That was how they happened to be passing along the road close to the athletic grounds about half-past nine o’clock that same night.

There was a fair moon shining, but objects appeared more or less misty, as often occurs under such conditions.  The boys had about exhausted their vocabulary of words that express delight, in examining the many things of interest shown by “Limpy” Wallace, who was a cripple, and had to use a crutch, he being also a great admirer of Hugh Morgan, whom he considered in the light of a hero.

Besides this, both boys were unusually tired after the exertions of the day, and Thad frequently yawned in a most terrific fashion, as he walked homeward.  Probably these were the main reasons for their unnatural silence, as they stalked along side by side; since it is seldom that two lads will refrain from exchanging opinions on some subject or other, when in company.

Afterwards, in the light of what happened, they were inclined to believe that it was exceedingly fortunate they had lapsed into this queer condition of silence, for, otherwise, they would have missed something that proved unusually interesting, as well as afforded them more or less excitement.

It was Thad who discovered it first.  Perhaps he chanced to be looking that way while Hugh was star-gazing.  At any rate he gripped his chum suddenly by the arm.

“Sh!  Hugh, what’s that yonder, a skulking dog, or a fellow half bent over?” was what Thad whispered in the ear of his chum.

Both of them had come to a full stop, under the impulse of the moment; and Thad was pointing a little to the right, which was where the building erected on the athletic grounds stood, dimly seen in the mysterious moonlight.

So Hugh, staring quickly, made out the object indicated by his companion.  Really, he could hardly blame Thad for asking such a question, because at first it was next to impossible to determine whether it was a four-footed creature, or a human being who, for some good reason, was trying to make himself appear as small as possible.

But as Hugh continued to look he saw the other raise himself to his full height, as though to take a cautious survey of his surroundings.  Then he knew that it was no canine prowling around to discover scraps thrown aside by the carpenters working on the board fence, as they ate their noon lunch.

“It’s a human being all right, Thad,” Hugh whispered, in such a low tone that even the sharpest pair of ears going could never have caught the sound ten feet away.

“Man, or boy, Hugh?” asked Thad, copying the example set by the other, and even bending his head so that his lips might come closer to Hugh’s right ear.

“Can’t make that out,” he was told.

“But what in the wide world is he trying to do?” pursued Thad, his curiosity now fully aroused, as the unknown again started to move forward, pursuing the same strange cautious tactics as before.