While the uproar below was still in progress, Jack and Pepper climbed down to the dormitory, and there the young major told of all that had occurred since his departure.
“Old Crabtree and Pluxton Cuddle are carrying matters with a high hand,” he went on, “and we have decided to stand it no longer.”
“Well, we about reached the same conclusion here,” said Andy. “Pepper was going to try to find you, and then we were going to see if we couldn’t get the whole crowd to run away.”
“I hope none of the fellows who were in the guardroom with me are captured,” continued Jack. “If Crabtree or Cuddle laid his hands on anyone it will go hard with that cadet, I know.”
The guards had all gone below, so the cadets in the dormitories were left to themselves. They crowded to the various windows and soon espied Bob Grenwood, Reff Ritter and two others on the road beyond the campus. As soon as the runaway cadets saw that they were noticed they raised their hands and beckoned for those left behind to join them. At this the cadets in the windows nodded vigorously. And so the plan to run away from Putnam Hall grew rapidly.
“I see two of the guards going after those cadets,” said one student who chanced to have a field glass. “But I doubt if they catch our fellows.”
“It will soon be night,” said Dale. “In the darkness getting away ought to be easy.”
“Provided the teachers don’t get a stronger guard,” answered Stuffer. “Now they are on the warpath there is no telling how far they will go. I expect to see one of the cadets beheaded next.”
“Or made to learn ten pages of Latin backward,” put in Joe Nelson, and this remark caused everybody to laugh.
“If we are going to run away, we want some definite plan of action,” said Jack. “I’ve got my own idea, but I don’t know if it will suit the rest.”