re anywhere in sight. Fred scratched his head,
wondering if he were dreaming.

"Hi, fellows!" he called out. "Something wrong here!"

"What's the matter?" yelled Gif, who was the nearest of the others.

"The knapsacks and wraps! They are gone!"

"Gone! Do you mean somebody has taken them?" exclaimed Gif.

"Yes, I do! Call the others, quick."

As Fred uttered the last words he darted away from the flat rocks. He
had seen a movement behind some trees and bushes not a great distance
away. As he drew closer to the spot he heard Codfish give a cry of
alarm.

"We're discovered! Fred Rover is coming!"

"Hi, Codfish! what are you doing here?" demanded Fred. But instead of
answering, the sneak of the school set off on a run through the woods
as fast as his legs could carry him.

By this time Gif was coming up, followed by Andy and Randy, while Jack
and several others of the party were trying to get down from the
rocks at the front of the cliff.

"Who was it? Who took the things?" questioned Gif hurriedly.

"I saw Codfish," answered Fred. "And there are Glutts and Werner!" he
added suddenly, as the pair came into view between the trees. They
were running swiftly, carrying the three knapsacks between them.
Codfish had been carrying the girls' wraps, but had dropped them in
his fright.

"The mean rascals, they were going to make off with our eats!" roared
Spouter. "Come ahead! Let's catch 'em!"

There was no need for him to utter these words, for already Gif and
Fred were making after Werner, Glutts and Codfish at top speed. Behind
them came all of the other cadets, each now aware of what had
occurred.

"Hang the luck! I didn't think they would spot us like this," panted
Gabe, as he lumbered along. He had a knapsack in each hand, while
Glutts carried the third. Codfish, free-handed, was just ahead of
them.

The three had a fair start, and might have gotten away by hiding
behind the trees and brushwood of the forest had not the unlucky
Codfish met with an accident. His foot caught in an exposed tree
root, and down went the sneak of the school flat on his breast. Then,
before they could stop themselves, Werner and Glutts fell over him,
banging him on the head with the heavy knapsacks as they did so.

"Oh! Oh!" moaned Codfish. "Don't hit me like that! Get off! You are
smashing my ribs!"

Werner and Glutts rolled over, letting go of the knapsacks as they did
so, and scrambled to their feet. But these movements to