“I spent my last cent for the spread,” he grinned.  “I guess I’m the lucky one.”

The news of the robberies created a profound sensation throughout Putnam Hall, and both Captain Putnam and George Strong were very much disturbed.

“We never had such a thing occur before,” said the captain, and he ordered a strict investigation.

All told, something like thirty-two dollars were missing, and also a gold watch, a silver watch, and several shirt-studs of more or less value.  Among the shirt-studs was one set with a ruby belonging to a cadet named Weeks.

The investigation revealed nothing of importance.  The robbery had been committed during the night, while the owners of the money and the various articles slept.

“I must get at the bottom of this affair,” said Captain Putnam.  “The honor of the academy is at stake.”

He talked to all of those who had lost anything and promised to make the matter good.  Then he asked each if he had any suspicions regarding the thief or thieves.  No one had, and for the time being it looked as if the case must fall to the ground.

Those who had been at the feast hardly knew what to say or to do.  Should they tell the captain of the strange figure Sam had seen in the hallway?

“I’ll tell him, and shoulder the blame, if you fellows are willing,” said Sam, after a long discussion.  “Fun is one thing, and shielding a thief is another.”

“But what can you tell?” asked Fred.  “You do not know that that person, was the thief.”

“More than likely he was,” came from Dick.

“And if he was, who was he?” went on Fred.  “If you tell Captain Putnam you’ll simply get us all into trouble.”

“I vote that Sam makes a clean breast of it,” said Frank, and Larry said the same.  This was just before dinner, and immediately after the midday meal had been finished the youngest Rover went up to the master of the Hall and touched him on the arm.

“I would like to speak to you in private and at once, Captain Putnam,” he said.

“Very well, Rover; come with me,” was the reply, and Captain Putnam led the way to his private office.

“I suppose I should have spoken of this before,” said Sam, when the two were seated.  “But I didn’t want to get the others into trouble.  As it is, Captain Putnam, I want to take the entire blame on my own shoulders.”

“The blame of what, Samuel?”

“Of what I am going to tell you about.  We voted to tell you, but I don’t want to be a tattle-tale and get the others into trouble along with me.”

“I will hear what you have to say,” returned the master of the Hall briefly.

“Well, sir, you know it was Dick’s birthday yesterday, and we boys thought we would celebrate a bit.  So we had a little blow-out in our room.”

“Was that the noise I heard last night?”

“The noise you heard was from our room, yes.  But that isn’t what I was getting at,” stammered Sam.  “We set a guard out in the hallway to keep watch.”