“We’d better ask for permission now, to be absent this afternoon in case we want to,” suggested Sam. “It’s well to provide for the emergency in advance.”
“You’re right,” Tom agreed.
There was no trouble on this score. As members of the third class they were entitled to more privileges than came to the poor “plebes.”
“Now about getting over the river,” went on Sam, when that much had been done. “How are you going to manage that?”
“We can easily hire a motor boat,” Tom declared, “and get one to bring us back.”
“Another thing—we don’t know at what hotel Doolittle will stop.”
“There are only two where he would be likely to stop,” Tom said, “and we can try both of those.”
“Well, that much is settled. But it isn’t going to be so easy to get in a position to hear what they’ll talk about.”
“I realize that,” Tom said, “and, as we can’t plan that ahead, we’ll just have to trust to luck. Somehow or other I think it’s going to be on my side. Things are coming my way. Here is the copy of the deed restored to me, and then you hand me the telegram that gives me the very clue I want. Yes, I think I’m playing in luck.”
“I hope it continues,” remarked Sam.