“That’s because they didn’t know any thing,” said Rich, promptly. “They ought to have looked out for that.”
“And there’s one thing the paper forgot to speak about,” continued Martin. “It doesn’t say whether or not those two fellows were punished when they got home. If we should be caught in a scrape like that, we never would be released from the lock-up, or get through standing guard, and performing the extra duties that would be imposed upon us.”
“Now, don’t squeal before you are hurt,” said Miller. “If I had known that you were so chicken-hearted, I never would have proposed you as a member of our society.”
“I am no coward!” replied Martin, angrily; “but I have common sense enough to know that we had better look before we leap. Before we attempt to carry out Tom’s idea, we must see exactly how the land lays. In the first place, we have no boat, and, in the next place, it would be of no use to us if we had; for we are not the ones who get furloughs whenever we ask for them.”
“O, Newcombe has got that all worked out,” said Miller, who was impatient to hear the details of the plan. “Give us all the particulars, Tom.”
“I can do that in a very few words,” said the latter. “We will get together all the members of our society who are willing to go with us, escape from the academy some night, take the Swallow, or some other little trading vessel, and go on a cruise. We’ll stay out until the examination is over, and then come back.”
“That’s it!” exclaimed Miller. “I’m in for it. But suppose we should be captured and brought back?”
“We don’t intend to come back to the academy until we get ready!” said Rich. “We’ll look out for that. But, boys, don’t begin to raise objections now. We must get rid of that examination, if possible, and Tom is just the chap to show us how to do it.”
“Go on, Newcombe—what next?”
“I have but one thing more to say,” continued Tom, “and that is, I will engineer this thing through if you want me to. You know that I can call upon any member of the society for assistance.”