He suspected an ambush and was ready for it.
He had prepared himself for a hazing on his first night at Hilltop, and he now suspected that another was under way and was prepared for that as well.
Jack Sheldon had been to school before and knew the ways of boys, being one himself, although not of the sort that think it funny to play foolish tricks on others.
He knew many of these, however, and had remedies for nearly all of them, having put more than one hazing party to route by his thorough command of resources.
Although he hurried in through the woods in an apparently careless fashion and seemed to pay no attention to anything, he noticed everything, heard everything, and was ready for instant action.
He was well in the woods, which were quite thick as he went on, although there was a path through them, when his quick ear caught the sound of a sudden rustling in a clump of thick shrub oaks just in front of him, but he went on as if he had heard nothing, turning a little to one side as he reached the clump.
In a moment three or four masked figures suddenly sprang out upon him from two sides of the clump.
Then Jack took his hands out of his pockets.