CHAPTER VI
THE STRANGE FIGURE IN THE HALLWAY
At the fearful outcome of the joke Tom had been perpetrating theboys concealed in the bushes were almost struck dumb, and forseveral seconds nobody could speak or move.
"Oh, Heavens, Tom is killed!" burst out Dick, who was the first tofind his voice. He ran forth as speedily as possible, and oneafter another the other cadets followed.
Tom lay as quiet as death, with his eyes closed and the bloodtrickling over his temple and left cheek. Quickly Dick knelt byhis side and felt of his heart.
"Tom, Tom, speak to me! Tell me you are not seriously hurt!" hefaltered.
But no answer came back, and Sam raced off to get some water,which he brought in a tin can he had discovered lying handy. Thewater was dashed over Toni's face, and presently he gave a littlegasp.
"Oh my! what struck me?" he murmured, and then tried to sit up,but for the minute the effort was a failure.
"The pistol exploded," said Frank. "A piece must have hit you onthe head," and he pointed at a nasty scalp wound from which theflow of blood emanated.
As well as it could be done, Frank and Dick bound up Tom's headwith a handkerchief, and presently the fun-loving lad declaredhimself about as well as ever, "Only a bit light-headed," as headded.
In the meantime the others had given their attention to Hans, whohad been struck both in the scalp and in the shoulder. It was agood quarter of an hour before the German youth came around, andthen he felt so weak that the boys had to assist him back to theacademy.
"Honestly, I thought the pistol was empty," said Tom, on thereturn to the Hall. "Why, I think I've pulled that trigger adozen times."
"Don't mention it," said Frank with a shiver. "Why, only lastweek I pointed the thing at Peleg Snuggers and played at firingit. Supposing it had gone off and killed somebody?"
And he shivered again.
"Dot vos almost as pad as von Indian's schalping," put in Hansfaintly. "I dink, Tom, you vos play no more such dricks, hey?"
"No, I've had enough," replied Tom very soberly. "If you had beenkilled or seriously hurt I would never have forgiven myself." Andit may be added here that for some time after this eventfun-making and Tom were strangers to each other.
At the proper time the feast which had been planned came off, andproved to be an event not readily forgotten. It was no easymatter to obtain the good things required, and the boys ran therisk of being discovered by George Strong and punished; but bymidnight everything was ready, and soon eating was "in fullblast," to use Sam's way of expressing it.
A few of the boys from the other dormitories had been invited, andthe boys took turns in standing out in the hall on guard.
"You see," explained Tom, "Mr. Strong may come in, and I won't beable to play nightmare again, as I did last year."
"Say, but that was a prime joke," laughed Frank.
"And Mumps!" cried Larry. "I'll never forget the orange flavoredwith kerosene," and a general laugh followed.
Somebody had spoken of inviting Jim Caven to the feast, but no onecared particularly for the fellow, and he had been left out.
"Perhaps he'll tell on us," suggested Larry, but Frank shook hishead.
"He hasn't got backbone enough to do it. He's a worse coward thanMumps was."
Soon it came time for Sam to do his turn at guarding, and stuffinga big bit of candy in his mouth, the youngest Rover stepped outinto the dimly lit hallway and sat down on a low stool which oneof the guards had placed there.
For ten or fifteen minutes nothing occurred to disturb Sam, and hewas just beginning to think that watching was all nonsense when hesaw a dark figure creeping along the wall at the extreme lower endof the hallway, where it made a turn toward the back stairs.
"Hullo, who's that?" he muttered. "It doesn't look much like Mr.Strong."
He continued to watch the figure, and now saw that it was dressedin a black suit and had what looked like a shawl over its head.
"That's queer," went on the boy. "What can that man or boy be upto?"
Presently the figure turned and entered one of the lowerdormitories, closing the door gently behind it. Then it came outagain and made swiftly for the rear of the upper hallway. Bythis time Sam was more curious than ever, and as the figuredisappeared around the bend by the back stairs he followed ontiptoes.
But as what light there was came from the front, the rear was verydark, and the youth could see little or nothing. He heard a doorclose and the lock click, but whether or not it was upstairs ordown he could not tell.
For several minutes he remained in the rear hallway, and then hewent back to his post. Soon Tom came out to relieve him, and Samre-entered the dormitory and told his story to the others.
"That's certainly odd," was Dick's comment
"Was it a man or a boy, Sam?"
"I can't say exactly. If it wasn't a man it was a pretty bigboy."
"Perhaps we ought to report the matter to Captain Putnam,"suggested Frank. "That person may have been around the hallwaysfor no good purpose."
"Oh, pshaw! perhaps it was somebody who was trying to spy on us,"put in Fred. "If we tell the captain we will only be exposingourselves, and I guess you all know what that means."
"It means half-holidays cut off for a month," said Dick.
"Besser you vait und see vot comes of dis," said Hans, and after alittle more talk this idea prevailed, and then the boys went in toclear up what was left of the feast. Everything was gone but alittle ice-cream, and it did not take long to dispose of this.
Sam was bound to have some fun, and instead of eating his lastmouthful of cream he awaited a favorable opportunity and droppedit down inside of Fred's collar.
"Great Scott!" roared Fred Garrison. "Whow!" And he began todance around. "Oh, my backbone! That's worse than a chunk ofice! Oh, but I'll be frozen stiff!"
"Go down and sit on the kitchen stove," suggested Dick.
"Sit on the stove? I'll sit on Sam's head if I get the chance!"roared Fred, and made a rush for Sam. A scuffle ensued, whichcame to a sudden end as both sent a washstand over with a loudcrash.
"Wow you've done it!" cried Frank. "That's noise enough to wakethe dead."
"Great Caesar, stop that row!" burst out Torn, opening the door."Do you want to bring the captain down on us at the last minute?"
"Clear up that muss, both of you," said Dick to Sam and Fred. Butthe latter demurred. It was Sam's fault--he started the racket.
"I won't touch it." And Fred proceeded to go to bed.
"I reckon we had best dust," said one of the boys from anotherdormitory.
"So you had!" burst out Tom. "I hear somebody coming already,"and in a twinkle the outsiders ran for their various quarters,leaving the occupants of Dormitory No. 6 to fix up matters as bestthey could.
It was no easy job to straighten out the washstand, clear up thegeneral muss, and disrobe. But the boys were on their mettle, andin less than two minutes the light was out and all were under thecovers, although, to be sure, Sam had his shoes still on and Tomwas entirely clothed.
"Boys, what is the row up here?" The call came from CaptainPutnam himself. He was ascending the front stairs, lamp in hand,and attired in a long dressing gown.
As no one answered, he paused in the upper hallway and asked thequestion again. Then he looked into one dormitory after another.
"All asleep, eh? Well, see that you don't wake up again as soonas my back is turned," he went on, and soon after walked belowagain, a faint smile on his features. He knew that boys werebound to be more or less mischievous, no matter how strict hisregulations.
"I'll tell you what, the captain's a brick!" whispered Tom, as hebegan to disrobe noiselessly.
"So he is," answered Frank. "You wouldn't catch old Crabtreeacting that way. He'd have bad every cadet out of bed and senthalf a dozen of us down to the guard-room."
"I guess the captain remembers when he was a cadet himself,"remarked Dick. "I've heard
that they cut up some high pranks atWest Point."
"George Strong would be just as kind," came from Tom. "But say, Iam growing awfully tired."
"So am I," came from several others,
Then the good-night word was passed, and soon all of the cadetswere sound asleep, never dreaming of the surprise which awaitedthem in the morning.