“We’re going to catch it now,” whispered Tom to Dick.  “Don’t you give the secret away.”

“Indeed I won’t,” answered the eldest Rover.  “I intend to lay the whole case before Captain Putnam as soon as he returns.”

“Silence!” thundered Jasper Grinder.  “I want you boys to stop talking instantly.”

“I didn’t say anything,” murmured several in an undertone.

“Silence, I say!” repeated the master, and then all became so quiet that the ticking of the clock could be heard distinctly.

The teacher gazed around at the scores of faces and looked more stem than ever.

“I am going to question all of you separately, and I trust each of you will tell the truth.  The question is, Do you know what has become of Samuel Rover and William Tubbs? or Do you know what they have done?  I shall start with the first boy.  Hickley, what have you to say?”

“I don’t know anything about them,” answered the boy named Hickley.

“Brainard, do you know?”

“No, sir.”

“Parkham?”

“I know they had a little set-to in the gymnasium, but that’s all.  The whole thing was a friendly bout, I guess.”

“I am the best judge of that.  It was a disgraceful fight.  What have you to say, Griggs?”

“If you say it was disgraceful I suppose it was, sir.  I thought it was only a friendly dispute——­”

“Stop!  I want you to answer the original questions, yes, or no.”

“No.”

“No, what?”

“No, to both original questions.”

“No, sir!” and Jasper Grinder stamped his foot.

“Oh!  All right, sir.  No, sir, to both questions, sir.”

There was a titter at this, which caused Jasper Grinder to grow red in the face.

“Boys, be quiet!” he shouted.  “If you do not be still I will keep all of you in to-morrow.”

As this would have spoiled the chances for a good skate and some exciting races, the boys immediately subsided.  Then the questioning went on until Dick Rover was reached.

“I don’t know where Sam and Tubbs are now,” said Dick.  “Perhaps they are frozen stiff.”

“Did you aid them in escaping from the stone cell and the storeroom?”

“No, sir.”

“Have you seen them since I placed them there?”

“Yes, I have,” answered Dick boldly, seeing it was useless to beat about the bush longer.

“Oh!  Then you did aid them to escape?”

“Not from the stone cell and the storeroom.  I met them after they had escaped.”

“Where did you see them last?”

“I decline to answer that question.”

“Decline!” thundered Jasper Grinder.

“I do, sir.  As soon as Captain Putnam arrives I shall lay this whole matter before him, and learn if you have any authority for placing my brother in a place where he is liable to catch a cold which may give him pneumonia and be the cause of his death.  As it is, my brother suffered a great deal, and so did Tubbs, and if they get sick from it you may be sure that you will be held legally accountable.  It was an inhuman thing to do.”