“Oh, shut up!” snapped Vance. “You ought to be minding your own business! See here, Bull, I want to know how you’re going to manage this. What’s the use of being so secret about it? How’s Allen going to catch Mallory to-night?”
“He’s going to find him out of camp,” answered Bull.
“But how do you know Mallory’ll go?”
“I’ll fix that!” laughed Bull. “I’ll tell you about it. But here comes Allen now. Wait till after inspection.”
The four precious scamps scattered to their respective tents at that and there was a brief cessation of the plotting while every one attended to business. Pretty soon, however, the wheels began to turn again and the little drama to hurry on.
It was after the ceremony of guard mounting and inspection had both gone by. The plebes who were so unfortunate as to be assigned to the duty of policing lined up for work. The rest of the corps was at liberty to roam the woods as they pleased after that until dinner time. And then it was that things began to happen again.
Our friends, as it chanced, were curious and eager to see what happened to the remainder of the feast left behind them so hurriedly last night. It had occurred to them that it might not be a bad idea to clear away the débris, in case Allen should chance to stroll over that way.
Accordingly they set out through the woods, all of them together. They did not reach their destination, however. They heard a voice behind them calling:
“Mr. Mallory! Oh, Mr. Mallory!”
To their amazement, when they faced about they found none other than our worthy friend Vance following them. It must be something unusual to make their deadly enemy call after them in that way, and so they waited in puzzled surprise.