The train, which had been traveling at high speed, now slowed down to some twenty-five miles an hour in order to pass over a river.

While the attention of all the rest was turned toward the front end of the car, Haynes, with lowered eyes and half-slinking manner, made his way toward the rear of the car.

Peering through the glass in the door, the turnback could make out Cadet Prescott standing outside.  Dick’s back was toward the door.

A diabolical light flashed in Haynes’s eyes for a moment.  He shook from head to foot, but, by a strong effort of will, he stayed his quivering.

One stealthy look over his shoulder Haynes took, then suddenly opened the door, stepping outside.

Cadet Prescott half turned.  There was no time to do more, when he felt himself seized in a strong clutch.

There was hardly any struggle.  It all seemed to be over in a second or so.  Cadet Prescott plunged headlong through the darkness of the night into the dark river below!

CHAPTER XVI

ROLL-CALL GIVES THE ALARM

For an instant Haynes leaned far out.

Now his eyes were filed with a terror that overcame the wild fascination of his wicked deed.

His anger had died down in a flash.  Turnback Haynes would have given worlds to be able to recall the felonious deed he had just committed.  But it was too late.  He had seen Prescott’s flying figure sink beneath the waters, which came up to within a few feet of the railroad trestle.

Haynes turned back with a sobbing groan.  Then he cast a terrified look into the car.

Some of the fellows must have seen both of us come out here, he quavered.  They’ll see only one of us come back.  I’ll have to stand the whole fire of questions.  Ugh!  C-c-can I stand it without breaking down and giving myself away?

The train was over and off of the bridge by now.  Warned by a light burning between the rails, the engineer brought the train to a standstill.

His heart bounding with a cowards hope, turnback Haynes leaped down to the roadbed.  Breathlessly he rushed along the side of the train.  He succeeded in gaining the platform of the third car ahead.

Though his knees shook under him, the turnback swung up on to the steps.  In another moment, after noting that the cadets were not looking particularly towards the door, Haynes turned the knob, stepping inside and dropping, with feigned carelessness, into an empty seat.

“Hullo, Haynesy,” was Lewis’s easy greeting.  Been up ahead?

“Yes,” lied the turnback.

Anstey heard, though he did not pay much heed to the statement at the time.

There were many, of course, who asked for Dick.  Greg had not seen his chum for some time.  In his own heart Holmes felt sure that Dick, tired of being congratulated, had sought retirement—–­in the baggage car, probably.  So Greg had little to say, and did not go in search of his chum.