembly turned once more to the door itself.

"We'll go in," said Hawley, "and you musn't let a soph get past you. We
must hold every one in there. Now then!" he added, as he pushed gently
against the door.

But the door failed to yield to the pressure. For a moment the astounded
freshmen knew not what to make of the unexpected resistance, and then
as a slight sound from within the room could be heard, Hawley grimly
braced himself against the door and whispering to his classmates began
to exert all his strength in his endeavor to open it.

For a brief time it resisted all their efforts, and then with a
resounding crash it suddenly yielded. But it seemed to the startled
freshmen as if the very walls themselves were giving way. There were the
sound of falling pieces of furniture and in the midst of the confusion
several of the sophomores suddenly darted from the room, and before
their enemies could recover from their surprise had gained the head of
the stairway and were fleeing from the building.

"Take after 'em! Don't let 'em get away!" called Hawley. "Hold on, it's
all right," he quickly added as he perceived Mott in the room. "We don't
care for anybody else for we've got the ringleader right here. Let 'em
go! Let 'em all go! We don't want anybody else."

There was a momentary hesitation on the part of the sophomores as if
they were minded to stand by their classmate, but as they peered about
them it seemed almost as if the entire freshman class were present, and
instantly discretion became the better part of valor, and they fled in a
body from the room and also from the building.

Several of the freshmen had seized Mott by this time, and his desperate
attempts to free himself were unavailing. Peter John had bee