later, when the occupants of dormitories Nos. 11 and 12 got up, they were surprised to find, just inside of one of the doors, a big pasteboard box, securely tied with a heavy cord.
"Why, what's this?" asked Phil, who was the first to see the box.
"Must be a Christmas box!" cried Dave. "And yet it is rather early in the season for that."
"Is it addressed to anybody?" questioned Ben.
"Nothing on it," announced Roger, after an inspection. "Maybe the box was placed in this room by mistake."
"Let us open it and see what is inside," suggested Polly Vane.
"I second that motion," added Luke. "Hope it's got some nice Christmas pies in it."
"Maybe it's a trick," cautioned Shadow. "Go slow on opening it."
The boys pushed the box to the center of the dormitory with care, and then Roger cut the cord with his pocketknife.
"You open it," said Phil to Dave.
"I am not afraid," answered Dave, and took off the cover.
And then what a shout went up!
"Our shoes, and boots, and slippers!"
"Where in the world did this come from!"
"Say, I thought my shoes were gone for good!"
