“I’ve got to hand in my essay by ten o’clock,” put in the young major. “We’d all better be getting on the job—it’s getting late.”
After that there was silence for several minutes. Almost unconsciously the four boys heard a slight noise in the corridor. But to this they paid no attention, for cadets were continually going or coming in one direction or another. Then, of a sudden, came a most unexpected interruption. The door which had been left unlocked was suddenly opened and a masked figure appeared holding in one hand a well-filled paper bag. The next instant the paper bag was hurled through the air, landing directly on the center of the table. Then the door banged shut, hiding the masked figure from view.
But the Rover boys could not have seen the figure even if the door had been left open. As the paper bag crashed down on the table it flew apart and the next instant the four Rover boys found themselves covered with black soot from head to foot.
CHAPTER V
WHO WAS GUILTY?
“For the love of molasses!”
“Who—threw—that—stuff—in?” came in a splutter from Andy, who had received a large dose of the soot in his nose and mouth.
“Ker choo! Ker choo!” was the only sound made by his brother, on whom the soot acted like snuff.
“Did you ever see anything like it?” burst out Jack, trying to wipe the soot from his eyes with a handkerchief.