The two boys made a short cut for the school, but, as luck would have it, when they reached the dormitory the troublesome Tom Forrest was wide awake. So Horace, who had stowed the sweater under his own coat this time, had to smuggle it under his pillow and await Tom's departure. But Tom apparently had no present intention of leaving. And a few minutes later Chub and Roy clattered in. When they saw Horace and Otto they deferred telling Tom about his pole, and Chub laid himself down, very stiffly because of his own pole, on Roy's bed. Conversation languished. Horace mentioned the fact that he and Otto had been for a walk and Chub replied that they too had taken a stroll. Both sides waited for the others to leave. Suddenly the supper bell rang. Horace went to the wash-room and Otto followed. Chub slipped off downstairs and Roy told Tom about the pole. Tom good-naturedly told him to let the old thing go. Then Roy, by the merest chance, noticed that his trunk was unlocked, turned the key, slipped it into his pocket and followed Tom down to supper. A moment after when Horace went to return the sweater to its place he found that he was too late. After a second of indecision he opened his own trunk and hid the garment down at the bottom of it. Then he locked the trunk securely and, with Otto at his heels, followed the others. It was at half-past nine the next morning that Roy was summoned to the Principal's office. A rather stout, hard-featured man of middle-age whom Roy had never seen before to his knowledge, sat beside the Doctor's desk. "Porter," said the Doctor, "does this belong to you?" He took a fishing-rod from the desk and held it out. Roy looked at it and shook his head. "No, sir," he answered. "Do you know whose it is?" "No, sir." "Do you own a fishing-rod?" "No, sir." "Where were you yesterday afternoon at--" The Doctor looked inquiringly at the stranger. "Four o'clock," prompted the latter gruffly, viewing Roy with unfriendly gaze. Roy hesitated and his heart sank. Then, "I was asleep, sir," he answered. "Ah!" The Principal paused and tapped softly on the polished surface of the desk. Then, "In the dormitory, you mean?" he asked. "No, sir, I wasn't in the dormitory." "Not in the dormitory? But you just said you were asleep?" "Yes, sir, I was." "Whereabouts, then?" "By Wissick Creek, at what the fellows call the Deep Hole." The stranger snorted triumphantly. "Why did you go there to sleep?" asked Doctor Emery. "Why, sir, I--I was out walking and--and I laid down and got sleepy. So I just went to sleep." He knew that it sounded awfully silly and unconvincing. Evidently the Doctor thought so too, for he smiled gently and regretfully. "Don't you think that's rather a strange tale to tell, Porter?" "It's the truth, sir." "It's a tarnation lie, that's what it is," said the stranger vindictively. Roy turned hotly. "It isn't a lie," he cried. "And I don't know what business it is of yours, anyhow!"