ng 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
his suspicions concerning the probable identity of the skulker. It
was Leon Disney!

CHAPTER VIII

LEON PROMISES TO REFORM

The startled boy struggled to get free, but Hugh had taken a firmer
grip upon his person, and saw to it that he could not squirm loose.

"Quit your kicking!" cried Thad, indignantly, when one of the
fellow's shoes came in rough contact with his own shins; "or we'll
start something along the same lines! We know you, Leon Disney, so
there's no use trying to hide your face."

Leaning over, Thad groped around until he managed to find the hand
that held the little electric torch. This latter article he tore
from the grasp of Leon, and immediately pressed the button that
caused the battery to work. The intense darkness around them was
dissipated to some degree. Thad threw the glow directly into the
face of the fellow Hugh was holding.

Leon stopped his desperate struggles. He realized that the game was
up so far as trying to keep his identity a secret; and, being a most
resourceful sort of chap, he now resorted to another little scheme
which he had undoubtedly thought out, to be used in case he was
discovered, and cornered, while on his night mission.

"Oh! is that you, Hugh?" he burst out, in a shaky voice. "Say, you
gave me an _aw_ful scare! I thought it must be some old tramp that
grabbed me, sure I did. It's all right now, Hugh, and I'm not
wanting to clear out, since I know who you are. That's Thad, too, I
reckon, holding my little flash-light. How you did startle me,
though. I never dreamed anybody was around here when I started to
come back after my watch."

"What's that you say?" gasped Thad; "your watch? Tell that to the
marines, Leon Disney!"

"But it's so, I tell you. Thad, it sure is," persisted the other
tenaciously, as though he had laid all his plans for just such an
"accident," whereby his attempt to rob Hugh's locker would be held
up. "I believe I must have forgotten to take it out of my locker
this evening when I was dressing, after hard work on the field,
running, and practisi