“What’s wrong?”
“Lower a line and haul up these two boxes,” answered Henry.
“Coulter and Ritter are onto our game,” said Pepper. “Mumps gave us away.”
No more was said just then. A strong fishing line was let down from above, and one pasteboard box after another was raised up. Then the two cadets on the campus ran around to the side door of the Hall.
“As I suspected, they locked it,” said Pepper, rather bitterly.
“Well, we’ve got to get in somehow. Wonder if they can’t let down a rope of some kind?”
“They might let down the rope in the bath-room,” answered Pepper. He referred to a rope which was tied to a ring in the bath-room floor. This had been placed there in case of fire, even though the school was provided with regular fire escapes.
Once more they summoned Jack and the others, and Jack ran to the bath-room and let the rope down. Then those below came up hand over hand, bracing their feet against the wall of the building as they did so.
As the boys came from the bath-room they heard light footsteps on the back stairs. Andy and Dale were coming up, each with a big pitcher of lemonade. Both were snickering.
“Where does the fun come in?” asked Jack, as all hurried to his dormitory.