ome on,
let's get about it."

At once the two freshmen began their search. Beginning near the
entrance, they examined every bin and peered into every possible place
of concealment. Even in the mangers before which the horses were tied
they peered and searched, but when they had carefully examined the
entire floor they had not been able to discover the place where the
coveted canes had been concealed.

"What are we to do, Will?" demanded Foster at last.

"Let's ask Mott."

"He'll never let on."

"Try it, anyway."

The two boys returned to the harness room and Will at once addressed
their prisoner.

"Mott," he said, "where are those canes?"

The sophomore laughed loudly as he replied, "You certainly are the two
most innocent freshmen I have ever struck yet. Perhaps you'd like to
have me help you carry them back to the college."

"We'll let you go if you'll tell us where they are."

"Thanks muchly," replied Mott dryly.

"Come on, Will," said Foster. "We can find them ourselves. No use in
wasting time here with this fellow. We'll get them ourselves."

"You're certain they're here?" laughed Mott.

Neither responded to his question, but both left the room and resumed
their search.

"You don't suppose they have really got those canes somewhere else, do
you, Foster? They might be just trying to put us on the wrong track
here, you know?" inquired Will.

"It's possible, but I don't believe it," said Foster positively. "If
that was their game Mott wouldn't be here."

"Probably not," assented Will. "Let's begin again. We've no time to
waste."

The freshmen now began to search in the loft of the barn. They seized
the pitchforks that were in the mow, and, thrusting the tines into the
hay, they continued their search, working with desperate determination
and throwing the hay about them until the entire mow presented the
appearance of having been almost completely overturned.

But not a trace of the missing canes could they discover. At last,
satisfied that their efforts were vain, they ceased and for a moment
stared blankly at each other.

"No use," said Will despondently. "They've made game of us this time,
Foster, just as sure as you live."

"We won't give up yet, Will. Of course if the canes are here they were
not put where we'd be likely to stumble over them. We've just got to
think it out--"

Foster stopped abruptly as a voice was heard calling up from below. "I
must bid you an affectionate and tearf