"We won't give up yet, Will. Of course if the canes are here they were not put where we'd be likely to stumble over them. We've just got to think it out--" Foster stopped abruptly as a voice was heard calling up from below. "I must bid you an affectionate and tearful farewell, freshmen. Keep on with your good work and remember that perseverance conquers everything. Even the best of friends must part--" Foster and Will waited to hear no more, but both plunged down the ladder, but when they had gained the floor below it was to behold Mott speeding up the lane as if he was "sprinting" for life itself. For a moment the surprise and consternation of the two freshmen were so complete that both were speechless. "Why didn't you take after him, Will?" said Foster, who was the first to break in upon the awkward silence. "What are you standing here for?" "No use, Foster," replied Will, shaking his head. "He's got too good a start. I don't see how he ever got loose." "Well, he is loose and that's all there is about it. What'll we do next?" "Find those canes. They're here, I know they are." "Just tell me where they are, will you?" "They won't come to us, that's certain! We've got to look them up. And if we don't find them pretty soon too it'll be the worse for us." Will turned as he spoke and once more opened the lid of a piano box that was standing on the floor near them. The box apparently was filled with oats and they had inspected it before, but as it had not presented any appearance of containing the object of their search they had passed it by and gone on to the loft above. This time, however, Will thrust his arm deep down into the oats and in a moment he almost shouted. "Here's something, Foster! Help me clear away these oats. There's something down in there!" Foster seized the scoop that was near the improvised oat bin and with feverish haste threw the oats up on one side and then said exultantly, "Here's something! Here they are!" Leaning over the box, he drew forth a bundle of canes carefully tied together and partly hidden from sight beneath the oats. "Are they all there?" demanded Will in a hoarse whisper. He hastily inspected the bundle and then exclaimed, "Here's only a part of them, Foster!" "Where some are it's likely there are more," and Will at once resumed his search. His efforts were speedily rewarded by the discovery of another bundle similar to the one that had already been found, and, dropping his scoop, he hastily began to count the canes. "Here they are!" he exclaimed joyfully. "Every last one of them is here!" "Then the sophs must have been to both places where we had them." "Yes, but it's all the better for us. We'll now be--" Foster stopped abruptly as the farmer that owned the buildings appeared in the doorway and for a moment stared blankly at them. "Good morning," said Will cheerfully. "We're here after these canes." "So I see," replied the farmer. "The freshmans didn't find ye out, then?"