to look upon in the light of enemies was crushed in Nick Lang. He
had carried on with a "high horse" too long already, and, for one,
Hugh felt as though combined action should be taken against him by
the respectable fellows of Scranton High.

But it was far from Hugh's intention to stand there and see his locker
robbed by such an unprincipled fellow as Leon Disney, if, indeed, the
skulker proved to be the party they suspected. Possibly Hugh moved
too soon, for it would have been much wiser had he waited until the
sneak thief actually had the locker open, and disclosed his full
intention.

Urged on to action by his indignation, Hugh started forward. Thad,
realizing that it was his chum's intention to do something radical,
skipped off a little to the right. He fancied that should the skulker
take the alarm and try to flee, making for the open window in the
rear, he was apt to turn aside and try to pass by; so his move was
intended to block this little game.

It turned out to be needless, for so interested as the fellow with
the flash-light in his work of inserting a key in the lock, and trying
to turn it, that he did not appear to notice anything wrong until
Hugh was close at his elbow. Then, as Thad slipped around to one
side to cover all lines of retreat. Hugh reached out a hand and
caught hold of the fellow by the shoulder. At the same time he
exclaimed in a severe voice:

"Well, what are you doing here, I want to know, trying to break
into my locker?"