In School and Out Part 30

"Guards, to your stations."

Richard could not see where their stations were; and he hoped the line of their duty would not lead them to the oak under which Mr. Gault and himself were seated.

"It is a long time since we have had a chance to hold a regular meeting; and it may be a long time before we are able to do so again.

Perhaps it was lucky that all except the Regulators backed out,"

continued Nevers. "You all know the business we have on our hands."

"We do," replied several.

"By a judicious use of _watermelons_ and _sleep-walking_, we shall accomplish our purpose," continued Nevers.

"We must do it before the next election, my chief," said Redman.

"It is of no use to attempt to whip him, or any thing of that sort,"

answered "my chief," which seemed to be the official designation of the presiding officer.

"I have a plan which I think will procure his expulsion from the school."

"State it; and every Regulator will remember the penalty of disclosing one of the society's secrets."

"He shall be pounded till he is black and blue," said the members, in concert.

"And every Regulator shall despise him as man and boy, to the end of his life."

"That's so," responded the members.

"Go on, Redman," said the chief.

"Next Sunday night, the sheds, near the grove, will be set on fire. On Friday night Grant's French exercise book will be taken from his desk.

He will fail in his lesson on Sat.u.r.day, and the colonel must punish him. This will make him mad. The exercise book will be torn up, and pieces of it, especially the cover with his name on it, will be found near the burnt building. Masters, who is on good terms with Grant, on a certain pretence, known to him and me, will induce him to wait at the shed until after dark, where he will be seen by Mr. Gault, when he goes his rounds. A broken bunch of matches will be found in Grant's closet, where no fellow is allowed to keep matches. Other suspicious circ.u.mstances will appear at the time for they are in charge of proper persons."

"You hear," said the chief.

"I don't like the plan," said one.

"Nor I," chimed in a dozen others.

"It is a mean thing," added the first objector.

"How many officers has the Society of Regulators?" demanded the chief, sternly.

"One, whom all obey," replied the members.

"Who is he?"

"Nevers."

"I am chief, and I command that this be done," said the chief.

Twenty or thirty of the members, as Richard judged by the voices, protested against the scheme; but the measure was ordered in spite of this opposition.

"Is there a traitor here?" demanded the chief.

"Not one," replied the members.

The chief then urged the necessity of using strong measures. He pointed out the danger of permitting Grant to remain in the school; and the plan would insure his expulsion. But still the intractable ones objected, and their names were ordered to be given. As they were announced, Mr. Gault, aided by faith rather than sight, wrote them down on the back of some letters he had in his pocket. The business was finished, and it was proposed to establish a watch on the island for the night.

"We must go," whispered Richard; and he crawled off, followed by Mr.

Gault.

They reached the water without being discovered, and embarked in the rubber boat.

"If they place sentinels on the watch, the colonel's plan will be defeated," said Mr. Gault.

"What is his plan?"

"To get all the boats away from them, and keep them on the island till they have had enough of it."

"We must do it before the watch is set," added Richard.

To accomplish this purpose, he paddled the float to the place where the boats were moored, and cast them all adrift. The slight current of the lake carried them slowly down to the river, and the listeners returned to the sh.o.r.e, and reported what they had done to the colonel. The whole party were then driven round to the outlet of the lake, where they secured the boats as they floated down.

The business of the night was done, and the party retired to their several apartments.

CHAPTER XXI.

RICHARD ANNIHILATES THE REGULATORS, AND THE STORY IS CONCLUDED.

It would have damaged the self-esteem of the Regulators if they could have seen how little notice was taken of their absence at the Inst.i.tute on the day following the development of the mutiny. Every thing went on as usual, and the instructors did not even allude to the rebels or the rebellion. It seemed to be the policy of the princ.i.p.al to maintain a "masterly inactivity" in regard to them.

Perhaps Colonel Brockridge was not so indifferent as he appeared to be.

He had stationed men on both sides of the lake to prevent any communication between the mutineers and persons on the sh.o.r.e. At noon it was reported that a boy by the name of Leslie, who lived in Tunbrook, and who had been expelled from the Inst.i.tute, had attempted to visit the island. Richard was curious to know who Leslie was, for he had heard the name mentioned by the Regulators.

The first day of November was very mild and pleasant. It was one of the sweet days of the Indian summer, and the rebels on Green Island were highly favored by this circ.u.mstance. On the second day the wind changed, and it blew clear and cold from the north-west. Just before sunset, a white flag was seen upon a pole, near the landing place on the island. Colonel Brockridge was informed of the fact, and the large sail boat was sent off to relieve the rebels from their uncomfortable situation.

Richard and two of the instructors were deputed to visit the island, and ascertain the import of the "flag of truce." The teachers were not boatmen, and our hero was the only person available as a navigator; and he was too deeply interested in the fate of the Regulators to be averse to the visit.

On arriving at the island, the rebels were found to be in a very deplorable condition. They had eaten nothing since dinner on the preceding day, and were s.h.i.+vering with cold. Mr. Gault calmly inquired what they wanted.

"We want to return," replied Nevers, whose teeth chattered as he spoke.

"Step into the boat, then."

But the boat would not carry them all, and it was necessary to make two trips to convey the entire party. On the pa.s.sage, Richard attended closely to his duty, and did not speak a word to the rebels. The two instructors were as taciturn as the boatman.