“Let’s do it!” Nat’s eyes began to shine with expectancy. “I’d like nothing better than to put one over on him. He’s getting altogether too big for his boots. Now that he is a lieutenant, he thinks he can lord it over everybody. I suppose when he gets back to Crumville he’ll put on airs something fierce. According to the stories he’ll tell, he’ll have been the one to win the whole war.”
After this the two continued their conversation for the best part of an hour. Both were exceedingly bitter against Dave, Nat on account of the many things which had happened ever since he had gone to Oak Hall, and Gebauer because of the way he had been given the cold shoulder by Jessie Wadsworth.
“If you are game to do it, Nat, I think we can put a good big one over on Porter,” said Gebauer at last. “Of course, it will require a little nerve to do it.”
“What do you propose to do?”
“Oh, that isn’t exactly clear in my mind yet. But I’ll hatch out something before long. But how about you? Are you willing to stand by me?”
“Sure I am! Unless, of course, you should want to go too far,” answered Nat Poole, his natural cowardice suddenly asserting itself.
“Oh, we won’t go too far. We’ll only do something that will get him in bad with those higher up. Then maybe he’ll be placed in disgrace, and possibly reduced to the ranks.”
“Gee, that sounds good to me!” cried Nat. “Let’s go and do it!”
“Then you’ll work with me?”
“I sure will! And the sooner you get at it, the better.”