"Come—come——" began Andy.
"Cheese it!" whispered Duke, hoarsely. "It's after hours and you've got lights!"
Then came another voice saying:
"Better cut for it, fellows; the proctor is on the job. Some of the Freshman have complained to him."
Andy Racer never moved more quickly than he did a moment later when he "doused the glim," to use Jack Sanderson's expression for putting out the light. Then in silence and darkness the guests of the Racer boys filed out into the hall, and sought their own rooms. The fun of the night was over.
"Well, how about you?" asked Andy of Frank, as they were about to turn in. The proctor had just knocked on their door to inquire if they were in bed. They had answered that they were—with their clothes on—but they did not mention the latter fact.
"Oh, I guess we might as well go to bed," remarked Frank, as he stretched out on the mattress. "We've had a strenuous day, and there are more ahead of us."
"Of course," assented Andy. "We didn't half finish with the hazing."
"And I haven't half finished thinking about the queer way Billy Chase acted," went on his brother. "There's something strange going on here, Andy, and it's up to us to find it out."
"How do you mean?"