“I have ordered the auto around,” said Rossmore Ford.  “John can take you back, and he can also stop for your bicycles, if you wish.”

“Thank you very much,” answered Jack.  “We’ll ride home in the auto with pleasure.  But I guess we had better let the bicycles rest to-night where they are; eh, fellows?”

“Yes,” answered Pepper and Andy.

A little later the cadets said good-night.  The big touring car was brought around and they got in the tonneau.  Then the chauffeur turned on the power, and away they shot into the darkness, the girls crying a good-by after them.

“Well, we had a dandy time, in spite of the breakdown,” remarked the young major.

“But we have got to find out who played this trick on us,” came from Pepper.

“That may be easier said than done,” said Andy.  “Whoever was mean enough to play such a trick will do his best to lay low.”

When the boys got back to the Hall they found that the majority of their friends had gone to bed.  Only Stuffer Singleton was up, reading a novel by the light of a wax-candle he had smuggled up to the room.

“Hello! have a good time?” queried the boy who loved to eat, as he cast aside the volume.

“Bang up,” answered Jack, and then he went on quickly.  “Stuffer, were you near the gym this afternoon?”

“No.  Why?”

“Somebody was mean enough to tamper with our bicycles,” answered the young major, and gave a few particulars.

“Oh, you can bet it was the Ritter crowd, or Ritter alone,” said Stuffer, quickly.  “It would be just like them to do their best to spoil your fun.”

It was not until two days later that Jack and his chums had a chance to go for their broken-down wheels.  They found them exactly as they had been left, and explained to the owner of the barn how they happened to be there.

“It’s all right,” said the farmer.  “You can leave them here a month if you want to.”  He knew Captain Putnam well, having sold him some straw for the school stables.

The cadets had to trundle the bicycles back to Putnam Hall and then had many hours’ work in fixing the wheels so they could be used again.

During those two days the youths made many inquiries, but were unable to get a clue as to who had played the trick.  Ritter and Coulter “laid low” and kept out of their way.

Following the game with the Dauntless Club came several other football contests, and Putnam Hall won two games and lost one.  Then the weather turned off cold, with a promise of snow in the air.

During those days it must not be supposed that the search for Jack’s gold watch and chain was abandoned.  It was continued with spirit, but no clue was brought to light.

“It’s as much of a mystery as the disappearance of my things when the horse ran away with me,” said Andy.  “I don’t suppose I’ll ever hear of those things either.”

“Yes, but that was different, Andy,” said the young major.  “You were on a public highway, where anybody might pick up the things, supposing you merely dropped them.  But I was right here, where everybody is supposed to be honest.”