"Then somebody took it on the sly," said Roger. "For I was with Dave when he put it there. Anybody in these rooms guilty?" And he gazed around sternly.
All of the boys shook their heads. Then of a sudden a delicate youth who looked like a girl arose in astonishment and held up his hands.
"Well, I declare!" he lisped.
"What now, Polly?" asked Phil.
"I wonder if it is really possible," went on Bertram Vane.
"What possible?" questioned Dave.
"Why, when I was coming through the hall a while ago I almost ran into Nat Poole. He had something in one hand, under his handkerchief, and as I passed him I really thought I smelt mince pie!"
"Nat Poole!" cried several.
"Oh, the sneak!" burst out Roger. "He must have been watching Dave. Maybe he heard us promise Murphy the pie."
"Bad luck to him if he stole what was coming to me," muttered the monitor. "I hope the pie choked him."