“I should say so,” replied the latter, as soon as he had somewhat recovered from his amazement. The whole scheme was so original and daring in its conception that he could not take it in all at once. “Lester could not suggest anything that would please me better if he were to think and plan for a month. If we can only carry it out—”
“Oh, we’ll carry it out,” interrupted Enoch, nodding his head in a significant way, as if he meant to convey the impression that he had suddenly conceived of a brilliant idea of his own. “Don’t you worry about that.”
Lester was so disgusted that he could only give a sickly smile in return for the beaming looks his companions bestowed upon him. The latter entered heartily into the spirit of the matter, and Lester, if he had dared, would have gone straight to Colonel Mack and exposed the whole thing. He was afraid to take part in it, and he was so mean that he did not want others to see any fun unless he could have the lion’s share of it. His companions already showed a disposition to ignore him entirely, and discussed with each other several plans for accomplishing their ends without once asking Lester to express his opinion regarding them.
“Won’t Cony be surprised when he hears of it!” exclaimed Enoch, who was highly excited over the sport in prospect.
“I only wish it would take some money out of his pocket,” snarled Lester, in reply.
“Why do you wish that?” demanded Enoch.
“Because I don’t at all like the way he jawed me to-day,” answered Lester.
“Oh, he didn’t jaw you. He only wanted to wake you up, and I am glad to say that he succeeded in doing it. You never would have thought of this if Cony had not given you that friendly overhauling this afternoon. I wish that dinner was coming off this very night.”
“Perhaps the other boys will not be in favor of it,” Lester ventured to remark, and he hoped from the bottom of his heart that they would not.
“Yes, they will,” said Enoch, confidently. “Mack and Gordon have made themselves obnoxious to a large party of fellows by the extraordinary airs they have thrown on since they received their last promotion, and they will do anything to get even with either of them. Now, we have no time to waste. We must find out just what their plans are, and then we shall know how to go to work to defeat them. I believe they hold their regular business meeting to-night; and, Lester, you and Jones had better hide in the room and see if you can’t hear something that will be of use to us.”