“Oh, you make me sick!” roared Ritter.
“Well, we’re in a mess, and now we have to get out of it,” muttered Coulter. “We can’t stay here all night.”
“Better collect all that money first,” suggested Jack.
“Yes, that would be the best plan,” said a voice from the doorway of the tent, and looking around all of the cadets saw George Strong confronting them. The teacher had donned his long mackintosh and a pair of shoes.
“Oh, Mr. Strong!” cried Pepper.
“I presume none of you expected to see me,” went on the teacher.
“Well, hardly,” stammered Jack.
“I happened to wake up, and hearing you talking thought I would get up and see what was the matter. I listened to your conversation and found out that the collection of paper money I brought with me to-day has been—what shall I say?—appropriated or borrowed? That collection is very valuable and is not mine, and I am under a promise to return it intact. I wish you would return the money to me, every bill, and each in good condition.”
“Mr. Strong, I wish to state that neither Ditmore, Snow, Blackmore nor myself had anything to do with the taking of that money,” said the young major.
“So I judged, by the talk I overheard,” answered the teacher, and his words gave Jack and his chums great relief.