eacher's sour comment. "A fine piece of
business, truly." He thought for a moment. "Come with me, all of you, and
we'll see what damage has been done down in the office."

The assembled cadets made a passageway, and through this filed the Rovers
and their chums with Professor Duke following close on their heels.
Professor Grawson remained behind to talk to Stowell.

"They'll kill me for this--I know they will!" whined Codfish. And now he
was on the verge of tears.

"I don't think the Rovers will touch you, Stowell--I don't think they're
that class of boys," answered Professor Grawson. "Come. I'll go to your
room with you and help you throw those snowballs out of the window." He
had not forgotten that he had been a schoolboy himself once, and he had
small sympathy for such a sneak as Henry Stowell.

Down in Colonel Colby's private office it was found that the big snowball
had done little damage outside of wetting a couple of the rugs. What was
left of the snowball had been gathered up by Pud Hicks, the janitor's
assistant, and now he was mopping up the floor.

"I'll take the rugs and dry 'em in the laundry," said Hicks. "I think
they'll be all right by morning."

"You cadets remain here until I return," said Professor Duke, when Hicks
was ready to depart. And then he went outside and in the hallway held a
whispered conversation with the janitor's assistant.

"I guess we're in for it," said Jack to his cousins and his chums.

"What do you suppose they'll do with us?" questioned Phil.

"I'm sure I don't know."

In a few minutes Snopper Duke returned, and there was a grin of
satisfaction in his eyes as he faced the cadets.

"You will all follow me," he declared, "and I'll show you what can be
done in this school to cadets who act as outrageously as you have acted.
Come! March!" and he led the way out of the private office.

CHAPTER IV

PRISONERS

In one of the wings of the school building there was located a room about
twelve feet square with one window which was barred, and this, as my old
readers know, was known officially as the school guardroom or prison.
Jack and Fred had once been prisoners in this guardroom on a charge that
was afterwards proved to be false.

"Gee! I wonder if he's going to take us to the guardroom?" whispered the
youngest of the Rovers.

"I don't see how he can crowd seven of us into that small room," answered
Randy. "Why, it's only got one cot in it!"

Professor Duke le