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132 "I heard the alarm bell ring, and I jumped up," said Jerry Jackson, innocently.

"So did I," echoed his brother.

"Who rang the bell?" the proctor wanted to know.

"Could the heat waves have done it?" suggested Professor Newton, who was much interested in science. "It is possible," and he looked up in the direction of the belfry, and shivered slightly, for he was only partly dressed.

"I rang the bell," admitted Frank Simpson, in a low voice.

"Ah, then we have to thank you for discovering the fire and giving the alarm," went on the proctor. "It was"

"We all discovered the blaze at the same time," remarked Tom, desperately, and he indicated his companions.

"That's right," agreed Sid and Phil. They made up their minds that they were in for it now.

"Oh, you saw it from your window, I presume," went on Mr. Zane, "and you came out"

Then, for the first time, he seemed to realize that the quartette were attired in dress-suits—wet, bedraggled, chemical-marked and scorched evening clothes—but still dress-suits.

"Oh, ah, er—that is" he began.

"We were coming home from a dance over at