nk of it?"

"Fine! Couldn't be better!" chuckled the other.

"What's this talk about taking O'Toole's goats to Colby Hall?" demanded
Jack.

"Oh, we were thinking Professor Lemm would like to see the goats."

The oldest Rover boy looked stern for an instant, but then his mouth
relaxed and he broke into a broad grin.

"Of course, we'll have to be careful how we get the goats into the
Hall," he began.

"Hurrah! I knew it would hit you just right, Jack!" cried Andy, slapping
his cousin on the shoulder. "Just you wait--we'll make old Lemon sit up
and take notice this time!"

"But mum's the word--remember that," cautioned Randy. "If he ever caught
us, well--good-night!"

CHAPTER X

SOMETHING ABOUT TWO GOATS

The four Rover boys were almost up to Mike O'Toole's place when suddenly
Jack caught Andy by the shoulder.

"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed.

"What's wrong now?" demanded the fun-loving youth.

"I've just been thinking, Andy. If we take those goats into the Hall and
get into any kind of trouble, Professor Lemm will find it an easy matter
to learn who got the goats from O'Toole."

"That's right, too!" broke in Fred, in dismay.

"Maybe we can get the goats on the sly," suggested Randy.

"I think that would be the better way to do it," answered Jack. "We can
leave a note behind, stating that the goats will be returned, and we can
also pay O'Toole something for using his animals."

The boys talked the matter over for several minutes, and then it was
decided that Andy and Randy should go ahead and reconnoitre. This they
did, and were gone for about ten minutes.

"The coast is clear so far as we can see," announced Randy. "Mike
O'Toole and his wife are both in the kitchen of the farmhouse preparing
supper.

"And where are the goats?" questioned Fred quickly.

"He keeps them in a little shed off of his barn. Come on, I'll show
you," returned Randy.

The other cadets followed him, and they soon reached the place he had
mentioned. Here O'Toole kept six goats, and they were found finishing up
some food he had evidently given them a short while before.

Two of the billy goats were quite large, one possessing a very fine pair
of horns. This one, the boys knew, was called Patrick. The other large
goat went by the name of Dan.

"Here is the harness," said Andy, bringing it from some pegs on which it
was hanging. "We'll have to do the best we can about hitching 'em up."

While the others were doing