"Put out the lights!" said Tom. "Those who don't belong here get under the beds." And he began to get the evidences of the feast out of sight, Dick and Sam assisting him.
With quaking hearts the merry-makers waited for the knock to be repeated, and waited to hear the sound of Captain Putnam's voice or that of the first assistant teacher.
"Bartlett might have warned us," whispered Fred. Bartlett was the monitor who had been bribed.
No other knock came on the door, nor did anybody demand admittance. The boys waited for several seconds, each holding his breath in anxiety.
"Who can it be?" asked Sam of his oldest brother.
"I suppose I might as well go and see," said Dick. "Maybe some of the other fellows are up to some tricks."
With caution he approached the hall door and opened it. Only a dim light was burning, and for the instant he could see nothing. Then he caught sight of a white object on the floor and picked it up. It was a pasteboard box, tied with a strong string.
"This must be some kind of a joke," he said, and came back into the dormitory with the box in his hands. "Light up and let me see what this is."
The lights were lit and several of the boys began to eat the stuff that had been swept out of sight. They all gazed curiously at the pasteboard box.
"Here's a card on the top," said Dick, and commenced to read it. The inscription was as follows: