"That's so. He couldn't." "Wait a bit," whispered Tom. He again mounted the chairs, and pulling himself up by the edge of the opening, after fastening up the shutter, he prepared to crawl through and drop down outside. "I hope it isn't much of a fall and that the ground is soft," he murmured. Just then he heard a commotion in front of the shack. "They're bringing up some more of our class," he reasoned. "Maybe I can help 'em. Had I better stay in?" He was undecided, and he remained on the edge of the window, partly inside and partly outside the shanty. He heard the door open, and looking back in the semi-darkness, saw that a struggle was going on. He guessed that the sophomores were trying to thrust inside one or more freshmen. Then another shout told Tom that his escape was discovered. "I'll drop down outside," he decided, "and see what I can do toward a rescue." He looked down. In the gloom below the high window was a figure. "Look out, soph, I'm going to drop on you!" cried Tom warningly. He heard a half-smothered exclamation and then he let go, prepared to defend himself against recapture. The fall was longer than he anticipated, for there was a depression at the back of the cabin. He toppled in a heap, and before he could straighten up, he saw some one rushing toward him. Then around the corner of a shack came two figures, one carrying a lantern. "What's up?" they cried together. Tom was aware that the dark figure which he had seen underneath the window was jumping toward him. The light of the lantern shone full on Tom's face. He was in the act of struggling to his feet when he felt some one kick him in the side, and as the toe of a heavy shoe came against his right elbow with crushing force the pain made Tom cry out. The lantern swung in a circle and by the light of it Tom, glancing up, saw Langridge standing over him. It was he who had administered the kick. Then the light appeared to fade away, and Tom felt a strangely dizzy feeling. He seemed to be sinking into a bottomless pit. CHAPTER XXIX ANTICIPATIONS Tom became dimly aware that he was climbing up from some great depth. It was hard work, and he felt as if he was lifting the whole world on his shoulders. No, it was all on one arm--his right--and the pain of it made him wince. Then he realized that some one was calling him, shaking him, and he felt as if he had tumbled, head first, into some snow drift. "Wake up, Tom! Are you all right, old man? What happened? Here, swallow some more water." He opened his eyes. He saw in the darkness some one bending over him. "What's the--where am----" he began, and he was again seized with a feeling of weakness. "You're all right, old chap," he heard some one saying. "You had a bad fall, that's all." "Phil!" he exclaimed.