y, so he could easily prove an alibi if
accused of the mean trick.

It seemed almost too contemptible to be true, since Hugh could easily
purchase other garments down at the sporting-goods store in Scranton.
Still, some mean natures are small enough to love to give "stabs" that
might annoy the recipient; and boys sometimes grow so accustomed to
certain articles of wearing apparel that being compelled to "break
in" a new pair of running shoes might lose Hugh the great race!

He gritted his teeth as a wave of indignation swept over him. Really
it was high time this contemptible spirit of annoying those he chose
to look upon in the light of enemies was crushed in Nick Lang. He
had carried on with a "high horse" too long already, and, for one,
Hugh felt as though combined action should be taken against him by
the respectable fellows of Scranton High.

But it was far from Hugh's intention to stand there and see his locker
robbed by such an unprincipled fellow as Leon Disney, if, indeed, the
skulker proved to be the party they suspected. Possibly Hugh moved
too soon, for it would have been much wiser had he waited until the
sneak thief actually had the locker open, and disclosed his full
intention.

Urged on to action by his indignation, Hugh started forward. Thad,
realizing that it was his chum's intention to do something radical,
skipped off a little to the right. He fancied that should the skulker
take the alarm and try to flee, making for the open window in the
rear, he was apt to turn aside and try to pass by; so his move was
intended to block this little game.

It turned out to be needless, for so interested as the fellow with
the flash-light in his work of inserting a key in the lock, and trying
to turn it, that he did not appear to notice anything wrong until
Hugh was close at his elbow. Then, as Thad slipped around to one
side to cover all lines of retreat. Hugh reached out a hand and
caught hold of the fellow by the shoulder. At the same time he
exclaimed in a severe voice:

"Well, what are you doing here, I want to know, trying to break
into my locker?"

The other gave a tremendous start, and a low, bubbling cry, half of
fright, and also of disgust, came from his lips. The woollen muffler
fell from about his face, and, although he snapped off the light just
then by a movement of his thumb, the others had glimpsed his features.

Thad had evidently hit the target in the bull's-eye when he mentioned