“He hasn’t got backbone enough to do it.  He’s a worse coward than Mumps was.”

Soon it came time for Sam to do his turn at guarding, and stuffing a big bit of candy in his mouth, the youngest Rover stepped out into the dimly lit hallway and sat down on a low stool which one of the guards had placed there.

For ten or fifteen minutes nothing occurred to disturb Sam, and he was just beginning to think that watching was all nonsense when he saw a dark figure creeping along the wall at the extreme lower end of the hallway, where it made a turn toward the back stairs.

“Hullo, who’s that?” he muttered.  “It doesn’t look much like Mr. Strong.”

He continued to watch the figure, and now saw that it was dressed in a black suit and had what looked like a shawl over its head.

“That’s queer,” went on the boy.  “What can that man or boy be up to?”

Presently the figure turned and entered one of the lower dormitories, closing the door gently behind it.  Then it came out again and made swiftly for the rear of the upper hallway.  By this time Sam was more curious than ever, and as the figure disappeared around the bend by the back stairs he followed on tiptoes.

But as what light there was came from the front, the rear was very dark, and the youth could see little or nothing.  He heard a door close and the lock click, but whether or not it was upstairs or down he could not tell.

For several minutes he remained in the rear hallway, and then he went back to his post.  Soon Tom came out to relieve him, and Sam re-entered the dormitory and told his story to the others.

“That’s certainly odd,” was Dick’s comment

“Was it a man or a boy, Sam?”

“I can’t say exactly.  If it wasn’t a man it was a pretty big boy.”

“Perhaps we ought to report the matter to Captain Putnam,” suggested Frank.  “That person may have been around the hallways for no good purpose.”

“Oh, pshaw! perhaps it was somebody who was trying to spy on us,” put in Fred.  “If we tell the captain we will only be exposing ourselves, and I guess you all know what that means.”

“It means half-holidays cut off for a month,” said Dick.

“Besser you vait und see vot comes of dis,” said Hans, and after a little more talk this idea prevailed, and then the boys went in to clear up what was left of the feast.  Everything was gone but a little ice-cream, and it did not take long to dispose of this.

Sam was bound to have some fun, and instead of eating his last mouthful of cream he awaited a favorable opportunity and dropped it down inside of Fred’s collar.

“Great Scott!” roared Fred Garrison.  “Whow!” And he began to dance around.  “Oh, my backbone!  That’s worse than a chunk of ice!  Oh, but I’ll be frozen stiff!”

“Go down and sit on the kitchen stove,” suggested Dick.

“Sit on the stove?  I’ll sit on Sam’s head if I get the chance!” roared Fred, and made a rush for Sam.  A scuffle ensued, which came to a sudden end as both sent a washstand over with a loud crash.