n't you want to become a
member?"

"I--I guess I've changed my mind!" stammered the youth. "I--er--I can't
stand cold baths, nohow. If you--Hello, what's this!" And of a sudden he
pitched over some dark object, and went headlong.

"Ouch!" came in another voice. "Ouch! What do you mean by kicking me in
the ribs?" And a groan of pain followed.

"Who is behind those bushes?" asked Dave.

"Must be a spy!" returned Phil.

"A spy! A spy! Capture him!"

"Don't let him get back to the school!"

On the instant there was great excitement, and fully a dozen members of
the Gee Eyes rushed forward and caught hold of the escaping victim, and
the fellow over whom he had stumbled. Both were dragged forward, and the
light of a lantern was turned on the unknown.

"Why, it's Nat Poole!"

"He was spying on us!"

"Maybe he was going to report us!"

"You le--let go of me!" stammered Nat. He put his hand to his side.
"That fellow half killed me!" And he gave another groan.

"What were you doing in the bushes?" demanded Ben, sternly.

"Me? Why--er--nothing."

"Yes, you were."

"I'll wager a button he was going to report us!" exclaimed another
student.

"It ain't so!" whined Nat. "Ain't I got a right to be here? I'm a
member."

"No, you are not--you've been cast out!" answered a deep bass voice.

"If he wants to be one of us, he's got to be initiated all over again!"
said Phil, in a disguised voice. "What say, boys, shall we do it?"

"Yes! yes! Put him with the others!"

"Sure thing! Nat, you are just in time!"

"We'll give you an initiation you'll never forget, a regular three-ply,
dyed in the wool, warranted storm-proof initiation," added Ben, in
tragic tones.

"I don't want to be initiated again!" howled the money-lender's son.
"I've had enough of this society. You let me go!"

"Not to-night!" was the firm answer, and much against his will Nat was
forced to go along with the crowd; and thus his plan to find out what
they were going to do, and then carry the news to Doctor Clay, was
nipped in the bud.

"We were lucky to catch Nat," whispered Dave to Roger, as the whole
crowd proceeded through the woods, led by Buster and Ben. "I am certain
he was spying on us for no good purpose."

"Exactly, Dave, and we want to watch him right along," returned the
senator's son. "First thing you know, he'll be giving our football
signals and tricks away to Rockville and the other schools we are going
to play."

Nat had be