"I don't believe you will," returned Shorts in a more sober manner. "Look there, Spud, the whole house is alight. I say—Swipes—Swipes, it's after midnight, and the fraternity is all lighted up."
"I—I—I don't care if it is," grunted Swipes in a low, thick voice. "I—I want to go to bed. Tha—that's what I want to do."
He sank into a stupor again but the boys dragged him to his feet.
"Do you want Jordan and Graves to see you like this, Swipes?" demanded Shorts stopping in the center of the carriage drive. "If you don't—you take a mighty quick sneak up the back stairs, and—"
The sentence was never finished for the door opened and Dan Jordan's big form loomed up before their dazed eyes.
"Is that you, Shorts?" called Dan.
"Yes."
"Where have you been for the last three hours?"
"Down there," mumbled Shorts in a smothered tone, desiring to hide their plight if possible.
"For the love of all that's good, Shorts," groaned Spuddy, "let me get into the house and change my clothes.... There goes Swipes again in the snow. Get up, fool, here's the 'Captain.'"