seemed to retire from the spot. Their laughter and songs now faded far away
in the distance.

"Well," uttered Bob, getting his eyes clear and his arms free, "we've had
an experience."

"I should say so," echoed Frank. "That old ice chute they dropped us into
must have been a hundred feet long."

"The hogshead they rolled us downhill in went double that distance,"
declared Bob.

"Well, let's get out of this," advised Frank.

That was more easily said than done. Comparative strangers as yet to the
country surrounding Bellwood, even when they had got on solid ground out of
the muck and mire of the boggy waste, they knew not which way to turn.

It was dark as Erebus and the wind was blowing a gale. Nowhere on the
landscape could they discover a guiding light. They were in a scrubby little
patch of woods, and they were confused even as to the points of the
compass.

"I think this is the direction of the academy," said Frank, striking out on
a venture.

"Yes; and we want to get there soon, too," replied Bob, "for we're going to
have a great storm in a few minutes."

As Bob spoke the big drops began to splash down. As the lads emerged upon a