Acton remained watching at the window while the others hastily cleared
away all traces of the feast; the Triple Alliance retired to their own
room, and nothing further was heard or seen of the mysterious visitor.

The next morning it was discovered that Mr. Blake had not returned from
Fenley, and the five other members of the supper club were inclined to
regard Diggory's vision of the midnight intruder as a sort of waking
nightmare, resulting from an overdose of cake and pork-pie. Two days
later Cross came into the schoolroom in a great state of excitement.

"Look here, you fellows," he exclaimed: "some one keeps taking away my
things out of the shed, and not putting them back. Last week I missed a
saw and two chisels, and now that brace and nearly all the bits are
gone. It's a jolly shame!"

Carpentering was Cross's great hobby, and his collection of tools was an
exceptionally good one, both as regards quantity and quality. Every
one, however, denied having touched the things mentioned. A general
search was made; but the missing articles could not be found, and at
length the matter was reported to Mr. Welsby.

The latter was evidently greatly displeased on hearing the facts of the
case. As soon as dinner was over he called the school together, and
after standing for some moments in silence, frowning at the book he
carried in his hand, said briefly,--

"With regard to these tools, there is a word which has never been used
before in connection with any pupil at The Birches, and which I hope I
may never have occasion to use again. I can hardly think it possible