"Then that's our chance, Slugger," went on the boy from New York. "Come ahead, if you want to help me."
"All right, Nap. But I thought you said you could polish him off alone?"
"So I can. But I thought you'd like to see the fun."
"Can't I go along too?" put in Codfish.
"Yes, if you'll promise to keep your mouth shut about it."
"Oh, I won't say a word," returned the little cadet, quickly.
Putting on their hats and coats, the three cadets lost no time in following Fred. It was quite dark on the campus and parade ground, but they soon caught sight of the figure ahead as the youngest Rover moved past the bathhouses to the river path beyond.
"He's alone all right enough," was Slugger Brown's comment.
"I thought I'd catch him sooner or later after I set Codfish to watching him," answered Nappy Martell. "Now I guess I'll be able to teach him to play tricks on me," he added sourly.
The three cadets quickened their pace, and in a moment more caught up to Fred just as he reached a point on the river shore almost out of sight of the Hall. Fred had dipped his handkerchief in the water and used the same for wiping off his aching brow.