The man went down and found the rope. He came back greatly agitated.
“This is a most astonishing occurrence,” he said. “Never knew anything like it to happen here before.”
“Keep your eyes open for the man who had No. 231,” said Merry. “I am going to take that room and sleep there the rest of the night. In the morning the door of my room must be opened for me.”
He went into that room, closed the door, locked it and bolted it, closed and fastened the window, and went to bed. Of course he did not go to sleep right away, but he forced himself to do so, after a time, and he slept peacefully till morning.
In the morning Frank found the door of his room had been forced, so he was able to go in immediately on rising. He had been unable to obtain a room with a private bath connected, but there was a bathroom directly across the corridor, and he took his morning “dip,” coming out as bright as a new dollar.
But the mystery of the midnight intruder weighed heavily on Merry. He felt that he would give anything to solve it, and it must be solved in some manner.
Bart came around before breakfast, and he found Merriwell standing in the middle of his room, scowling at the carpet. Frank was so unlike his accustomed self that Hodge was astounded.
“What’s happened?” asked Bart.
“One of the most singular adventures of my life,” answered Frank, and he proceeded to tell Bart everything.
“Singular!” cried Hodge. “I should say so! You are dead in luck to be alive!”