then commanded for a
great distance the only avenue, in which danger was expected. If any
master's candle appeared in the hall, the boys had full three minutes'
warning, and a single loudly-whispered "cave" would cause some one in
each dormitory instantly to "dowse the glim," and shut the door; so that
by the time of the adversary's arrival they would all be (of course)
fast asleep in bed, some of them snoring in an alarming manner.
Whatever noise the master might have heard, it would be impossible to
fix it on any of the sleepers.

So at the top of the stairs stood little Wright, shoeless, and shivering
in his night-gown, but keenly entering into the fun, and not unconscious
of the dignity of his position. Meanwhile the rest were getting up a
scenic representation of Bombastes Furioso, arranging a stage, piling a
lot of beds together for a theatre, and dressing up the actors in the
most fantastic apparel.

The impromptu Bombastes excited universal applause, and just at the end
Wright ran in through the lavatory.

"I say," said the little fellow, "it's jolly cold standing at the top of
the stairs. Won't some one relieve guard?"

"Oh, I will," answered Eric good-naturedly; "it's a shame that one
fellow should have all the bother and none of the fun," and he ran to
take Wright's post.

After watching a minute or two, he felt sure that there was no danger,
and therefore ran up to Upton's study for a change.

"Well, what's up?" said the study-boy approvingly, as he glanced at
Eric's laughing eyes.

"Oh, we've been having leap-frog, and then Bombastes Furioso. But I'm
keeping `cave' now; only it's so cold that I thought I'd run up to your
study."

"Little traitor; we'll shoot you for a deserting sentinel."

"Oh no!" said Eric, "it's all serene; Rowley's out, and dear old Rose'd
never dream of supposing us elsewhere than in the arms of Morpheus.
Besides, the fellows are making less row now."

"Well, look here! let's go and look on, and I'll tell you a dodge; put
one of the tin washing-basins against the iron door of the lavatory, and
then if any one comes he'll make clang enough to wake the dead; and
while he's amusing himself with this, there'll be lots of time to
`extinguish the superfluous abundance of the nocturnal illuminators.'
Eh?"

"Capital!" said Eric; "come along."

They went down and arranged the signal very artistically, leaving the
iron door ajar a little, and then neatly poising the large ti