The seven cadets, with the leader halfway through the window, started and turned. Don’s suspicions were confirmed. They were all fourth class men and each one of them had tools in his hand. They looked foolish and confused and glanced at each other.
“Hey!” cried Don, as no one spoke. “What’s going on here?”
“We were going in to fix up this old hall for a dance, Mercer,” said a cadet.
Don was bewildered. “On a night like this, when we have guard duty?” he cried. “And almost at twelve o’clock. You guys must be bats!” A sudden suspicion came over him. “Tell me, whose idea was this?”
There was an interval of silence and then the cadet who had answered him at first replied. “Vench’s idea.”
“I thought so,” nodded Don. “Why did he pick out tonight and why this place?”
“Well,” answered the spokesman. “He said he was going to put on a dance that would go down in history, and he wanted to do the decorating tonight, when there were guards out, and we’d have it in Clanhammer Hall, because nobody ever goes in there.”
“Where is Vench now?” asked Don.
“Inside.”
“Inside Clanhammer Hall!” cried Don sharply.