“How?” asked Sam.

“Never mind.  Just wait and see.”

In a minute more they swept up to the gateway leading to the parade ground.  Some of the pupils had seen the carriage coming, and they ran down to learn if any old friends had arrived.

“Hullo!” yelled several.

“Hullo yourself!” came in return, and then Tom drew out the firecracker still in his pocket and lit it on the sly.  Just as it was about to explode he threw it up into the air.

Bang!  The report was loud and clear, and everybody within hearing rushed to the spot to see what it meant.  There were forty or fifty pupils and two assistant teachers, but Captain Putnam had gone out.

“Hi!  Hi!  What does this mean?” came in a high-pitched voice, and Josiah Crabtree, the first assistant, rushed up to the carryall.  “What was that exploded?”

“A big firecracker, sir,” answered Peleg Snuggers.

“And who exploded it?”

Before the utility man could answer there came a cry from the parade ground:  “Don’t peach, Peleg, don’t peach!”

“Silence, boys!” burst from Josiah Crabtree wrathfully.  “Such a disturbance is against the rules of this institution.”

“We didn’t fire the cracker,” piped up a tall, slim boy.  “It came from the carriage.”

“Mumps, you’re nothing but a sneak and tattle-tale,” was the reply to this, from several older cadets; and, afraid of having his ears boxed on the sly, John Fenwick, nicknamed Mumps by everybody in the Hall, ran off.

“Which of you fired the cracker?” demanded Josiah Crabtree, advancing to the carriage step.

There was no reply, and he turned to the, driver.

“Snuggers, what have you to say?”

“I can’t say anything, sir.  I was taking care of the horses, sir,” answered the hired man meekly.

“I will find out who fired the cracker before I have finished with you,” growled the head assistant.  “Get down and march into the Hall.”

“Gracious, what have we struck now?” whispered Fred to Dick.

“Is this Captain Putnam?” asked Dick, without answering his chum.

“No, young man; I am Josiah Crabtree, A. M., Captain Putnam’s first assistant.  And you are —­” He paused.

“I am Dick Rover, sir.  These are my brothers, Tom and Sam.”

“And I am Fred Garrison,” finished that youth.

“Very good.  I hope, Richard, that you were not guilty of firing that cracker?”

“Was there any great harm in giving a... a salute upon our arrival?”

“Such a thing is against the rules of the institution.  Article 29 says, ’No pupil shall use any firearms or explosive at any time excepting upon special permission’.”

“We are not pupils yet, Mr. Crabtree.”

“That argument will not pass, sir.  So you fired the cracker?  Very well.  Mr. Strong!”

The second assistant came up.  He was a man of not over twenty-five, and his face was mild and pleasant.