ed away and left Randy alone on the post.

CHAPTER XXI

STRANGE NOISES

Left to himself Randy tramped up and down slowly along the post
assigned to him. The distance was several hundred feet, and at either
end he met another guard. One of these was Codfish, and it must be
admitted that the sneak of Colby Hall was thoroughly scared.

"I don't like this at all," Codfish declared, when he and Randy met.
"There's a terrible wind sighing through those trees."

"Have you seen anybody?" questioned Randy.

"I thought I did, but I'm not sure whether it was some person or an
animal."

"When was that?"

"Nearly an hour ago."

"Maybe it was the same person Ned Lowe thought he saw," went on Randy.
"He called out, but nobody answered."

"If I see anybody again, I'll shoot off my gun and call the corporal,"
announced Codfish.

His whole manner showed that he was much disturbed. His post was
along the edge of the wood beyond where Randy was stationed, but the
latter saw that the sneak never walked very close to the trees and
brushwood.

The time dragged heavily, and Randy heaved a sigh when he looked at
his watch and found that it was only one o'clock.

The young cadet, as was the custom with many of the lads, had supplied
himself with a thin cake of sweet chocolate, and to help pass the time
he munched on bits of this. Then it commenced to rain, the scattering
drops making quite a noise on the trees and fallen leaves.

Fortunately Randy had brought his raincoat with him. It hung on a bush
about midway between the ends of his post, and, turning, he hurried to
get the garment. He was just in time to see a figure sliding away
between the bushes. This figure had confiscated the raincoat only a
few seconds before.

"Come back here!" yelled Randy, in justifiable anger. "Come back, I
say, or I'll fire at you!"

"Fire, and be hanged!" came in a somewhat familiar voice. Evidently
the speaker knew that Randy's rifle contained only blank cartridges.

Randy's blood was up, for he felt certain the raincoat had been taken
by one of his fellow cadets, probably Werner or Glutts. Leaping
forward, he cleared some low bushes at a bound, and then made after
the figure skulking along among the trees.

"Drop that raincoat or I'll crack you on the head with my gun!" he
roared, as he drew closer to the fleeing fellow.

"Keep back, or it will be the worse for you, Randy Rover!" cried the
other cadet, and now Randy recognized