“Fellows, Gordon is one of us; Duncan and I vouch for him; so you need not hesitate to speak freely in his presence,” said Tom, again taking up the subject that just then was nearest his heart. “Do we go to Cony Ryan’s to-night or not?”
“Of course,” replied all the boys, in chorus.
“Then that much is settled. I know who the guards are,” he added, turning to Don, “and I will see you safely out and back. As soon as we are out of the building——”
“But how am I going to get out?” interrupted Don. “You forget the sentry who has charge of our floor.”
“No, I don’t. Here he is,” said Tom, taking by the arm a boy who had been introduced as Charley Porter. “You won’t stop him, will you, Charley?”
“I shall not know when he goes out,” was the ready answer. “I can be both blind and deaf when circumstances require that I should be so.”
“You see what kind of fellows we are,” said Tom. “You will never be reported for having a light after taps, or for any other offence, by one of us.”
Tom then went on to tell Don just what he must do in order to make his undertaking successful, and, aided by his friends, who put in a word now and then, succeeded in making him believe that Cony Ryan’s was but little short of a paradise, and that he (Tom) and his “set” had done him a great favor in bringing the house and its proprietor to his notice. He promised to be on hand at the hour appointed, and then he and Tom went into the dressing-room to put on their gymnastic suits, while Duncan hurried away to carry out an idea of his own that had suddenly suggested itself to him.
CHAPTER VI.
CONY RYAN’S PANCAKES.
“He did bite, didn’t he?” said Duncan to himself, as he hurried about the grounds and through the academy building looking everywhere for Dick Henderson. “He jumped at the bait quicker than I thought he would; but he never would have done it if he had not got himself into trouble last night. That made him mad, and now he don’t much care what he does. We’ll fix him. A court-martial and extra lessons and guard duty and drills for a whole month will so disgust him with this school that he will clear out, and we shall be well rid of him.”