this, Jack tore a page from a notebook he
carried, and on this, in a large, disguised hand, he wrote the
following:

"DEAR MR O'TOOLE:

"We have taken the privilege of using two of your goats until
to-morrow. They will be safely returned to you."

"I think we ought to pay him for the use of the animals," said Jack. "A
little money will make him feel a great deal better."

"Let's pin two dollars to the note," suggested Fred, and this was done
by Jack and the note placed where the Irish farmer would be sure to find
it when he came again to tend to his animals.

It was an easy matter for the four boys to get the goats out of the
shed, and then they led them to a spot behind some trees where the
animals were hitched to the bobsled. Soon they started on the way to
Colby Hall.

"Now that we've got possession of the goats, how do you fellows expect
to work this stunt?" demanded Fred, as they brought the two goats down
to a walk.

"I'll tell you one thing," declared Jack. "If you want to play this
trick without the whole school knowing it, you had better reach Colby
Hall by the lane that comes up behind the barn."

"Just what I was thinking of doing," answered Andy. "I thought maybe we
could stable them in that little toolhouse in the cornfield until we
had a chance to get 'em into the Hall."

"That's the talk!" cried Randy. "Of course, we'll have to watch our
chance, and not make a mess of it."

The two billy goats had often been harnessed together, so they got along
quite amiably on the trip to the Military Academy. They were strong
animals, and consequently the boys reached the field behind the barn in
ample time to unhitch the goats and place them in the toolhouse that had
been mentioned. Then they hurried around to the garage, where they were
allowed to store their bobsled, and after that lost no time in getting
ready for the evening parade and drill.

Directly after supper was over, the Rovers took Spouter, Gif and Fatty
Hendry aside and told them of what was in the wind.

"Oh, say! that's great!" cried Fatty. "Let me have a hand in it, won't
you?" He had had a quarrel with Asa Lemm a few days before, and was as
sore as any of the other cadets.

"You ought to let us all have a hand in that, Andy," put in Spouter. "I
believe every one of us feels the same way when it comes to old Lemon.
He may have a vast amount of learning stored in his cranium, but his
font of the milk of human kindness is