"First of all, we must be sure of their guilt," warned Dick. "It won't do to try to even up a score that's based only on suspicion. Wait until I get a lantern out of the wreck, and then we'll explore the ground to see if we can discover any real proof against the rascals." "Let's get into our working clothes first," proposed Reade. "We might want to wear these white clothes again before we get home." So Tom and Dave held up a part of the canvas while Dick slipped in under the folds of the tent to find the box in which they had left their hike clothing. "The box isn't here," Dick called. "Neither can I see any of the bedding." "Get hold here, fellows, and lift up more of the canvas," Reade called. "There isn't anything in the tent. All the stuff has been cleaned out." Prescott announced in a voice of disgust. "It was the tramps, then," Dave declared. "The rah-rah boys wouldn't take the risk of stealing anything." "Hold on! I've found a lantern," called Prescott. "I'll come out with that." He appeared a moment later, lighting the lantern. "Now, let's see what we can find," he urged. Not far away the high school boys came upon the prints of sharp-toed shoes. "The tramps didn't wear shoes that would make these prints," declared Dick. "Neither do any of our crowd. Fellows, we owe our surprise to the rah-rah humorists." "Then we'll pay 'em back in good measure," cried Darry in exasperation. After some searching Dick & Co. came upon their clothes chest, at a distance of some hundred yards from camp. The chest had not been rifled, for it was locked and the key rested in Dick's pocket. "Help me with it, Tom, and we'll carry it back," said Prescott in a low, hard tone. "We need our working clothes at once, for there is work to be done to-night!" The needed change of costume was quickly made. Off came the white suits, which were carefully folded and put away. Then on went the khaki and flannel clothing. "Dan, you stay with the tent," Dick ordered, with the air of a general. "Greg, you and Harry make it your main business to see if you can find the horse. The rest of us will concern ourselves with finding out whether the rah-rah fellows are still outside the hotel." "Here's the horse---grazing," shouted Greg, two minutes later. "Run back, Dave, and pilot Greg and Harry here, after they've staked the horse down," Prescott suggested. "We don't want to make too much noise, for our tormentors may yet be about somewhere." "Hazy stumbled upon some of the blankets," Greg announced, when he and Harry joined Dave. "I don't believe any of our stuff has been carried off, Dick. It has just been scattered." "Perhaps we'd better gather in all our camp stuff first, then," Dick decided. "We can't afford to lose any of our camp outfit." Ten or fifteen minutes of searching, with the aid of the lantern, resulted in recovering all of their scattered possessions, even to the last of the cots, pillows and blankets.