"The room is empty."
"Then there must be some mistake," said Fred. "Can you see all over inside?"
"Yes."
"Sure Tom isn't asleep in a corner or on a couch—if there is one?" put in Sam. "He would go to sleep if he could."
"He isn't here—no doubt of it," answered Dick, after striking a second match and making another inspection. "Oh!"
Dick blew out the match in a hurry and started back for the fence. He had seen the door of the guardroom open and Josiah Crabtree come in.
The head assistant of Putnam Hall saw the light of the match and by it obtained a good view of Dick's face.
"Ha! that youth has come here to assist his brother to escape!" was the conclusion he reached. He darted for the window and threw it up.
"Come back here, Master Rover!" he cried, as he saw Dick trying to mount the fence.
"Don't you go!" whispered Sam, and tried to assist Dick from the other side, while Fred did the same.