rds. Then for a while
no more finished. Chub and Jack and the others disappeared into the
gymnasium, and Doctor and Mrs. Emery returned to the Cottage. Harry,
however, still remained. It was getting dim now, and when, after five or
six minutes had passed, more runners reached the fence it was impossible
to identify them. But when they drew near a shout went up. Two of them
were First Seniors, one was a Middler and one a Junior. The First
Seniors needed but one more runner now to give them the cup. And a few
minutes later he came in the person of Bacon and received the biggest
sort of a welcome. From then on until almost dinner time the others
straggled in to find the finish deserted and to crawl weariedly up the
gymnasium steps. Harry had taken her departure when Bacon had finished,
returning to the Cottage through the gathering twilight, looking, unless
her face belied her, rather disappointed, and telling herself over and
over that she was awfully glad Roy Porter hadn't won.

Dinner that evening was a jolly meal. Every fellow was frantically
hungry for his turkey and sweet potatoes and mince pie and the
appropriate "trimmings." The First Seniors drank their sweet cider out
of the mug they had captured, passing it from one to another like a
loving cup. Perhaps there was no one there who had a bigger appetite or
more to tell in the way of adventures than Sidney Welch, and he talked a
steady streak until Chub told him he'd choke himself.

It was not until dinner was well-nigh over that Roy's absence was noted
by any save Chub. But when, at half-past nine, he had not returned, the
matter was reported to Doctor Emery and the telephone became busy. But
neither Carroll nor Silver Cove knew anything of the missing boy. The
Principal waited until eleven o'clock, and then a searching party was
made up. Mr. Cobb and Mr. Buckman took charge and with four of the older
boys and Chub, who was taken along to show where Roy had last been seen,
left the Cottage at a little after eleven. They carried two lanterns and
Jack Rogers had slipped a revolver into his pocket which, he said, could
be heard where a shout couldn't. But he said nothing to the instructors
about it, since firearms were forbidden and Jack feared confiscation.
Mr. Emery saw them off from the Cottage porch and instructed Mr. Cobb to
telephone him from Carroll or Silver Cove if he had a chance. It was as
dark as pitch as they made their way across the field and found the