"Somebody has been playing a trick on us!" declared Roger. "The question is, who?"
"I don't know of anybody who would do such a thing, excepting it was Nat Poole," declared Ben.
"Well, there is no use of taxing Nat with it," declared Dave. "For he would deny it point-blank, unless you could prove it against him."
The boys talked the affair over until it was time to go down to breakfast, but they could reach no conclusion regarding the mystery.
"Maybe it will never be explained," said Buster.
"Well, even so, I am glad to get my shoes and slippers back," lisped Polly Vane.
A few days after the restoration of the foot coverings there came a thaw and then a sudden cold snap. Ice began to form on the river, and soon it was thick enough for skating, much to the joy of the students, for nearly all of them loved to skate. Some of the boys had ice-boats, and these were also brought out for use.
"I understand that Rockville is going to put out a strong ice-hockey team this winter," said Roger to Dave one day. "They are going to challenge us, too."
"Well, we'll have to make up a team to beat 'em," answered Dave.
"That won't be so easy," declared another student. "They have some great skaters and hockey players at the military academy this season. They've got one player who is a star."