began to clamber swiftly upward, using his hands on the rope and his
feet against the wall.

Teeny-bits at once recognized the person who was performing this
suspicious-appearing bit of acrobatics but he was astounded by his
discovery. The person who was fast making his way upward, who even now
had reached the third story and was climbing into the open window, was
none other than Snubby Turner, the genial and innocent-appearing
quarter-back of the scrub team. In the first place it was almost
unbelievable that Snubby with his tremendous interest in the approaching
football game should be absent from the mass meeting; in the second
place it seemed even more incredible to Teeny-bits that this friend of
his should be guilty of stealing the property of his schoolmates.

The newcomer at Ridgley remained standing in the bushes as if frozen to
the spot. He was revolving in his mind many things: Snubby's seemingly
frank and happy manner, the fact that it was he who had first reported a
loss, his interest in the subsequent thefts. It seemed impossible; and
yet here was indisputable evidence that Snubby had chosen a moment when
the dormitory was deserted to break into one of the rooms.

Whose room was it, anyway? Teeny-bits, still looking upward, suddenly
realized that the room into which Snubby had broken was Tracey
Campbell's; confusing thoughts were still sweeping through his mind when
he became aware that some one who was stepping swiftly along the walk
that passed close behind the hall was almost upon him. Teeny-bits never
knew just why he followed the sudden impulse that came over him. His
first thought was that he did not want any one to see him standing there
in the shrubbery apparently without reason; he started to crouch, but
his quick movement caught the eye of the person who was passing. The
footfalls came to a sudden pause, and a voice, which Teeny-bits
recognized as that of Mr. Stevens, the English master, called out:

"Who's that?"

With a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach, Teeny-bits stepped
out of the bushes and said:

"It's Findley Holbrook--" and then, as if for good measure, he added his
nickname--"Teeny-bits."

"What's up?" asked Mr. Stevens.

The question was put pleasantly, but Teeny-bits knew that behind it
there must be wonder and suspicion--yes, surely suspicion--for it was
not an ordinary circumstance to find a member of the school concealing
himself close to the rear windows of one of