Since the night of his visit to Colonel Silsbee’s office, after the fight between Brightly and Belcher, his lower nature had come to the front, and had manifested itself in a hundred ugly ways; and since the hour when Brightly’s bold lie blocked his path to sweet revenge, he had made no effort to hold his evil disposition in check. Stings of jealousy, hurts of reproof, pangs of disappointment, had so clouded and embittered for him the passing days, that not even his fondness for flattery or pride of position could keep him longer above the level toward which his natural inclinations were constantly drawing him.
And now, this morning, the last straw had fallen; he could bear the burden of respectability no longer. He threw discretion and even self-respect to the winds, and declared his readiness to take part in any rebellious plan for pleasure, no matter how desperate or how disorderly.
So a strange thing happened. When the conspirators met in Fryant’s room that evening, according to agreement, both Brightly and Brede were present with them.
Every boy wondered at that; every one knew that they were rivals and enemies, and had been since the first week they were at the school together; every one knew that the exalted positions to which both had attained were the result, in great part, of the ungenerous rivalry between them, of the strong determination on the part of each to outdo the other for the mere sake of outdoing; every one knew moreover, that during the last few weeks the feeling between them had degenerated into downright bitterness and hate.
Yet here they were, ready to join hands with each other and their companions in any wild scheme for the upheaval of discipline and the inauguration of rebellion.
The door was locked, and the meeting began its secret session. The most important thing that suggested itself was a grip, the fashion of which, after much discussion, was decided on. Then a password was adopted. Finally, it occurred to some one to suggest that the society should have officers.
Plumpy spoke up. “I move,” he said, “that Captain Brede be the Chief High Muck-a-Muck of this Benighted Band of Brothers.”
For once, his words were taken seriously, and by whispered votes Brede was elected chief.
“Now,” continued Plumpy, “I nominate Temporary Ex-Lieutenant Brightly for Grand Scribbler of the Lone Goose Quill, Great Splasher of the Blood-red Seal, Most Gorgeous Manipulator of the Golden Purse, and—”
Brightly stepped out from the crowd. “I don’t want your offices,” he said impatiently. “I’m ready to go with you any time, anywhere, and do my part; but I don’t want your offices.”