Tom Newcombe; Or, the Boy of Bad Habits

by Harry Castlemon

“That’s a sensible idea!” exclaimed Tom, who was obliged to confess to himself that he had made two great mistakes in his calculations. “But go about it easy. Be careful that no one overhears you. Tell them to meet us here in a quarter of an hour.”

The others agreeing to this proposal, the four conspirators returned to the building to hunt up all the members of their society. The Night-hawks were scattered about over the grounds, some engaged in a game of ball; some lying in the shade of the trees; others were in the gymnasium, and two of their number, for some violation of the rules of the academy, had received orders to remain in their dormitories. The schemers worked to such good advantage that, at the end of a quarter of an hour, ten boys belonging to the society were gathered in a remote corner of the grounds, awaiting the appearance of Tom and Miller, who had been commissioned to obtain the opinions of the culprits in the dormitories. Thus far every thing appeared to be working smoothly, for all the members had, without hesitation, agreed to join the expedition.

“Hold on a minute!” said Miller, suddenly, as he and Tom started to join their companions. “Don’t you see the colonel looking out of his window? That old fellow is as sharp as a steel-trap; and, if he sees so many of us talking in an out-of-the-way place, he’ll certainly snuff something. Go and get your foot-ball, and we’ll fool him nicely.”

Tom ran up to his dormitory, took the ball from his trunk, and, kicking it along the ground before them, they walked toward the place where their companions were gathered, leading the principal to infer that they were simply going out there to amuse themselves. In order to keep up the deception, a game of foot-ball was started, but continued only for a short time, when the Night-hawks seated themselves on the ground to discuss the question in hand. Tom, in a few words, explained the object of the proposed expedition, as well as the manner in which it ought to be conducted to make it successful. So delighted were the boys with the idea, that not a single objection was raised, and, in ten minutes, the business was finished, and the meeting was adjourned. It was decided that the first step should be to obtain the help of the Night-hawks in the village; and, in order to accomplish this, it was resolved that each member of the society in the academy should endeavor to behave himself properly during the remainder of the week, so that, on Saturday, he might be granted a furlough. It was not expected that all would succeed in this, but those who did were to be appointed “commissioners,” to state the matter to the village boys, and request their assistance in chartering a vessel, laying in a stock of provisions for the cruise (which would last at least two weeks), and, in fact, completing all the out-door business. The much-dreaded examination was still three weeks distant; so they would have plenty of time in which to complete all their arrangements. When the eventful night arrived, they would make their escape from the academy through the dormitory windows; and, in order to accomplish this, it was necessary for them to have a rope long enough to reach from the third story of the building to the ground, and strong enough to bear their weights. This rope would be furnished by the boys in the village. When Tom made this suggestion, it created something of an uproar among the Night-hawks, several of whom declared that if they were expected to risk their necks by crawling out of a second or third story window, they would have nothing to do with the expedition. But Tom insisted that the rope be procured, saying that “there was no knowing what might happen,” and that it was “always well enough to be prepared for any emergency;” and he finally carried his point.

“Now, Martin,” said Tom, after the meeting broke up, and the Night-hawks were walking about the grounds in groups of twos and threes, talking over their plans, in excited whispers, “you said you didn’t see any use in joining our society. What do you think of it now?”

“If those fellows in the village will help us, I shall say it is a good thing,” replied Martin.

“Help us! Of course they will. They dare not refuse. You know that it is one of our laws, that when any member is in trouble, the others must assist him if they can. Now, we are in trouble—or we shall be, if we don’t get away from here before that examination comes off—and they must help us.”

During the remainder of the week, the Night-hawks, as they imagined, conducted themselves with the utmost propriety. Each of them had secretly determined that he would obtain a furlough, if within the bounds of possibility, for that would insure him the appointment of “commissioner”—an honor which they all regarded as well worth working for. Tom, with the others, had resolved that he would not waste a single moment; that he would study constantly; pay strict attention to all his duties, and use his best endeavors to have his name placed on the list with those who were to be allowed liberty. He held manfully to his resolution, and surprised his teacher by coming in to his recitations with perfect lessons. But the rules of the academy were very strict, and Tom was an unlucky boy. Although he made improvements in one respect, he fell behind in others; and when Saturday came, and the names of those who were to receive furloughs were posted in the hall, Tom, to his disappointment and indignation, found that his name was not among them.

“Mr. Hudson!” said he, entering the school-room, where his teacher was busy at his desk, “I would like to know what I have done, sir, that I can’t have a furlough, like the rest of the boys? I understood you to say that I had made twenty-four extras this week by perfect lessons.”