"Docther!" bellowed Barney.
"Toctor!" screamed Hans.
"Will yez get away fram thot dure, so Oi can open it?"
"Ged avay dot toor from mineself!" flung back the Dutch boy. "I ged me to dot toor first, und I peen der first von oud!"
"Oh, ye will, will yez! We'll see about thot!"
Biff! smack! thud! thump! The two frantic boys were hammering each other in the darkness of their room, while the listening jokers were convulsed with merriment.
The uproar had aroused that entire section of the academy. The sentinel came down the corridor at the double quick, just as Frank Merriwell, partly dressed, leaped out of his room and flung himself against the door of the room from which the racket issued.
Other boys came swarming into the corridor, and the excitement was intense.
Merriwell burst into the room, and, a moment later, dragged out Hans and Barney into the lighted corridor.
The crawfish were still clinging comfortably to various portions of the garments in which the two lads had gone to bed. Seeing the creatures, Hans uttered a howl of agony louder than any that had yet issued from his throat.