e coatroom, then," nodded Greg Holmes.

"Going home?" asked Laura Bentley, in a tone of protest, as she
whirled by on Thompson's arm and saw Dick & Co. headed for the
coatroom.

She was gone before Dick could answer by word of mouth. But he
saw her regarding him from the other end of the room, and smilingly
shook his head.

"Feels good to be out, doesn't it?" asked Dan Dalzell, as the
freshman sextette struck the open air.

"Yes; but what has happened to the blooming town?" demanded Greg
Holmes.

Even this Main Street of Gridley presented a curious look. It
was a freezingly cold December night and it looked to the freshman
as though the senior ball must be the only live thing left in
the little city.

All the stores were closed, and had been for some time. All lights
were out in the nearest residences. At first the boys thought
they beheld held a policeman standing in front of the First National
Bank, half a block away, but a closer look revealed the fact that
he was only some belated loiterer---the sole human being in sight
save themselves.

"Come off this other way, and let's go down the side street,"
proposed Dick.

"Yes; if we're to find signs of life anywhere, it will have to
be on the smaller side streets," observed Greg Holmes.

Music wafted to them from the hall.

"There's life going on up there," remarked Dave. "We left it
behind us."

"It isn't life," laughed Dick, "when some other fellow is dancing
with your girl."

Along the side street the first corner was at the beginning of
a broad back alley that ran parallel with Main Street.

Along this alleyway they turned.

"By looking up at the windows," suggested Prescott, "we may get
some glimpses of the dance that are not so apparent when you're
up in the hall."

True, as they passed by the rear of the dance hall they caught
some glimpses of moving couples going by the windows, but that
was all.

"And I want to remark," grunted Tom Reade, "that it's cold
outdoors tonight."

"An outdoor fellow like you ought not to mind that," chaffed Dick

"Oh, I'll stand it as long as the rest of you do," challenged
Reade.

Dick and Dave were in the lead, the other chums coming behind
them in couples.

So Prescott and Dave Darrin were the first to catch a glimpse
down the short lane that led from the alleyway to the back of
one of the buildings.

Here stood a man, with cap drawn well down over his forehead.
He was beside an automobile---a b