“Hockley, did you put pitch into the other boys’ shoes?” demanded Amos Strong, sternly. “Me? Pitch?” asked the lank youth, in pretended astonishment. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” “The other boys’ shoes are filled with pitch.” Hockley walked across the floor and picked up his own shoes. “So are mine, sir. Somebody has played a trick on me!” He flung the door open. “See here, I ain’t going to stand this!” he roared, in assumed anger. “It’s a jolly shame! This pair of shoes cost me ten dollars!” And he shook his head savagely. “We’re all in the same boat,” said Mark, helplessly. The fact that Hockley had been treated like the others puzzled him a good deal. Professor Strong looked into Hockley’s shoes. True enough each contained pitch, although not very much and what there was did not stick very fast. “This is certainly mysterious--” began the professor, and at that moment Darry came up, he having gone to the dining room to look for them. “Why don’t you come to breakfast,” he said. “I’m as hungry as a bear.” “Have you pitch in your shoes?” came from the other boys. “Pitch? What do you mean?” queried Darry, innocently. “We’ve all got pitch in our shoes, and it hurts like creation!” spluttered Frank, and began to work at the foot coverings once more, while Mark and Sam did the same. “Pitch,” repeated Darry, and then as the humor of the situation dawned on him he laughed loudly. “Well, this is rich! All stuck, eh, like flies on flypaper. Ha! ha! ha! You won’t get your shoes off for a week!” And he burst into another fit of laughter. “I’ll bet he did it,” cried Hockley. “If I can prove it I’ll make you buy me a new pair of shoes!” And he shook the shoes in Darry’s face. Darry was in particularly good humor that morning, and he could hardly control himself. He gazed at one and another, tugging at the refractory foot coverings, and fairly shook with laughter. In the midst of this Professor Strong caught him by the arm. “Is this some of your work, Dartworth?” he questioned. “My work? Why--er--no, sir.” “It is--he needn’t deny it,” put in Hockley. “I saw him with some pitch yesterday.” This was true, for Darry had picked up a small ball of the stuff which Hockley had placed where he knew the other lad would be certain to see it. And now the professor remembered seeing the pitch, too. “This is not the kind of a joke I like,” said Amos Strong, severely. “I thought better of you, Crane. These boys will have hard work to get themselves free of the mess.” “I’ve got one foot out!” cried Mark, and out it came, but minus the sock, which was left where it had stuck. The others were working with a will and at last they got free of both shoes and socks, and then Professor Strong sent them back to their staterooms to don other foot coverings. Having looked into his own stateroom he found his shoes also full of the pitch, which he had escaped by putting on a pair of traveling slippers.