me sick!"

Plainly the majority of the students were very nervous. The only one
who kept calm was Dave, and even he was much disturbed. All walked
along the road, keeping a sharp eye out for the appearance of Paul
Hickson.

"Here he comes!" cried Phil, as a covered wagon came along the road,
driven by the keeper of the Oakdale jail. On the front seat beside the
driver were the constable and Jason Sparr.

"Hi, you boys!" shouted the constable, as the wagon came closer. "I
want to see you!"

"What do you want?" demanded Dave, stepping to the front.

"We want you, for one!" cried the hotel-keeper. "Be careful, Hickson,
that none of 'em get away!" he added.

"I don't know one from tudder," said the constable, doubtfully.

"This is just the bunch we are after, unless I am mistaken," went on
the hotel man. "That is Lawrence there, and Basswood, and this is
Porter, and I think that is Morr," and he pointed to the various
students.

"Good enough. Boys, in the name of the law, I call on you to halt,"
declared the constable, pompously.

"Mr. Sparr, what does this mean?" demanded Dave.

"It means that I am going to have the whole bunch of you arrested!"
shouted the hotel man, harshly. "You blew up my hotel, and I can prove
it! I've got the evidence against every one of you! I am going to have
you arrested right now and sent to prison!" And he shook his fist at
the boys.

"The evidence against us?" faltered Phil.

"Yes, sir, the plain, clear evidence," went on the hotel-keeper,
dramatically. "I've got you just where I want you. I am going to send
every one of you to prison for five or ten years!"

CHAPTER XVIII

THE MEETING ON THE ROAD

There was an intense silence, following the announcement of Jason
Sparr that he intended to send Dave and his chums to prison for
attempting to blow up the hotel. In the meantime the hotel man and the
constable got down from the seat of the covered wagon.

"I've got the warrants fer the arrest, boys," said Constable Hickson,
somewhat importantly.

"Mr. Sparr, I'd like a word with you," said Dave, as calmly as he
could speak under the circumstances.

"I ain't got no more to say than I've said," returned Jason Sparr,
stubbornly. "You done it, and I can prove it! The constable is going
to do his duty and arrest you!"

"Dave, I--I won't stand for it!" whispered Phil, hoarsely. "It's
terrible! I--I can't stand it!" And he began to back away.

"Hi, there! stop!" yelled