Ross looked disappointed; he did not at all approve of this arrangement. If Enoch thought well of his scheme, he wanted him to know who was the originator of it. Lester had no difficulty in reading the thoughts that were passing through his room-mate’s mind, and he hastened to add:
“You see, Ross, that runaway expedition last term made our crowd famous, and there are a good many fellows hanging around us this year, hoping that if we get up another of the same sort, they will be invited to join us; but there are some among them whom we know we can’t trust, and we have about decided that we won’t take anybody into our confidence.”
“But you know you can trust me!” exclaimed Ross, with some indignation in his tones.
“Yes, I think we can; but the others may not think so, and the best thing you can do is to keep entirely in the background, and let me manage the matter in my own way. If you won’t agree to it, you can go and see Enoch yourself. And if you do that,” added Lester, mentally, “I’ll knock the whole arrangement higher than the moon. I’ll tell Colonel Mack of it the very first chance I get.”
“But if Enoch thinks that my idea can be carried out I want to know it, so that I can have a hand in it myself,” exclaimed Ross.
“Of course. I’ll attend to that.”
“Then I will agree to your proposition.”
“All right. When I tell you there are some boys who are now recognized as members of our crowd, but whom we do not intend to take with us on any more picnics, you will see the necessity for keeping the matter a profound secret. Don’t lisp a word to anybody, for, if you do, you may speak to the wrong fellow. I’ll talk the scheme up the best I know how, and tell you what conclusion we come to.”
So saying, Lester left the room and hastened away in search of Enoch, whom he found in the hall in company with his inseparable friend, Jones. They saw and understood the wink that Lester gave them as he passed, and followed him out of the building to an unfrequented part of the grounds, where they could talk without fear of being overheard. Then Lester went into the details of his room-mate’s plan, never once mentioning Ross’s name, however, but leaving his auditors to infer that the idea was original with himself. He wanted them to say at the outset that they would not have anything to do with it, and he succeeded in making the difficulties and dangers of the undertaking stand out so prominently that he did not believe that any boy who was in his sober senses would willingly face them. Judge, then, how surprised he was when he saw the look of interest and enthusiasm which his glowing words called to Enoch’s face, and felt the hearty embrace the boy gave him as he exclaimed, in delighted tones:
“Lester, you are a brick! I knew you would hit upon something grand if you were only given time to set your wits at work. This beats last year all to smash; don’t it, Jones?”