s. There weren't any shoes in
it," and poor Shadow got redder than ever.

Dave looked the box over with care. It was a common pasteboard box, with
nothing on it in the way of writing or advertising.

"This certainly is a mystery," he said, slowly. "First the shoes
disappear, and now they come back. I give it up."

"Somebody has been playing a trick on us!" declared Roger. "The question
is, who?"

"I don't know of anybody who would do such a thing, excepting it was Nat
Poole," declared Ben.

"Well, there is no use of taxing Nat with it," declared Dave. "For he
would deny it point-blank, unless you could prove it against him."

The boys talked the affair over until it was time to go down to
breakfast, but they could reach no conclusion regarding the mystery.

"Maybe it will never be explained," said Buster.

"Well, even so, I am glad to get my shoes and slippers back," lisped
Polly Vane.

A few days after the restoration of the foot coverings there came a thaw
and then a sudden cold snap. Ice began to form on the river, and soon
it was thick enough for skating, much to the joy of the students, for
nearly all of them loved to skate. Some of the boys had ice-boats, and
these were also brought out for use.

"I understand that Rockville is going to put out a strong ice-hockey
team this winter," said Roger to Dave one day. "They are going to
challenge us, too."

"Well, we'll have to make up a team to beat 'em," answered Dave.

"That won't be so easy," declared another student. "They have some great
skaters and hockey players at the military academy this season. They've
got one player who is a star."

"Who is that?"

"Will Mallory. He came from down East, and he is the slickest ice-hockey
player you ever set eyes on."

"Well, if they challenge us we'll do our best," declared Dave, and some
others said the same.

The next day, after school, Dave had occasion to go to Oakdale on an
errand. Roger was going along, but at the last minute had to stay
behind, so Dave went alone.

He had scarcely passed out of the school grounds when he noticed that he
was being followed. A tall, thin man had stepped from behind some oak
trees, and was coming after him.

"I wonder what that chap was doing around the school?" the youth asked
himself.

He walked along rapidly, and the man did the same. Then Dave slackened
his pace, and the follower did likewise.

"He doesn't want to catch up to me, that's sure," thought the you