Eric, or Little by Little Part 34

"No!" said Eric emphatically. "At any rate I won't lead _him_ into mischief any more."

"Attlay, then; and what do you say to Booking?"

"No, again," said Eric; "he's a blackguard."

"I wonder you haven't mentioned Duncan," said Wildney.

"Duncan! why, my good fellow, you might as well ask Owen, or even old Rose at once. Bless you, Charlie, he's a great deal too correct to come now."

"Well; we've got six already, that's quite enough."

"Yes; but two fowls isn't enough for six hungry boys."

"No, it isn't," said Wildney. He thought a little, and then, clapping his hands, danced about, and said, "Are you game for a _regular_ lark, Eric?"

"Yes; anything to make it less dull. I declare. I've very nearly been taking to work again to fill up the time."

Eric often talked now of work in this slighting way, partly as an excuse for the low places in form, to which he was gradually sinking.

Everybody knew that had he properly exerted his abilities he was capable of beating almost any boy; so, to quiet his conscience, he professed to ridicule diligence as an unboyish piece of m.u.f.fishness, and was never slow to sneer at the "grinders," as he contemptuously called all those who laid themselves out to win school distinctions.

"Ha, ha!" said Wildney, "that's rather good! No, Eric, it's too late for you to turn 'grinder' now. I might as well think of doing it myself and I've never been higher than five from lag in my form yet."

"Haven't you? But what's the regular lark you hinted at?"

"First of all, I hope you won't think the _lark_ less larky because it's connected with _pigeons_," said Wildney.

"Ridiculous little Sphinx! What do you mean?"

"Why, we'll go and seize the Gordonites' pigeons, and make another dish of them."

"Seize the Gordonites' pigeons! Why, when do you mean?"

"To-night."

Eric gave a long whistle. "But wouldn't it be stea--stea--?"

"Stealing?" said Wildney, with a loud laugh. "Pooh! '_convey_ the wise it call.'"

But Eric still looked serious. "Why, my dear old boy," continued Wildney, "the Gordonites'll be the first to laugh at the trick when we tell them of it next morning, as of course we will do. There, now, don't look grumpy. I shall cut away and arrange it with Graham, and tell you the whole dodge ready prepared to-night at bed-time."

After lights were put out, Wildney came up to the study according to promise, and threw out hints about the proposed plan. He didn't tell it plainly, because Duncan was there, but Duncan caught quite enough to guess that some night excursion was intended, and said, when Wildney had gone--

"Take my advice, and have nothing to do with this, Eric."

Eric had grown very touchy lately about advice, particularly from any fellow of his own standing; and after the checks he had recently received, a coolness had sprung up between him and nearly all the study-boys, which made him more than ever inclined to a.s.sert his independence, and defy and thwart them in every way.

"Keep your advice to yourself; Duncan, till it's asked for," he answered roughly. "You've done nothing but _advise_ lately, and I'm rather sick of it."

"Comme vous voulez," replied Duncan, with a shrug. "Gang your own gait; I'll have nothing more to do with trying to stop you since you _will_ ruin yourself."

Nothing more was said in the study that evening, and when Eric went down he didn't even bid Duncan good-night.

"Charlie," he said, as he stole on tiptoe into Wildney's dormitory.

"Hus.h.!.+" whispered Wildney, "the other fellows are asleep. Come and sit by my bedside, and I'll tell you what we are going to do."

Eric went and sat by him, and he sat up in his bed. "First of all, _you're_ to keep awake till twelve to-night," he whispered; "old Rowley'll have gone round by that time, and it'll be all safe. Then come and awake me again, and I'll watch till one, Pietrie till two, and Graham till three. Then Graham'll awake us all, and we'll dress."

"Very well. But how will you get the key of the lavatory?"

"Oh, I'll manage that," said Wildney, chuckling. "But come again and awake me at twelve, will you?"

Eric went to his room and lay down, but he didn't take off his clothes, for fear he should go to sleep. Dr Rowlands came round as usual at eleven, and then Eric closed his eyes for a few minutes, till the head-master had disappeared. After that he lay awake thinking for an hour, but his thoughts weren't very pleasant.

At twelve he went and awoke Wildney.

"I don't feel very sleepy. Shall I sit with you for your hour, Charlie?"

"Oh, do! I should like it of all things. But douse the glim there; we shan't want it, and it might give the alarm."

"All right."

So Eric went and sat by his dangerous little friend, and they talked in low voices until they heard the great school-clock strike one. They then woke Pietrie, and Eric went off to bed again.

At three Graham awoke him, and dressing hastily, he joined the others in the lavatory.

"Now I'm going to get the key," said Wildney, "and mean to feel very poorly for the purpose."

Laughing quietly, he went up to the door of Mr Harley's bedroom, which opened out of the lavatory, and knocked.

No answer.

He knocked a little louder.

Still no answer.

Louder still.

"Bother the fellow," said Wildney; "he sleeps like a grampus. Won't one of you try to wake him?"

"No," said Graham; "'tain't dignified."

"Well, I must try again." But it seemed no use knocking, and Wildney at last, in a fit of impatience, thumped a regular tattoo on the bedroom door.

"Who's there?" said the startled voice of Mr Harley.

"Only me, sir!" answered Wildney, in a mild and innocent way.

"What do you want?"