"I can fix that," said Gus Plum. "I know a fellow in Oakdale who will do it for us."
The day set for the great football match dawned bright and clear. As soon as they could get away from their school duties Roger's eleven went out for a short practice and Henshaw and the other substitutes with them. Henshaw was sorry he was not on the regular team, but said little about it.
While the practice was going on, Plum, Poole, and Jasniff watched all the players closely, trying to gain the knowledge of some tricks and signals, which they hoped later to divulge to the Rockville eleven.
The practice at an end, Babcock announced that he wanted to go to a place called Leeton on an errand. Leeton was a small railroad crossing two miles from the school, where Babcock had a relative living.
"Wouldn't you like to go with me?" he asked Dave. "We can go over on our bicycles and be back inside of an hour."
Dave was willing, thinking the short spin on a wheel would do him good. They soon set off, and before long were well on the road.
"There's our chance!" cried Nick Jasniff, as he and his cronies watched the departure. "Just what I wanted!"
"Shall we go after them?" asked Plum.
"Sure!"
The bully and the others had bicycles—indeed nearly every youth at Oak Hall had one, for the craze was at its height. The three set off without delay, following the same road Dave and Babcock had taken.