Among those who had come out with them, and who persisted in keeping them company in spite of all their efforts to shake them off, were several good little boys of the Bert Gordon stamp; and these must be kept in profound ignorance of the contemplated movement. If they should happen to see any of Enoch’s party at the window of the ticket office, or should chance to be on the platform when they boarded the cars, some tale-bearer among them would be sure to hasten to the academy with the information, which might open the eyes of the first-class boys and lead to an investigation by telegraph. Enoch knew that the majority of these good little boys could be trusted—that even if they should accidentally learn the details of all his plans they would not say a word to the teachers about it, unless they were questioned; but there were two among them who could not hold their tongues, and who must be got out of the way at all hazards.
“But how shall it be done? that’s the question,” said Enoch, who was at his wit’s end now. He and Jones had been talking about it all the morning, and just as he asked the question Lester Brigham came up and joined in the conversation. For a wonder the latter hit upon an idea at once. He, too, had been revolving a knotty problem in his mind, and that was, how to get rid of Wallace Ross. He (Lester) was to be toasted as the originator of the grandest scheme for amusement that had ever been thought of by school-boys, and he was afraid that when his name was proposed, Ross would become indignant and tell the truth about the matter. That would be very mortifying indeed, and Lester had decided that the only way to prevent it was to keep Ross away from Bordentown. He had just thought of something.
“Leave them to me, fellows,” said he. “I’ll see that they are not around when we get on the cars.”
“If you will,” exclaimed Enoch, seizing Lester’s hand and giving it a hearty shake, “you will add another to the long list of favors for which we are indebted to you. I wish I could think up things as readily as you can, but my wit is slow. How are you going to do it?”
“I haven’t yet fully decided,” was Lester’s reply. “But I will tell you how you can help me: I want you to spread it around where these two fellows can hear it, that the train we intend to take is an hour late; but——”
“Oh, that wouldn’t do at all,” said Enoch, hastily. “They’d get scattered all over town, and half of them——”
“But,” repeated Lester, paying no attention to the interruption, “have it distinctly understood among our own boys that it is on time. Then come down to the livery stable at twelve o’clock, sharp, and, no matter what I am doing, tell me that the superintendent wants to see me at once. Understand?”
“I understand what you say,” replied Enoch, “but I don’t understand the plot.”
“No matter; I understand it, and you will see how nicely it will work. Will you do as I say?”
Enoch replied that they would, and Lester hastened away to hunt up Wallace Ross before any of the crowd had time to post him in regard to the trick that was to be played upon Smith and Wheeler, the two good little boys whom Enoch was afraid to trust. He found him after awhile, and lost not a moment in putting his hastily-formed plans into execution.