His eyes had just closed when he awoke with a start.

Someone was treading lightly past the wall of the tent, coming
toward the door. Dick had barely time to glide back behind the
flap of the tent when the unknown someone stopped at the doorway.

It was too dark to make out anything distinctly under the canvas,
but the stranger listened to the combined snorings of five of
the six boys, then chuckled softly.

"Oh! Funny, is it, to think that we're all asleep, and that you
may help yourself at will to the food that cost us so much money!"
thought Dick wrathfully. The stranger hearing no sound from the
apparently sleeping camp soon passed on in the direction of the
fire.

Here much of the provisions had been stacked in the packing case
cupboards, for the reason that to store food in the tent would
seriously curtail the space that the boys wanted for comfort.

Out of the tent crept Dick, crouching. His heart was beating
a trifle faster than usual, perhaps, for he saw at once that the
prowler was larger than himself.

Before one of the box cupboards the prowler halted and rummaged
inside with his hands.

"I guess this is where I need a light," mused the stranger, half
aloud.