The Rover Boys In the Mountains | Page 7

and light the big swinging lamp hanging from overhead.
"I might as well mend that overcoat now, while the captain is away," Tom heard her murmur to herself. "It's only a buttonhole that's torn out, and a tailor would charge him four times what it's worth--and he always so good at Christmas-time!"
"She's looking out for her present," thought Tom, with a grin. "But that's none of my affair. If only she isn't after this overcoat!"
He heard the housekeeper approach the recess and pause for a moment in front of it. He hardly dared to breathe, fearing that he would surely be discovered.
"Well, I declare, if he hasn't gone and worn the very overcoat itself!" he heard Mrs. Green cry. "Just like him, and two good coats a-hanging here. Well, I suppose it's the warmest he's got, and he'll have a cold ride back, especially if he returns to-night." And so speaking Mrs. Green hurried away.
"A narrow shave, and no mistake," murmured Tom to himself, and listened until he heard a distant door close. Then all was quiet, save the distant murmur of the student's voices, coming from the sitting room.
Without losing more time, Tom left the recess and hurried to the door of the stone cell.
"Sam!" he called out softly. "Are you in there?"
"No; _I'm_ in here," came in the voice of Tubbs. "And--I'm almost frozen to--to--death." The last words with a chattering of teeth that told only too plainly how the rich youth was suffering.
"Sorry for you, Tubby, really I am. But where is Sam?"
"In the--the storeroom. Oh, Rover, won't you please ask Mr. Grinder to let me out? I'll freeze to death here, I know I will!"
"I'll do what I can. But he won't let you out. He isn't that kind of a fellow."
"You might buy him off, Rover. I've heard he's a regular miser, and I'll give you five dollars of my Christmas money if he'll let me go."
"I'll see what I can do after I've talked to Sam." And so speaking Tom hurried to the door of the storeroom.
"Tom, is it really you?" cried the youngest Rover joyfully.
"Yes. How are you making out?"
"Horribly. I believe my feet and ears are already frozen!"
"Grinder is a beast to put you in here, Sam."
"I know that well enough. He won't give me any supper, I'm afraid."
"Then I'll try to get some supper to you."
"Is the key of this door on a hook outside?"
"No. If it was I'd have the door open long ago."
Sam gave a deep sigh, and then began to dance around once more to keep warm.
"Perhaps I can find a key to fit this lock," went on Tom. "I know there are keys in some of the other doors."
He ran off and soon returned with four keys, which he tried, one after another. The third was a fair fit, and with an effort the bolt of the lock was forced back.
"Hurrah! the door's open!" exclaimed Tom. "Now you can go where you please."
"Then you wouldn't stay here?" questioned Sam anxiously.
"Not much! I'd hide in one of the dormitories, and I wouldn't show myself until Captain Putnam gets back. I'll see to it that you get something to eat, and when the captain returns you can tell him that if you had remained in this place all night you would have been frozen to death."
Sam was willing enough to take Tom's advice, and was soon in the hallway. Then the door was locked again.
"It's heartless to leave poor Tubby in that cell," said Tom. "Let's get him out too."
"All right--if you can find a key to fit the lock."
Losing no time, the brothers tried one key after another in the lock to the door of the stone cell.
"Who's that?" came in a chatter from Tubbs.
"Tom Rover," was the answer. "I've just released Sam, and now we are going to release you, if we can."
"Good for you Rover."
"There she goes!" cried Tom a few seconds later, and in a moment more the door was opened and Tubbs stood in the hallway with the Rover boys.
Tubbs was about to say something, when Sam suddenly caught him by the arm.
"Hush!" he whispered. "Somebody is coming! I hope it isn't old Grinder!"
CHAPTER IV.
DORMITORY NUMBER TWO.
For the moment none of the three students knew what to do. They felt that if the approaching personage should be Jasper Grinder there would certainly be "a warm time of it," to say the least.
Yet the approaching man was not the teacher, but Peleg Snuggers, the man of all work around the Hall, a good-natured individual, well liked by nearly all the students. Snuggers was in the habit of taking many a joke from the scholars, yet he rarely retaliated, contenting himself with the saying that "boys will be boys."
"It's Snuggers!" whispered Sam, after a painful pause. "What