choice fruits and cake.

All these arranged to his satisfaction, he looked at his watch, and then
sat down and waited.

It was just half-past eight, and in another half-hour servants and
masters would all have retired for the night.

After what appeared to the watcher to be an age the great school clock
tolled solemnly out the hour of nine.

Then Mont drew out a thick rope from beneath the bed and left the room.

Soon he was at the window.

Throwing up the lower sash, our hero fastened one end of the rope
securely and threw the other out.

"Just the right length," he said, and then he swung himself over the
window sill. "I'll soon have the rest of the stuff up."

The door of one of the spare bedrooms was opened, and Ummer stepped into
the corridor.

As the light of the moon fell upon his face it looked strangely white
and ghastly.

His lips were tightly compressed and his eyes had in them a horrible
glare as he stepped stealthily but quickly to the window.

Arrived there, he crouched low down that he might not be seen by any
person outside.

Then, with deft fingers, he untied the knot by which the rope was
secured.

There was heard a loud, wild cry, followed by a dull, heavy thud.

Then all was still.

The bully crept away along the corridor and down the stairs, his heart
beating as though it would burst its bounds.

A little before twelve o'clock that night several dark figures might
have been seen stealing cautiously along the corridors.

All these figures made their way to one common spot.

This was the bedroom Mont had mentioned.

Arrived there, they found everything prepared for the feast, but no
host.

"What a strange thing for Mont to do," said Carl Barnaby; "to invite us
all here and not be present."

"It isn't very gentlemanly of him," submitted Barry.

"You talk like a fool," said Link. "Something must have happened to
him."

"I saw him at supper, and he was all right then."

"Perhaps some of the tramps have waylaid him on the road," suggested
another boy, who had been sitting very white and very quiet, in one
corner of the room.

Everyone turned to the speaker.

"Mine cracious, dot's so," put in Sam Schump. "Besser we go an' see?"

Without delay a search was begun.

A rope was procured, and Link was the first person out of the window.

"Hullo!"

"What's up?" asked those above.

"Bring a light. Mont has fallen and hurt himself."

A light was quickly procured, and on