Accordingly the packet was carefully put on top of the clean shirts in the drawer. To all appearances it lay just as Benjy had placed it, and if he did peep in the receptacle, there was nothing to tell him that the well-tied bundle had been disturbed.
“There, that’s a big load off my shoulders,” said Tom, with a look of relief. “Now, Hugh, I’m ready to go with you, and do anything you ask of me. Why, I feel that light-hearted I could almost fly,” and he flapped his arms as though they were wings, an action that caused Hugh to laugh aloud.
“Well, just hold your horses a bit, Tom,” he advised. “I have need of your services to-night, and it would be a shame to have you take a flight. Suppose you get your cap and come along with me to the meeting.”
“There must be something serious doing, Hugh, if all this mystery counts for anything.”
“There certainly is, Tom. You’ll learn about it as soon as I’ve picked out the scouts I want to serve with me. They’re all going to be husky fellows like yourself.”
“You’ve got me worked up to top-notch speed, Hugh, with what you say,” said Tom, scurrying around, and looking for his cap, which he found behind a chair where it had evidently fallen when he tossed it aside earlier in the evening. “But no matter what it all means I’m with you to the last lick. I feel as if I could whip my weight in wildcats. Lead the way, and every scout you want will follow you, Hugh.”
And so the twain passed out and headed for the rendezvous, where they were likely to find full twenty-five fellows in khaki impatiently awaiting the coming of their leader, and an explanation of this unusual “called” meeting.
CHAPTER XIII.
PUTTING THE CLAMPS ON.
Hugh had figured it all out, and decided that the first thing he would do after the business part of the meeting had been carried through, would be to pick the fellows who were to help guard the jewelry establishment with some of the regular police force, so as to surprise the thieves, if they should come as expected.
He believed it might be unwise to tell the others anything about the plan of campaign. This was not because he had reason to suspect the loyalty of a single scout, but boys will talk as well as girls, and unwittingly a fellow might let something escape him that, through devious channels, would be carried to the ears of those who were concerned in the contemplated raid on the store.