"When he saw it was me," he explained, "he didn't seem to know what to say. Then he laughed and Gales laughed, and I felt pretty foolish; I tell you. "Gales asked me who was with me, but Hall cut in and said he didn't want me to tell. I wouldn't anyhow, only it was white of him not to insist." "It sure was," murmured Jack. "Oh, I can see trouble coming our way." "Well," went on Will. "He looked at me a little longer, and I heard Gales mutter something about 'boys will be boys,' then Hall made a sign to him, and Gales went back to bed." "What did you do?" asked Jack. "Why, Hall motioned to me to climb out of the windows and I did, mighty quick, you can bet" "Wait until chapel to-morrow morning," said Nat. "Maybe we won't get it! Never mind, the end of the term is almost here, and they can't do any more than suspend us. Though I hate to have the folks hear of it." There were several anxious hearts beating under boyish coats when the opening exercises were held the next morning. The burglar schemers watched the two assistants file in and take their usual places on the raised platform. "How do they look?" whispered Nat to Jack. "Don't seem to have an awful lot of fire in their eyes," was the answer. "Wait until Dr. Mead begins," whispered Sam, a sort of Job's comforter. But to the boys' astonishment, there was no reference to the night's prank. The exercises went off as usual, though every time Dr. Mead cleared his throat, or began to speak on a new subject, there was a nervous thrill on the part of the conspirators. "I have one more announcement to make, and that will end the exercises for the day," the head of the Academy said. "Here it comes," whispered Jack. "Will Slade and Nat Anderson are requested to meet Professors Hall and Gales after chapel," was what the doctor said. There was a little buzz of excitement among the students, for the story of the escapade had become generally known. "Glad I'm not in their shoes, but I suppose we'll all come in for it," said Sam, as he and the others filed out of the assembly room. Will and Nat remained, their spirits anything but pleasant. Their companions stayed out on the campus, waiting for them, instead of dispersing to their rooms to prepare for the first lesson period. As the minutes dragged away there was a general feeling of apprehension. "Don't s'pose they'll get a flogging do you?" asked Sam. "Against the rules of the institution," replied Jack. "Here they come," announced Fred Kaler. "I don't know whether I ought to play a funeral march or 'Palms of Victory.'" "Probably the former," put in John Smith. "Well?" asked Jack, as the two "burglars" came within hailing distance, "what did they do to you?"