ed him all right?" inquired Hawley anxiously.

"I know I did," replied Foster.

"If you did then he couldn't have got loose. I wonder if Mott and the
sophs could have done it? Come on! We'll go in and tell Mr. Whitaker and
he may be able to give us a point or two. There's a light in the
kitchen, and we'll probably find him there. Come on, fellows!"

Hastily the boys ran to the kitchen door, and in response to their knock
Mr. Whitaker himself opened the door and stood before them.

"Mr. Whitaker," began Foster, "do you know who took our horse and
sleigh?"

"Why! Why, I supposed that you did. Two young men came into the yard not
more than three minutes ago and took them away."

"They did? Then it _was_ the sophs," said Foster turning to his
comrades. "We'll never hear the last of it. We can't get a horse here,
can we, Mr. Whitaker?" he inquired eagerly.

"I fear not. I have none of my own, and there are not many to be had
here anyway."

"Did they start toward Winthrop?"

"I think so. They turned toward the lower road."

"Let's get after them," suggested Foster.

"A long way after them," said Will grimly. "We never could catch up with
them."

"Mr. Whitaker," said Hawley, "how long ago were the canes taken away
from here?"

The good man hesitated, and the freshman without waiting for him to
speak began again. "We belong to the same class as your grandson. We're
freshmen and we don't want the sophs to get those canes."

"I regret exceedingly that I had anything to do with it, but my grandson
over-persuaded me and so I consented. I should say that it was about an
hour ago when they came for the canes."

"Who came?"

"There were two young gentlemen, and they brought me a note which
informed me that I was to let them take the canes away."

"A note?" demanded Hawley. "What did it say? Who signed it?"

"It was signed by Hawley--Albert Hawley, if I recollect aright, and also
by my grandson."

"My name is Hawley and somebody forged it. The sophs have the canes and
I'm afraid it's too late--"

"Too late nothing, Hawley!" said Will impulsively. "What kind of a rig,
I mean wagon or sleigh or whatever it was, did they have?" he inquired
of the minister.

"It was a box wagon, a farm wagon, and they had a farmer to drive for
them."

"Did you know the man?" demanded Will.

"No. I cannot say that I did. He was a stranger to me. But the note--"

"Probably some soph disguised as a farmer. Did he have any other