“But how will we get the boat?” asked Rich.
“That’s my business. There are fourteen fellows in the academy whom we can trust, and I want to know how many of them are willing to go with us; and then I must have authority to do as I please, or I won’t budge an inch. I’ll go on my own hook. I have a boat of my own, and I am bound to get away from here before that examination comes off. What would my father say if he should happen to visit the camp, and the colonel should tell him that I was at the academy, ‘under arrest?’”
“Well, Tom,” said Martin, after thinking a moment, “I, for one, am perfectly willing that you should boss this job, but you know the government of our society is democratic, and we all have a hand in whatever is going on. I shall do just as the majority say. If they think the scheme can be successfully carried out, I am in for it; and, in order to get the most of the boys on your side, you ought to tell us exactly what you are going to do, and how you intend to do it.”
Tom could not very well resist the force of this reasoning. The scheme he had proposed was rather different from any thing the Night-hawks had ever before thought of; and, knowing that if it proved successful it would throw all their former exploits into the shade, Tom wanted the honor of carrying it through alone and unaided. He had not the least idea of going off by himself in the Mystery, but he thought that, by threatening to leave his companions to themselves, he might frighten them into allowing him to have his own way. But it was plain that the boys were not in favor of “buying a cat in a bag;” they did not intend to give their consent to Tom’s scheme until they understood all about it.
“Now, Newcombe,” said Rich, “tell us how we are to get the Swallow. We want to know all the particulars.”
“We must have help,” replied Tom. “It was my intention to write to some of the boys in the village.”
“Then it’s lucky that we didn’t give you authority to do as you pleased, for you would have knocked the whole thing into a cocked hat in no time,” said Miller, decidedly. “Suppose the letter should fall into the hands of the Philistines? That would be the end of your cruise, and you would find a boy about your size in the guard-house, living on bread and water. I’ve got an idea,” he continued. “I propose that we all study hard, and behave ourselves this week, and, perhaps, some of us can manage to get a furlough next Saturday. If one fails, another may succeed, you know, and we’ll give the lucky ones authority to call on the boys in the village and talk the matter over with them. And now about the Swallow! Do you propose to hire her?”
“Of course not!” replied Tom. “We’ll take her and welcome.”
“Steal her!” ejaculated Rich. “That plan won’t work, either. If we should do that, old ’Squire Thompson would have his hands on us the moment we got back. I propose that we charter her. We’ve all got some money.”
“Let us speak to the other fellows, and see what they have to say on the subject,” said Martin, who, for some time, had remained silent.