“That’s the time we paid him back for his sneaking tricks,” whispered Pepper, as he sped for his dormitory.
“Sure, he’s makin’ noise enough to wake the dead, so he is!” was Hogan’s comment. “If that don’t wake Captain Putnam up he must be slapin’ wid cotton in his ears an’ ear mufflers on!”
“The best thing we can do is to get in bed and lose no time about it,” answered the Imp, and began to undress before his bedroom was gained.
The others were speedily acquainted with the turn of affairs, and in less than three minutes every cadet was undressed and in bed. The pasteboard boxes had been thrown out of a window and all the crumbs of the little feast swept up.
Hogan was right, the noise soon awakened Captain Putnam, and the master of the Hall arose, donned a dressing gown, and sallied forth to see what was the matter. Then from an upper bed-chamber Mrs. Green, the matron of the school, appeared. She was a good-natured woman, but any alarm at night scared her.
“What is the trouble, Captain Putnam?” she asked, in a trembling voice. “Have burglars gotten into the school?”
“If they have they are making a big noise about it,” answered Captain Putnam. “I rather think some of the cadets are up to pranks.”
“Perhaps the school is on fire?”
“Is the school on fire?” demanded a student, who just then stuck his head out of a dormitory doorway.
“If the school is on fire I’m going to get out!” exclaimed another cadet.