m and send them all to prison?

CHAPTER XIX

LOOKING FOR THE RUNAWAYS

When Dave and Roger went to the midday meal in the dining-room they
looked all over for Phil, Ben, and Buster, but the three were not in
sight.

"Dave, they haven't come back yet."

"So I see," returned our hero, and he was much disturbed. He ate
sparingly, and the senator's son also had but little appetite for the
meal.

"Say, what's become of those chaps?" questioned Shadow.

"I'll tell you later," answered Dave. "Don't say anything now--and
tell the others to keep quiet, too."

But such a happening could not be kept quiet, and soon it was
whispered around that Phil, Ben, and Buster were missing. This
presently got to the ears of Andrew Dale, and the head assistant
teacher sought out Dave for an explanation.

"I understand you went out with Lawrence, Basswood, and Beggs this
morning, Porter," said the teacher. "They are not yet back. Do you
know where they went?"

"They went off in a motor-boat, that is all I know about that part of
it, Mr. Dale. Roger Morr and I would like to speak to you and Doctor
Clay in private. It is very important," went on our hero.

"Very well. Come at once to the office and I will call the doctor."

A little later found the two youths in the office with Doctor Clay and
his head assistant. There, as briefly as he could, Dave told his
story, and Roger corroborated what was said. The head of the school
was deeply interested and not a little alarmed.

"This is certainly serious," he declared, with a grave shake of his
head. "It reflects not only on you but on this school. I must look
into this at once." And then he asked many questions, and Andrew Dale
did the same.

"Running away makes it look bad for Lawrence, Beggs, and Basswood,"
remarked Mr. Dale. "They should have stood their ground, as Morr and
Porter did."

"That hotel man and the constable probably scared them so they did not
know what they were doing," returned Doctor Clay. He turned to the
boys. "You have no idea where they went?"

"No, sir, excepting that they went up the river in the Kingsley
motor-boat. They know Tom Kingsley quite well and he lets them use the
boat once in a while."

"Do you think you could find them, if I let you off to do so?"

"We could try, sir."

"Then you may go at once. Tell them it was very foolish to run away,
and urge them to come back at once," added Doctor Clay.

A little more conversation followe