azed in amazement at the
smoke pouring from the gymnasium.

"Oh, look! It's the gym that's on fire!" Codfish had burst out; and then
the little sneak had suddenly turned deadly pale, and would have sunk
down in the snow had not Slugger caught him.

"See here, Codfish!" hissed the bully, shaking him. "Don't you say a
word about this, do you understand? Not a word!"

"Don't you dare to admit to anybody that you were upstairs in the
gymnasium," added Nappy.

"I--I ain't going to say nothing!" sniveled Codfish, and then, of a
sudden, burst out crying. "You fellows let me alone! I didn't want to
smoke anyhow!" he wailed.

"Shut up! Don't you mention smoking to anybody, or I'll just about half
kill you!" hissed Slugger. "Now mind! not a word, if you know when you
are best off!" and then he gave Codfish's arm such a twist that the
little cadet screamed with pain.

Not to be suspected of what they had done, Slugger and Nappy mingled
with the other cadets and did their full share in working on the lines
of hose; but there were really more cadets than were needed for this
labor, so they had little to do. Codfish also tried to take hold, but he
trembled so that he soon had to give up, and then he ran back into the
Hall, where he sat on the stairs, half sobbing.

By this time there was little more than smoke to be seen in the upper
part of the gymnasium. The teachers and the cadets still continued to
play water into the building. Some now began to open all the windows,
realizing that a draft could not do much harm. Then, as the smoke began
to clear away, they began an investigation, so that the last spark of
the fire might be extinguished.

"I guess it's about out," announced Professor Brice presently. He had
worked hard, and his face and hands were streaked with black.

"I think you are right, Brice," answered Colonel Colby, who had also
mounted to the upper floor. "We may as well bring up a few buckets of
water, and then turn off all the hose. There is no use of flooding the
building, especially in this cold weather. As it is, I think the boys
will have a skating pond below by morning," and he smiled faintly.

"Do you suppose this started from the heating plant?" questioned the
teacher.

"Not at all!" was the low reply. "But we won't speak about that now,
Brice," added Colonel Colby significantly; and thereupon the young
teacher understood and said no more about the matter.

The cadets were sent below, and Colonel