“Of course they can, and they will; but since Ross showed himself to be so open-hearted, I really wish he could have seen his share of the fun. However, if you think he couldn’t be trusted, that settles the matter.”
“He’ll be glad of it when the time for settlement comes,” Enoch remarked. “We’ll stand by him then, and nobody will know that he was one of us.”
As the hands of the clock in the depot began moving slowly around toward one o’clock, a person standing on the platform could not have failed to notice the large number of boys in gray overcoats who crossed the railroad track and disappeared behind the long line of freight cars that stood opposite. When the lightning express came in, they boarded it without the least confusion or noise, and not one of the numerous hangers-on who were walking about the platform seemed to be the wiser for it. When Enoch came to go through the train after it had started on again, he found there was not a single face missing except that of Wallace Ross. The latter heard the express whistle for the station, and a glance at his watch showed him that there was a big mistake somewhere. The train was on time; but he was a mile or more outside the village limits, and he knew that he could not return in season to catch it, even if he could have induced his companions to make the attempt. He was very much disappointed. He was one of the coolest and most determined boys in Enoch’s party, and he had made up his mind to have a good time, and to submit without a murmur to any punishment the court-martial might see fit to visit upon him; but he never once suspected that he was the victim of misplaced confidence.
During the ride to the city the conspirators were very quiet. They could not shout and sing, as did the first-class boys, who came over the road a few hours later. The bravest of them were excited and nervous, and the timid ones heartily wished themselves back in Bridgeport; but there was not a student among them who dared say so for fear of being denounced as a coward. When the train came to a stand-still in the depot, even Enoch began to show a little anxiety. There were more people there than they had expected to see, and the Silver Cornet Band, which was out in full force, was sending forth the strains of greeting that ought to have been reserved for a different occasion, the tall form of the drum-major standing in front, beating time with his gold-headed staff, his bearskin cap towering high above the heads of all the rest of the crowd.
“Endicott has done his work well, and we are in for it as sure as we are living, boys,” said Enoch, to a few of his right-hand men who were clustered about him. “I see he has secured possession of the colors, and they will go far toward allaying suspicion. Now, Jones, you draw the boys up in line, and I will come back and take command as soon as I can say a word to Endicott. I want to know just what he has done so that I won’t make any mistakes.”
The conspirators, having been thoroughly instructed, fell in without waiting for the word of command, Lester Brigham proudly taking up his position in the second lieutenant’s place in the line of file-closers. There were a good many veterans in the city, and Lester felt elated to think that when they saw him marching there they would take him for an officer.
When Enoch stepped off the train, Endicott and his three companions, who had done so much in so short a time to make the undertaking successful, came forward and saluted him with as much respect as they would have showed him if he had been a real commander instead of a bogus one.
“Captain,” said Endicott, “I have the honor to report that I have secured the colors in accordance with my instructions. And,” he added, in a lower tone, “I claim the privilege of carrying one of them, and Miller wants to carry the other.”
“Very good, sir,” replied Enoch, returning the salute. Then he, too, lowered his voice, as he asked, with some misgivings: “Where are Blake and his committee? Is everything all right?”
“Blake and the two fellows who came with him are probably out at Grove farm, wandering about in the woods and trying to find their way back to the city,” was the reassuring reply. “Sam has brought back the report that that was where he left them. Everything is all right. Keep up a bold front and go ahead as though you were really captain, of the first class, and no one will suspect anything until Colonel Mack and the rest come in on the mail. You will find a special car over at the transfer-depot.”