“Well?”

“I was out in the hall part of the time, and I saw a dark figure in the rear hallway prowling around in a most suspicious manner.  It went into Dormitory No. 3 and then came out and disappeared toward the back stairs.”

“This is interesting.  Who was the party?”

“I couldn’t make out.”

“Was it a man or a woman?

“A man, sir, or else a big boy.  He had something like a shawl over his shoulders and was dressed in black or dark-brown.”

“You saw him go in and come out of one of the sleeping rooms?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And then he went down the back stairs?”

“He either went down the stairs or else into one of the back rooms.  I walked back after a minute or two, but I didn’t see anything more of him, although I heard a door close and heard a key turn in a lock.”

“Was this before I came up or after?”

“Before, sir.  We went to sleep right after you came up.”

“Who was present at the feast?” And now Captain Putnam prepared to write down the names.

“Oh, sir; I hope you won’t —­ won’t —­”

“I’ll have to ask you for the names, Samuel.  I want to know who was on foot last night as well as who was robbed.”

“Surely you don’t think any of us was guilty?” cried Sam in sudden horror.

“I don’t know what to think.  The names, please.”

“I —­ I think I’ll have to refuse to give them, Captain Putnam.”

“Of course all the boys who sleep in your dormitory were present?”

“I said I would take this all on my own shoulders, Captain Putnam.  Of course, you know I wouldn’t have confessed at all; but I don’t wish to give that thief any advantage.”

“Perhaps the person wasn’t a thief at all, only some other cadet spying upon you.”

“We thought of that.”

“You may as well give me the names.  I shall find them out anyway.”

Hardly knowing whether or not he was doing right, Sam mentioned all of the cadets who had taken part in the feast.  This list Captain Putnam compared with another containing the names of those who had been robbed.

“Thirty-two pupils,” he mused.  “I’ll have the whole, school in this before I finish.”

He looked at Sam curiously.  The youth wondered what was coming next, when there was a sudden knock on the door.  “Come in,” said Captain Putnam, and one of the little boys entered with a letter in his hand.

“Mr. Strong sent me with this,” said the young cadet.  “He just found it on the desk in the main recitation room.”

“All right, Powers; thank you,” answered the captain, and took the letter.  “You can go,” and Powers retired again.

The letter was encased in a dirty, envelope on which was printed in a big hand, in lead pencil: 

“Capt.  Victor Putnam. 
Very Important.  Deliver at Once.”