"I don't want to be initiated again!" howled the money-lender's son. "I've had enough of this society. You let me go!"
"Not to-night!" was the firm answer, and much against his will Nat was forced to go along with the crowd; and thus his plan to find out what they were going to do, and then carry the news to Doctor Clay, was nipped in the bud.
"We were lucky to catch Nat," whispered Dave to Roger, as the whole crowd proceeded through the woods, led by Buster and Ben. "I am certain he was spying on us for no good purpose."
"Exactly, Dave, and we want to watch him right along," returned the senator's son. "First thing you know, he'll be giving our football signals and tricks away to Rockville and the other schools we are going to play."
Nat had been forced to join the other victims, and the seven were marched a distance of a quarter of a mile. The crowd came out on the bank of the river, at a spot where several ice-houses had recently been erected.
"Now, we'll give you the famous slide for life!" cried Buster, and pointed to the upper portion of one of the ice-houses, where a big wooden slide led downward into the Leming River.
"I can't stand cold water!" cried the victim who had previously tried to run away.
"'Twill do you a power of good!" answered Sam, in a deep voice.
"Say, you ain't going to dump me into the river from that thing!" roared Nat Poole. "I won't stand it!"
"Then sit down to it, Nat!" came a voice from the rear.