butcher's shop long enough to purchase a small fish, which he carefuly wrapped in paper. He was one of the first students in the classroom and he watched his opportunity, putting the parcel in Frank Hardy's desk. Then, before the Hardy boys arrived, he put in the time acquainting his chums with the events of the previous night, so that by the time Frank and Joe came in sight there was scarcely a student in the school who did not know of their blunder.
"It sure is one on the Hardy boys," remarked Tony Prito.
"I'll say it is," returned Biff Hooper. "They don't usually trip up like that."
"Trip up? They never do—that is, hardly ever," put in another pupil.
"They are the cleverest fellows in this burg," came from one of the other students. "Of course, everybody falls down once in a while."
"Just the same, it must gall them to think of how they were fooled."
"You bet."
Frank and Joe did not at first notice the air of mystery and the grinning faces, as they entered the school yard, but they were soon enlightened. A freshman, apparently very much frightened, came over to them at Chet's bidding.
"Please," he said, "my mother wants to know if you'll call at our house after school."
