th its outdoor parade and
spend that time in a drill in the gymnasium. After this was over the
Rovers and some of their chums amused themselves on the bars, swinging
rings, and with the exercising machines the gymnasium afforded.

The boys were doing all sorts of stunts, when suddenly Fred called Randy
to one side.

"Come on with me," he said in a low voice. "I think I've discovered
something."

His manner showed that he had something unusual on his mind, and Randy
lost no time in doing as was bidden. The two cousins hurried to a corner
of the gymnasium, and then Fred led the way up a narrow stairway, which
opened up on the second floor of the building, a place which was heated,
but seldom used by the majority of the cadets. It was used more as a
storeroom, and contained a lot of disused gymnasium paraphernalia and
boxes and barrels.

"What's going on up here?" questioned Randy, when his cousin placed a
hand over his mouth.

"I just saw Slugger and Nappy come up here with Codfish," whispered
Fred. "And those three wouldn't come to such an out-of-the-way place if
there wasn't something in the wind."

"You're right there, Fred," was the equally low reply. "When those three
get together on the sly there is generally something brewing."

Before emerging on the second floor of the gymnasium, they looked around
cautiously. At the far end, near a steam radiator, they saw Slugger and
Nappy seated on a couple of boxes, while Codfish rested on the top of an
old nail keg. The two older boys were puffing away at cigarettes,
something that was against the school rules.

"Might as well have a cigarette, Henry," Slugger was saying
good-naturedly, and, at the same time, holding out a box.

"I--I don't think I will," answered Codfish.

"Oh, go ahead. It will make a man of you," put in Nappy; and, somewhat
against his will, the small cadet took a cigarette and lit it.

While this was going on, Fred and Randy had managed to step from the top
of the stairs to where a number of boxes were piled up. They moved along
cautiously, and soon got to within a few feet of where the other three
cadets were seated, without being noticed.

"Now, then, let's come to business!" remarked Slugger, after puffing
away at a cigarette for a moment. He blew a cloud of smoke to the
ceiling. "I think now is a dandy time to get square with those Rovers."

"But you want to be careful--they are awful sly," said Codfish.

"I think you are mistaken, H