As they recognized them, the three chums looked at one another in amazement.
"It's Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Gibbs!" exclaimed Fred, more to himself than to his companions.
"That's who it is," agreed Sandow. "You'd have got us into a pretty mess, if we'd given an alarm, wouldn't you, Buttons?"
"But what are they doing at the bank at this time of night?" demanded the latter.
"Go ask them, if you're so mighty anxious to know—though I reckon Mr. Montgomery has the right to go into the bank, of which he is president, any time he wishes."
"That's just what he hasn't," returned Buttons. "It was only the other day I heard father say no one should be allowed in the bank, from the time the clerks leave at night, till they arrive the next morning."
"Well, I shouldn't advise you to repeat that to Mr. Montgomery," said the leader of the Firsts. "Now we've found out no one is trying to rob the bank, let's be going home."
With the resumption of their walk, Buttons and Sandow took up the matter of the Seconds' football team. Repeatedly they asked Fred's opinion or advice, but his answers showed that his mind was far away.
"I say, come back to earth. What are you dreaming about, anyway?" demanded his Form mate, in disgust, as Fred replied to an important question in regard to the make-up of the team with an "I don't know."
"I was thinking about Char—I mean I wish you two would remember about what we saw at the bank and that this is the night of September 17," hastily corrected the boy.