Tom lay as quiet as death, with his eyes closed and the blood trickling over his temple and left cheek.  Quickly Dick knelt by his side and felt of his heart.

“Tom, Tom, speak to me!  Tell me you are not seriously hurt!” he faltered.

But no answer came back, and Sam raced off to get some water, which he brought in a tin can he had discovered lying handy.  The water was dashed over Toni’s face, and presently he gave a little gasp.

“Oh my! what struck me?” he murmured, and then tried to sit up, but for the minute the effort was a failure.

“The pistol exploded,” said Frank.  “A piece must have hit you on the head,” and he pointed at a nasty scalp wound from which the flow of blood emanated.

As well as it could be done, Frank and Dick bound up Tom’s head with a handkerchief, and presently the fun-loving lad declared himself about as well as ever, “Only a bit light-headed,” as he added.

In the meantime the others had given their attention to Hans, who had been struck both in the scalp and in the shoulder.  It was a good quarter of an hour before the German youth came around, and then he felt so weak that the boys had to assist him back to the academy.

“Honestly, I thought the pistol was empty,” said Tom, on the return to the Hall.  “Why, I think I’ve pulled that trigger a dozen times.”

“Don’t mention it,” said Frank with a shiver.  “Why, only last week I pointed the thing at Peleg Snuggers and played at firing it.  Supposing it had gone off and killed somebody?”

And he shivered again.

“Dot vos almost as pad as von Indian’s schalping,” put in Hans faintly.  “I dink, Tom, you vos play no more such dricks, hey?”

“No, I’ve had enough,” replied Tom very soberly.  “If you had been killed or seriously hurt I would never have forgiven myself.”  And it may be added here that for some time after this event fun-making and Tom were strangers to each other.

At the proper time the feast which had been planned came off, and proved to be an event not readily forgotten.  It was no easy matter to obtain the good things required, and the boys ran the risk of being discovered by George Strong and punished; but by midnight everything was ready, and soon eating was “in full blast,” to use Sam’s way of expressing it.

A few of the boys from the other dormitories had been invited, and the boys took turns in standing out in the hall on guard.

“You see,” explained Tom, “Mr. Strong may come in, and I won’t be able to play nightmare again, as I did last year.”

“Say, but that was a prime joke,” laughed Frank.

“And Mumps!” cried Larry.  “I’ll never forget the orange flavored with kerosene,” and a general laugh followed.

Somebody had spoken of inviting Jim Caven to the feast, but no one cared particularly for the fellow, and he had been left out.

“Perhaps he’ll tell on us,” suggested Larry, but Frank shook his head.