“Seems to me we ought to look into this,” said Fred. “Those fellows may be nothing but thieves.”
“If some of our fellows have been out on a lark we don’t want to get them into trouble,” said Andy. “I move we sneak downstairs and make an investigation.”
The others agreed to this, and all quickly donned their shoes and clothing and then made for the fire-escape, which they so often used in preference to the regular stairway.
As they ran across the campus they saw three figures steal forth from the Colby Hall boathouse. The three figures made for the motor-boat at the dock, and in a minute more the Rovers heard the motor of the boat and then saw the craft glide out into the semi-darkness of the night.
“Now what were they doing at the boathouse?” questioned Jack.
Struck with a sudden fear, the young major broke into a run, followed by the others. They dashed into the boathouse, which was dark, and in one corner saw a faint glare.
“It’s a fire!” gasped Fred. “Somebody has set the place on fire!”
CHAPTER XIV
THE ROVERS AT HOME
The young captain of the Colby Hall cadets was right. A small fire was blazing fiercely in one corner of the boathouse but a few feet away from where two of the racing shells were stored.