“Do you think those fellows are back yet?” questioned Sam as they sped along the road.

“That’s what I want to find out,” returned Dick.  “That is, provided they came from here,”

They left the car at the entrance to the grounds, and the chauffeur at once turned around and started back for Ashton.

“We’ll take a look around the gymnasium first,” said Dick.  “That is where they keep the bicycles and such things.”

They hurried in the direction of the gymnasium, and finding the door unlocked, entered.  The building was dark and deserted, for it was now after eleven o’clock.

“Hello there!” called a voice from a distance, and a watchman appeared, lantern in hand.  “What’s wanted?”

“We want to look at the bicycles, Pinkey,” answered Dick.

“The bicycles?  Ain’t goin’ for no ride this time o’ night, are you?” asked the watchman.

“No.  We want to see if any of them have been used.”

“Think somebody has been usin’ your machine on the sly?”

To this question the Rovers did not reply, for the reason that they had no bicycles at Brill.  The watchman led the way to the bicycle room.  Here were about twenty bicycles and half a dozen motor cycles, all belonging to various students.

“Ain’t half as many as there used to be,” remarked Pinkey.  “When the craze was on we had about a hundred an’ fifty.  It’s all automobiling now.”

The boys looked over the various wheels and felt of the working parts and the lamps.  Presently Sam found a hot lamp and Dick located another.

“Who do these machines belong to?” asked Dick.

“There’s the list,” said the watchman, pointing to a written sheet tacked on the wall “They are No. 15 and No. 9.”

The boys looked at the sheet, and read the names of Walter D. Flood and Andrew W. Crossley, two juniors, whom they knew by sight only.

“They wouldn’t play this trick on us,” whispered Dick to his brothers.  “They must have loaned their bicycles to others.”

“Right you are,” answered Tom.  “We’ll have to question them.”

“Do you know where they room?”

“No; but we can find out from the register.”

They entered their dormitory and found out that Flood and Crossley were in the next building, occupying Room 14 together.

“That’s luck,” said Sam “We won’t have to wake up anybody else”

It was against the rules to be prowling around the dormitories so late at night, so the Rovers had to be cautious in their movements.  They mounted the stairs to the second floor and had to hide in a corner while a proctor marched past and out of hearing.  Then, aided by the dim light that was burning, they located No. 14

Dick knocked lightly on the door, and receiving no answer, knocked again.  Still there was silence.

“Must be pretty heavy sleepers,” murmured Tom.  “Try the doorknob.”