But the ten minutes passed, and ten more, and Sid did not come back. Meanwhile Tom and Phil had "doused their glim," and were in bed, but not asleep. Somehow there was an uneasy feeling worrying them both. They could not understand Sid's action in going off so suddenly, and so mysteriously--especially as there was a danger of being caught out after hours. And, as Sid was working for honors, to be caught too often meant the danger of losing that for which he had worked so hard. "I can't understand----" began Tom, in a low voice, when from the chapel clock, the hour of eleven boomed out. "Hush!" exclaimed Phil. Some one was coming along the corridor--two persons to judge by the footsteps. "Is that Sid?" whispered Tom. Phil did not answer. A moment later the door opened, and in the light that streamed from a lamp in the corridor, Sid could be seen entering. Behind him stood Proctor Zane. "You will report to Dr. Churchill directly after chapel in the morning," the proctor said, in his hard, cold voice. "You were out an hour after closing time, Mr. Henderson." "Very well, sir," answered Sid quietly, as he closed the door, and listened to Mr. Zane walking down the corridor. "Caught?" asked Tom, though there was no need of the query. "Sure," replied Sid shortly. "Where were you?" asked Phil, sitting up in bed, and trying to peer through the darkness toward his unfortunate chum. "Out," was the answer, which was none at all. "Humph!" grunted Tom. Then, suddenly: "You must have been hitting it up, Sid. I thought you didn't smoke. Been trying it for the first time?" "I haven't been smoking!" came the answer, in evident surprise. "Your clothes smell as if you'd been at the smoker of the Gamma Sig fraternity," declared Tom. "Oh, shut up, and let a fellow alone; can't you?" burst out Sid, and he threw his shoes savagely into the corner of the room. Neither Tom nor Phil replied, but they were doing a great deal of thinking. They could not fathom Sid's manner--he had never acted that way before. What could be the matter? It was some time before they learned Sid's secret, and the keeping of it involved Sid in no small difficulties, and nearly cost the college the baseball championship. CHAPTER III MISS MABEL HARRISON Neither Tom nor Phil made any reference, the following morning, to the incident of the night before. As usual, none of the boys got up when the warning of the alarm clock summoned them, for they always allowed half an hour for its persistent habit of running fast. As it was, it happened to be correct on this occasion, and they were barely in time for chapel, Tom having to adjust his necktie on the race across the campus. "Well, what's on for to-day?" asked Phil, as, with Tom and Sid, he strolled from the chapel after service. "Baseball practice this afternoon," decided Tom, for the rain had stopped. "It'll be pretty sloppy," observed Phil dubiously.