“Now, boys,” said he, as the Night-hawks met on the ball-ground, “I suppose you have all read that letter I gave to Miller last night; so let’s hear from you. What have you got to say about it?”
A long and somewhat stormy debate followed Tom’s question, and the point of difference was, the manner in which they ought to go to work to secure a vessel. Among the Night-hawks there was scarcely one who would hesitate to appropriate such small articles as apples, peaches, or water-melons, “just for the fun of the thing;” but they were all afraid to risk the serious matter of making off with a boat that did not belong to them, no matter how much fun and excitement there might be in it. Tom, however, had thought the matter over, and was ready with an answer to this argument. Although they should take a vessel without asking the owner’s permission, they would not steal her, for it was their intention to return the boat in just as good order as they found it. A sloop wasn’t worth more than a dollar a day; and just before they got ready to start, they would mail a letter to the owner of the boat, enclosing twelve or fourteen dollars; and, when he found that his boat came back safe and sound, and that he had received good pay for her, he wouldn’t grumble. This plan silenced the fears of the timid members of the society, who finally agreed to act according to Tom’s suggestion.
The next question that arose was in regard to the expenses of the cruise. The chief demanded two dollars from each boy present, which astonished the Night-hawks, who declared that Tom was altogether too extravagant. But the latter again carried his point, and the sum of twenty-eight dollars was collected, and placed in his hands, to be given to Johnny Harding as their share of the expenses, and Tom was instructed to meet the fifth captain, and make all the necessary arrangements with him. All these questions being satisfactorily settled, the boys separated, and, while the majority of them joined in various games about the grounds, Tom seated himself under a tree, near the fence, to await the arrival of Johnny Harding. Punctually at the time appointed the latter was on hand, and, at the end of a quarter of an hour, Tom returned to his companions, highly elated with the result of the interview, while Johnny slowly and thoughtfully retraced his steps toward the village.
With the exception of the escape from the academy building, which the Night-hawks would be obliged to accomplish without assistance from outsiders, Johnny now had the most difficult and dangerous task to perform. His orders were to provision the Sweepstakes—a little schooner that lay in the creek in front of the village—and get her in readiness for the cruise; and, to accomplish this, without giving the Philistines a hint of what was going on, was a feat requiring all the skill and judgment the fifth captain could command. It was rather out of his line of business; but Johnny, who had decided to accompany the expedition, and who delighted in such exploits, was not discouraged by the difficulties he found in his path. That there was a way to successfully carry out his instructions, he did not, for a moment, doubt; and, if any body could ascertain how it ought to be done, he was the one.
Half an hour’s walk brought him to the village, through which he passed to the creek where the Sweepstakes lay at her anchorage; and here Johnny sat down on a pile of lumber, to take a view of the situation, and to determine upon some course of action. His first business must be to buy the provisions. Tom had told him to lay in enough for twenty boys, and he had already made an estimate of the amount that would be required. What would the grocer think when he ordered two barrels of soda crackers, a kit of mackerel, a dozen codfish, and a whole cheese? Then, after the provisions had been purchased, how was he to get them on board of the schooner, which lay in the creek, about fifty yards from the shore? This must be done during the night, and, perhaps, they might be observed by some one who would ask very disagreeable questions.
“Well, well!” said Johnny, taking off his hat and scratching his curly head, “this is a bigger job than I bargained for. Nobody in the world but Tom Newcombe would ever have thought of such a desperate enterprise. I believe I would rather stand the examination, for there wouldn’t be half so much danger in it. But if the others are willing to risk it, I know I am. I’ll go on board the schooner, and see if she is all ready for use!”
There were several skiffs in the creek, and Johnny, knowing that he could carry out his resolution without exciting suspicion, walked down the bank, stepped into one of the boats, and pushed off toward the Sweepstakes. A few strokes of the oars brought him along-side, and, after making the skiff fast to the fore-chains, he clambered over the side, and began the examination. He had expected to find that the little vessel had been partly dismantled, and that some repairs would be necessary; but, to his delight, he found that nothing had been removed. The sails were all there, neatly stowed away, the handspikes were in their places, so that the anchor could be hove-up with very little trouble, the hold was empty, and in a condition to receive the provisions, and there were two large casks, that would hold an ample supply of water. The cabin was in order, and had bunks enough to accommodate six or eight boys. Of course there were no beds in the bunks, but Johnny scarcely gave that a moment’s thought. If want of beds was the only obstacle in his way, that could have been easily overcome.
As the fifth captain walked about the vessel, several interesting questions, which he had not before thought of, arose in his mind, such as, Who would sleep in the cabin, and who in the forecastle? Who would cook their meals, and what boys would be willing to act as the crew? Was Rich, who, it was understood, was to be captain of the vessel, seaman enough to take the schooner down the creek, and through all the shipping that lay at the wharves, without accident? Was he navigator enough to take them where they wished to go, or to bring them back to the village, when their cruise was ended? Could he manage the Sweepstakes if they should happen to be caught out in a storm? Johnny, at first, had serious misgivings on all these important points, and, for a time, he pondered upon the propriety of suggesting to the academy boys that a “board of examiners” be appointed, to inquire into Rich’s knowledge of seamanship and navigation, and to decide whether or not he was the one that ought to be the captain of the vessel. Had Johnny held to this resolution, it might have saved the Night-hawks some trouble; but, after thinking it over, the fifth captain came to the conclusion that he would say nothing about the matter. If Captain Rich proved to be a humbug, it was no business of his. He would faithfully attend to his part of the work, and leave all disputes to be settled when they arose.
Johnny slept but little that night. Various plans, by which he might carry out the instructions he had received from the grand commander, suggested themselves to him, but in every one of them he found numerous difficulties to be overcome. His great desire was to accomplish his part of the business without being obliged to answer any questions. At last he concluded that the best way was to go about it openly and above board; for the more he tried to cover it up, and to keep the affair a profound secret, the more certain he became that it would “leak out somewhere.” About two miles outside the harbor was Block Island, where the village boys often went to fish and hunt, and Johnny thought he could buy his provisions, and take them out there, without exciting the suspicion of any one. The Sweepstakes could stop there and take them on board as she went out, and it would not delay her a quarter of an hour. On the following morning, he communicated this plan to some of the village Night-hawks, (four of whom had agreed to accompany the students on their cruise,) who readily agreed that it was the best, and promised to lend all the assistance in their power in carrying it out.
When Saturday morning came, Johnny was up bright and early; and as soon as he had eaten his breakfast, he borrowed a large yawl, and, accompanied by half a dozen boys, sailed down the creek, until they arrived at Mr. Newcombe’s wharf, which, they thought, would be the most convenient place to load their provisions. They then went in a body to Mr. Henry’s store, and, as Johnny had expected, the grocer opened his eyes in astonishment when he received the order for the provisions; but, thinking that the boys were about to start on one of their hunting and fishing expeditions, he merely said: