Jack Ranger's Western Trip Part 11

"Hardly any," replied Higley. "Only a puff and lots of smoke, but it will leave its mark all right, and I guess those fresh friends of Jack Ranger's will laugh on the other corner of their mouths."

"I'd like to get even with them before the term closes," put in Adrian.

"We'll do it all right," went on Ed.

"Don't be too sure of that," whispered Jack.

It did not require much effort on the part of Jack and Sam to understand what the three conspirators were up to. Their conversation, which floated through the opened window, and their references to certain localities put the two listeners in possession of the whole scheme.

"Well, if that isn't the limit," said Jack in a whisper. "I wouldn't believe they'd dare to do it."

"How can we foil their plans?" asked Sam.

"Hark, some one is coming," said Jack, dropping down on his hands and knees, an example which Sam followed. Then came a cautious signal, a whistle.

"It's John Smith, my Indian friend!" exclaimed Jack. "He must have just got back," for the half-breed had been away for a few weeks, as one of his relatives was ill. Jack sounded a cautious whistle in reply, and soon the Indian student was at his side. There were hurried greetings, and Jack soon explained the situation.

"Let me think it over a minute," said John Smith. "It takes me rather suddenly."

For a few seconds John remained in deep thought. Then he exclaimed:

"I think I have it. Have you any chemicals in your room, Jack?"

"Plenty," was the answer. "I've been boning on that lately, and I got a fresh supply from the laboratory the other day to experiment with."

"Then I think we'll make these chaps open their eyes."

The three friends hurried to Jack's room, where they were busy for some time, behind carefully drawn shades. At the end of about two hours, Jack, who had been keeping watch from a window, exclaimed:

"There they go with the stuff. It's time we got a move on."

"They'll not set it off until midnight," spoke Sam, "That's what they said. We'll have time enough to do what we are going to."

The three friends worked hurriedly. When they had finished they had several packages. Down the trellis they went and out on the campus, which was shrouded in darkness.

They made their way to the foot of a statue of George Was.h.i.+ngton, which stood on a broad base in front of the school. There stood the Father of His Country, with outstretched arms, as if warning invaders away from the precincts of learning.

"They've been here!" said Sam in a whisper.

He pointed to some straggling black lines at the base of the figure, and to a thin thing like a string: which led over the gra.s.s toward the room of Adrian Bagot.

"They've put our initials in powder here," said Jack. "Trying to throw the blame on us when it goes off."

"We'll soon fix that," replied Sam. The three boys made some rapid movements around the statue, and then cut the thin thing which led to the room of young Bagot.

"I guess when he touches off that fuse he'll wonder what has happened," observed John Smith.

"Have you enough of the other fuse?" asked Jack.

"Plenty," replied the Indian student. "Have you changed the initials?"

"Every one," said Sam.

"Then I think we can go back," said John. "Take care of my fuse.

Don't get tangled up in it."

The boys made their way quietly to a spot just under the window of Bagot's room. There they placed what seemed to be a piece of board.

"Now back to your room, and wait until they start the fun," said John.

The three friends had not long to wait. A little after midnight they heard Bagot's window cautiously open. There was the sound of a match striking, and then Sam called to Jack:

"Let her go!"

A second later a thin trail of fire spurted along the ground from the sporty student's room. It was followed by a larger one from the foot of the trellis by which Jack had descended.

A few seconds later it seemed as if a Fourth of July celebration was in progress.

Sparks of fire ran along to the statue of the first President. Then there was a puff of smoke, and in front of the hero of the Revolution there shot up dancing flames.

At the same time there sounded several sharp explosions, as though the British were firing on the Minute Men at Lexington, and the latter were replying as fast as they could load and discharge their flintlocks.

Windows began to go up here and there, and heads were thrust forth.

"What is it?" "What's the matter?" "Are there burglars?" were some of the cries.

Brighter now burned the fire at the foot of the statue, which was enveloped in a cloud of flame and smoke, and, had the original been alive he must have delighted in the baptism of gunpowder.

Then there came a louder explosion. It was followed by a shower of sparks, and a trail of sparks began running along the ground, toward the college.

An instant later there blazed forth on a board as on an illuminated sign, in front of the room of Adrian Bagot the words in letters of fire:

WE DID IT.

Underneath, in smaller characters were the initials;

"A.B. E.S. J.H."

"Wait until Dr. Mead sees that," said Jack, as he looked out on the campus, which was now a scene of brilliancy.

CHAPTER VIII

THE BURGLAR SCARE

The whole academy was now aroused. Several students and teachers, in scanty attire, had come from their rooms and were hurrying down to see if the place was on fire. For several minutes the blazing words and initials shone out amid the darkness. Then they died away in a shower of sparks, and windows could be heard being put down.