By ten o’clock the majority of the cadets went to bed, and an hour later the Hall was wrapped in stillness. Then, from the barn, there came a number of strange men, Josiah Crabtree and Pluxton Cuddle.
“Now make no noise,” cautioned Crabtree. “If you do some of them may wake up and make trouble.”
“We understand,” answered one of the strange men, who appeared to be something of a leader. Then the whole party entered the school building by a back door, and went about carrying out a plan they had arranged.
“Hello!” cried Pepper, as he woke up in the morning and looked at his watch. “Half-past seven! I didn’t hear any bell.”
“Neither did I,” came from Andy, who sat up at the same time. “I fancy it didn’t ring.”
“Everything is going wrong in this school,” put in the young major, as he slipped out of bed and commenced to dress.
“Maybe old Crabtree and Pluxton Cuddle, Esquire, have given it up,” suggested Pepper, as he rubbed his eyes and yawned.
Jack was the first to be dressed and Andy quickly followed.
“Let us take a look around and see how the land lays,” suggested the young major.
“I’m with you,” responded the acrobatic youth promptly.