The Hilltop Boys

sfied to accept Jack Sheldon on the same footing as ha

e new boys and any interference seemed like a curtailing o

aid to Merritt when he was alone with a few of his cronies after Harry Dicks

it, Pete," re

ng in the dormitories," remarke

e party all being interested in the scheme which they k

owled Herring. "He'll be watching for us and then he has

h him alone," su

e talk," a

ng, "and if you fellows will stop talking

odds against him and never had a notion that there was

and strength as well as in athletic qualities and a good boxer to boot, and t

the thing besides getting up a

don't want the profs. comin

lot of other fools that have taken u

d Merritt, who never lost a chance to jeer any one, hi

can we talk the thing over if y

als yourself for keeping your mo

up?" snarled the other. "M

without me, all the same, so

abble there'll be nothing done a

eader of the bullies, angrily. "If he don't want to go into this

e most of it?"

the boys, who wanted to hear

said Herring. "There's the woods and the road and a lot of ot

f cour

te and get him away from the buildings

are and take the no

her, for we'll have masks o

ed Merritt, who could not resist the tem

him, however, knowing that one

off by himself and then do the job up brown. If he don't

ed Holt. "Steal his clothes an

him back," suggested another, "Th

right," muttered Herring.

ere seen approaching at that mome

directions. Those fellows might get a n

rections, and Harry, who was one

ks are not plotting against the

robably has to do with some of the new fellows or with the l

r Jack, they will get all that's co

d take care of himself, didn't y

ers," replied B

er when there was no chance of being interrupted by any of J

right," sa

ed it up better my

the trick,"

re supper, Jack happened to be passing the rear of

sah," said the man. "Yo' was to call

ooth, Bucephalu

switch fo' mah conwenience. Yo'

where he saw a telephone receiver and tr

p the number which Bucephalus had give

s?" he presently h

o call you up. Who is this

is an express package for you here that h

hought that the voice sounded rather t

unded suspiciously like that of Peter He

t what he had had was sufficient to make him remembe

through the woods as you leave the Academy and get here in a few minutes. It's s

re any

r you. Hurry up!" and Jack heard the sound of

went out, finding Bucephalus

tullyphome, ain't it? Werry myster'ous, too. Just think o' hearin' a man talkin'

laughed Jack, who had ideas of his own which he d

not talking to the station any more than I was talking to the President of the Unit

ranch of the Academy telephone, and that the story of

y himself that the bully would not rest at one attempt t

eard him speak," he said to himself as he ran o

then he appeared at the front of the Academ

e building, he took a cut through the woods as direc

ockets, and seemed absolutely carefree and hap

n ambush and w

night at Hilltop, and he now suspected that anothe

ys of boys, being one himself, although not of the sor

nearly all of them, having put more than one hazing

ss fashion and seemed to pay no attention to anything, he notice

when his quick ear caught the sound of a sudden rustling in a clump of thick shrub oaks just in front

figures suddenly sprang out upo

his hands out

to co