The Rover Boys In the Mountains | Page 9

few seconds later he heard a cry of dismay.
"Rover is gone!"
"Gone?" came from Snuggers.
"Yes, gone. Snuggers did you leave the door unlocked?"
"No, sir, I couldn't get the key in the lock Here it is." And the general
utility man produced it.
"Ah! here is a key on the inside. What can this mean?"

"I don't know, sir. I left him a-groanin' only a few minutes ago."
"It is very strange." Jasper Grinder gazed around the empty storeroom.
"Did you hear anything from Master Tubbs?"
"No, sir."
The teacher stepped out of the storeroom and made his way to the stone
cell.
"He is gone too!" he ejaculated.
"Really, sir, did you say 'gone'?" cried Peleg Snuggers, in dismay.
"Yes. This is--ah--outrageous, Snuggers. Where can they be?"
"I'm sure I don't know, sir. Master Rover got out mighty quick."
"Look for them among the students, and if you find them bring them to
me at once."
"I will, sir."
As soon as Peleg Snuggers had departed Jasper Grinder looked around
the storeroom and the stone cell to learn if he could find any trace of
the boys.
This gave Tom the chance to slip through the captain's private rooms
and into the students' quarters.
"Well, how did you make out?" was Dick's impatient question. "You've
been gone an age."
"Come with me and I'll tell you," said Tom, and taking his brother and
several chums aside he related what had occurred.
"Keep them there all night, and on bread and water!" cried Dick. "It is
awful. I'm sure the captain won't stand for it."

"To be sure he won't," came from Fred Garrison. "But what are you
going to do next?"
"Let them in the dormitory window."
Tom led the way upstairs and into Dormitory No. 2. There were four
windows in a row, and six beds, three occupied by the Rovers and the
others by Fred, Larry, and George Granbury.
Going to the corner window Tom threw it wide open. It was growing
dark outside, for it was now half-past six. As he stuck his head out of
the window there was the rattle of a drum down in the mess hall.
"Supper time!" cried Fred.
"You go down," said Tom. "No use of all of us being late."
"No, you go down," answered Dick. "You've run risk enough. Besides,
if you are absent from the crowd too long somebody may grow
suspicious of you. I'll help Sam and Tubbs to a safe hiding-place."
"Find out if they are there first--and lock the door after we are gone."
Leaning out of the window Dick tapped on the next glass. At once Sam
showed himself.
"It's quite a climb, but I reckon I can make it," said the youngest Rover.
Waiting to hear no more, Tom hurried below, followed by Fred, and
mingled with the crowd of students entering the mess hall.
Many of the boys were talking about the quarrel between Sam and
Tubbs, and all condemned the actions of Jasper Grinder.
"He ought to have set them to doing extra lessons; that would have
been punishment enough," said one of the big boys, who was captain of
Company A of the students for that term.
This opinion was that held by the majority. Several of the boys came to

Tom to learn what he had to say. But he merely shrugged his shoulders.
"Wait and we'll see what we will see," he said
"Rover's got a card up his sleeve, that's as sure as you're born," said one
of the students, and winked at Tom. But Tom only looked wise and
turned away.
When the students sat down to eat it was noticed that Dick's chair was
vacant.
"Master Thomas Rover, do you know anything of your brother
Richard?" asked an under-teacher.
"Perhaps he is having a talk with Mr. Grinder," said Tom.
"Oh!" Then the under-teacher noticed that Mr. Grinder's chair was also
vacant, and said no more.
While the boys were eating, Peleg Snuggers came to the door and
looked carefully about the mess hall.
"You won't find them here, Peleg," said Tom to himself. Then the man
of all work disappeared, and the supper continued as if nothing out of
the ordinary was happening.
CHAPTER V.
A SCENE IN THE SCHOOLROOM.
In the meantime, what of affairs in the dormitory? Was all going as
quietly as Tom had anticipated?
As soon as Tom went below Dick locked the door, then turned again to
the window. Sam was trying to climb from one room to the next, but
could not get a satisfactory hold.
"Here, give me your hand," cried Dick softly, and reaching forth he
soon helped his brother to a position of safety.

"Say, aint it dangerous?" asked Tubbs anxiously, as he gazed to the