replied Tom.

It took the best part of three hours to put the room back into shape.
Some ink had been spilled on one of the mattresses, and the glass over
one of the photographs had been broken, but that was all the real
damage that had been done, and it looked to be accidental. The wad of
paper in the keyhole was picked out piece-meal by means of a big
fishhook. The key was in the heap on the floor, having been flung
through the open transom after the door was locked and plugged.

"Well, he got back at you right enough," said Songbird, while the room
was being re-arranged.

"Dot's chust vot he did, py golly!" came from Max Spangler.

After this incident the boys settled down to their studies for the best
part of a week. Tom was now doing very well, although he still
complained of his head.

"I've got an idea," said Sam, one afternoon, after the Eclipse photo
playhouse in Ashton had been opened. "Why can't we make up a party
some afternoon or evening and take the girls to the show?"

"I thought of that," answered Tom. "But don't you think it would be
best for us to go alone first and see what sort of a place it is? Some
of these country show places have pretty rough audiences."

"Oh, Ashton isn't such a common town as that, Tom. But maybe it would
be better to size it up first. What do you say if we go down next
Wednesday evening? We might make up a little party, with Songbird and
the others."

"That suits me."

The matter was talked over with the others, and it was speedily
arranged that nine of the students should go, including Sam, Tom,
Songbird, and Spud. Stanley could not get away, and Max had some
lessons he wanted to make up.

"I hope they have some thrilling films," said Tom, when the time came
to leave for Ashton. "I hate these wishy-washy love stories and
would-be funny scenes. I once saw a shipwreck that was fine, and a
slide down a mountainside that couldn't be beaten."

"Well, we'll have to take what comes," said Sam. "I understand they
change the pictures twice a week."

When the students arrived at the playhouse in Ashton an agreeable
surprise awaited them. Instead of the dingy hall they had expected to
see, they saw that the place had been completely transformed. There
was a large electric sign over the door, and several big billboards
announced the various attractions. A crowd was purchasing tickets at
the booth in front, and already the showhouse was half filled for the