The Rover Boys in the Land of Luck: or, Stirring Adventures in the Oil Fields. Stratemeyer Edward

stretching himself. "I think I'll go and hit the hay."

      "Ditto here," came from Ned.

      "I'm real tired myself, and I'd have gone to bed some time ago if you hadn't asked me so many questions," answered Henry Stowell, with a yawn.

      "Then you don't really know much about who discovered the south pole?" said Ned seriously. "You see, I want to put it in a composition I'm writing about cats."

      "I don't see what cats have to do with the south pole," said Stowell innocently.

      "Oh, that's easy, Codfish," said Walt. "Cats like to climb poles, and the south pole is the south pole, isn't it?" And then he and Ned walked off and joined Randy, and all hurried upstairs to the Rovers' rooms.

      As luck would have it Henry Stowell this term was occupying a room by himself. It was a fairly large apartment and furnished with a single bed, a chiffonier, a table, and several chairs. In one corner was a closet in which he kept most of his clothing and also a handbag.

      "Well, what have you done?" questioned Fred, as the twins appeared.

      "We fixed it up so Codfish is going to spend a real pleasant night," answered Andy, with a grin.

      "But what did you do?" came from Jack.

      "Just you fellows wait and see. Walt, will you go out and let us know when Codfish comes up?"

      "I will," answered Walt Baxter, and hurried to a corner of the corridor where he might see without being seen.

      In less than five minutes he came back hurriedly with the information that Stowell had just entered his room.

      "All right, then, fellows, come with me and maybe you will see or hear something worth while," announced Randy gleefully.

      "How are we going to see anything when he shuts his door on us?" questioned Dan.

      "His window is right next to the platform of the new fire-escape," answered Andy. "We'll go out on that, and then maybe we'll see everything that goes on. He always keeps a bright light in his room and always pulls down the shade. But we fixed it so the shade will come down only so far, leaving a crack that we can look through with ease."

      "I hope you haven't done anything to get us in bad with Captain Dale," remarked Jack.

      "Oh, this isn't as bad as all that, Jack," answered Andy. "It's just something to wake Codfish up."

      Led by the twins, the other Rovers and their chums hurried down the side corridor to where there was a red light and a sign, "Fire Escape." Then they threw open a window, and in a moment more stood on the escape mentioned. It was of steel, fairly wide, and ran along past several windows, the second of which belonged to the room occupied by Stowell.

      As they stepped out on the fire escape they saw a light flash up in the sneak's room and a few seconds later the window shade was pulled down.

      "Just as I told you!" Andy exclaimed. "I knew the shade would come down. And see! there is the crack we mentioned. Now, then, line up under the window and we'll see what happens next."

      CHAPTER VIII

      THE JOKE ON THE SNEAK

      The window of Stowell's room had been left open so the boys outside could hear, as well as see, what went on within. They saw the sneak of the school yawn and stretch as if he was tired, and then he lost no time in preparing to retire.

      In one of his pockets he carried a piece of cake, and this he ate with satisfaction while undressing. Then, when clad only in his pajamas, he turned off the light and moved in the semi-darkness toward the bed.

      "Now watch," murmured Andy, somewhat excitedly.

      All outside did so, ranging their heads close together at the open slit of the window. They heard Stowell throw back the covers of the bed and then sit down. An instant later came a cry of surprise.

      "What's this? Oh, dear me! something is in the bed!"