In a moment more Captain Harry had walked away.

“Don’t you see what he meant? “asked Sam aloud.

“Well hardly.”

“Then you are losing some of your wit, Dick.  He didn’t want to see us break the rules.  I suppose if he had seen us he would have felt it was his duty to report us.”

“That’s so, Sam.  How thick I was!  Well, I’m going over to the window now.”

“So am I.”

“And I’ll go too,” added Fred.

Off the three hurried across the parade ground, the other new cadets watching them curiously, for all had heard of what Tom had done and how Josiah Crabtree had treated him.

The window of the guardroom was but five feet from the ground.  In front of it, however, was an iron fence, placed in the form of a semicircle, at a distance of about ten feet from the opening.  The fence was higher than Dick’s head, and the iron pickets were sharp-pointed.

“The window to the room is shut,” announced the elder Rover, after an inspection in the semi-darkness.  “It’s a shame, in this warm weather.  Poor Tom will be half smothered to death!”

“Wait till I attract his attention,” said Sam.  Catching up a clod of grass and dirt he threw it against one of the window panes.

A minute of suspense followed, but no face appeared at the window.

“That’s queer,” said Fred.  “It seems to me be would show himself if he was there.”

“Perhaps he, can’t,” said Sam.  “He may be chained up in the other end of the room.”

“I’m going to make sure,” said Dick determinedly.  “Sam and Fred, both of you give me a boost up.”

“But how will you get back?”

“You can give me another boost through the pickets.”

“Hurrah! so we can!” cried Sam.  “All right; up you go!”

And up Dick did go, so rapidly that he almost fell over the top of the iron barrier.

“Now, who has a match?” he asked.

“Here you are,” said Fred, and passed over several.

Stepping to the window, Dick tapped upon it, and at the same time struck a light, for the room within was pitch-dark.  The next instant he muttered a cry of disgust.  “Sold!”

“What’s that?” came from Sam and Fred.

“The room is empty.”

“Then there must be some mistake,” said Fred.  “Can you see all over inside?”

“Yes.”

“Sure Tom isn’t asleep in a corner or on a couch —­ if there is one?” put in Sam.  “He would go to sleep if he could.”

“He isn’t here —­ no doubt of it,” answered Dick, after striking a second match and making another inspection.  “Oh!”

Dick blew out the match in a hurry and started back for the fence.  He had seen the door of the guardroom open and Josiah Crabtree come in.

The head assistant of Putnam Hall saw the light of the match and by it obtained a good view of Dick’s face.

“Ha! that youth has come here to assist his brother to escape!” was the conclusion he reached.  He darted for the window and threw it up.