ce probably have
orders to keep their eyes on the place."

Seeing Jack shortly afterward, Dick told his friend what he had
learned and added:

"The Riverton police would simply keep a watch against strangers, but
the doctor evidently thinks that some of our own Hilltoppers need
watching, and he has, therefore, taken this means of doing it.

"I am sorry that he has had to," said Jack, "but after all the
doctor appears to be living up to his name. We must find out who
the fellows were, Dick, for the sake of the decent boys of the
Academy, not that I care so much about my boat."

"We will do it, Jack," said Percival shortly.

CHAPTER V

AN ALARM IN THE NIGHT

The day passed as usual, Percival saying no more about trying to
discover the miscreants who had sought to injure Jack's boat, and
Jack being too busy to think of it.

That evening they had visitors from a fine house in the neighborhood,
the owner of which, quite a wealthy man, complimented Dr. Wise on
the good character of the boys, adding in rather a pompous manner:

"I must say, Doctor, that since you have been encamped on the river
I have had nothing to complain of on account of your boys. Most
boarding school boys are inclined to be mischievous, and to cause
a good deal of annoyance to persons living in the neighborhood, but
I must say-----"

"The Academy is not an ordinary boarding school, Mr. Vanderdonk, and
the character of the young gentlemen in my charge-----"

"I beg your pardon, sir, but your pronunciation of my name shows
that you do not quite understand the way it is divided. It is Van
der Donk, with an equal emphasis upon each syllable, not Vanderdonk,
with the accent on the first. I am most particular about the
pronunciation of the name, which is that of one of the earliest
settlers of the Hudson valley, and a very distinguished one, I may
say. I am exceedingly proud of my origin, pardonably so, perhaps,
but still most proud."

"Dr. Wise does not care anything about genealogy, Father," spoke
up Miss Margaret, daughter of the proud descendant of the Van der
Donks, "and you should not have spoken of the Academy boys as
boarding school boys. They attend a military Academy, the fame of
which is as great as that of your ancestors. Everybody along the
Hudson valley knows the Hilltop boys and any young gentleman might
be proud to be one of them."

Miss Margaret was a very pretty girl, a bit spoiled, perhaps, but
the idol of h