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Page 29
"I think it is a first-rate one. But hadn't we better wait till the
instructors turn in?" suggested Adler.
"No; the boats will all be hoisted up to the davits at sunset. We must
do it while the professors are at supper, or not at all. We want eight
oars for the barge, and six for the third cutter; that makes fourteen
fellows. Can we raise as many as that?"
"Yes, I think we can; we will try, at any rate."
"But you must look out, or some fellow will blow the whole thing," added
Wilton. "Mind whom you speak to."
The trustworthiness of the various students was canvassed, and it was
decided what ones should be invited to join the enterprise. The
discontented boys separated, and went to work with great caution to
obtain the needed recruits. Unfortunately, in such a crowd of young men,
there are always enough to engage in any mischievous plot, and it is
quite likely that twice as many as were wanted could have been obtained
to man the boats in the runaway expedition.
Wilton missed Shuffles very much in arranging the details of the present
enterprise. While at the Brockway Academy, they had plotted mischief so
often that each seemed to be necessary to the other. But Shuffles had
reformed; he was now third lieutenant of the ship, and it was not safe
to suggest a conspiracy to him, for he would attempt to gain favor with
the principal by exposing or defeating it.
Yet Shuffles was so bold in thought, and so daring in execution, that
Wilton could hardly abandon the hope of obtaining his assistance;
besides, the third lieutenant would be officer of the deck when the
professors went to supper, and might wink at their departure in the
boats, if he did not actually help them off.
"Would you say anything to Shuffles?" asked Wilton, still in doubt, of
Monroe, as they happened to meet again in the waist.
"To Shuffles!" exclaimed Monroe, in an energetic whisper.
"I mean so."
"Certainly not. I should as soon think of speaking to Lowington
himself."
"But Shuffles may join us. He is always in for a good time."
"Why, you ninny, he is third lieutenant of the ship."
"No matter if he is. I think Shuffles would like to join us."
"Nonsense! He has been in office only three days, and it would break
him. He would be degraded to the steerage," replied Monroe, who could
not help thinking that Wilton was beside himself in proposing such a
thing, and that the enterprise was doomed to failure in such incompetent
hands.
"If he won't join us, perhaps he will help us off. He is officer of the
deck, you know, in the second dog watch."
"I know he is; but don't you open your mouth to him. If you do, I'll
back out at once."
"Back out?"
"Yes, back out. I believe you are crazy. Why don't you go to Captain
Carnes, and done with it?" said Monroe, with energy.
"I haven't any hold on Carnes, and I have on Shuffles."
"What do you mean?" asked the prudent conspirator, curiously.
"If Shuffles won't join us, he won't blow on us, you may depend upon
that. He wouldn't dare to do it. I could break him before sundown, if I
chose," said Wilton, with conscious power.
"That alters the case."
"Of course, I shouldn't think of saying anything to him, if I did not
know what I was talking about. I have him where the hair is short, and
he knows it, as well as I do."
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