f them."

"Seize the Gordonites' pigeons! Why, when do you mean?"

"To-night."

Eric gave a long whistle. "But wouldn't it be stea--stea--?"

"Stealing?" said Wildney, with a loud laugh. "Pooh! `_convey_ the wise
it call.'"

But Eric still looked serious. "Why, my dear old boy," continued
Wildney, "the Gordonites'll be the first to laugh at the trick when we
tell them of it next morning, as of course we will do. There, now,
don't look grumpy. I shall cut away and arrange it with Graham, and
tell you the whole dodge ready prepared to-night at bed-time."

After lights were put out, Wildney came up to the study according to
promise, and threw out hints about the proposed plan. He didn't tell it
plainly, because Duncan was there, but Duncan caught quite enough to
guess that some night excursion was intended, and said, when Wildney had
gone--

"Take my advice, and have nothing to do with this, Eric."

Eric had grown very touchy lately about advice, particularly from any
fellow of his own standing; and after the checks he had recently
received, a coolness had sprung up between him and nearly all the
study-boys, which made him more than ever inclined to assert his
independence, and defy and thwart them in every way.

"Keep your advice to yourself; Duncan, till it's asked for," he answered
roughly. "You've done nothing but _advise_ lately, and I'm rather sick
of it."

"Comme vous voulez," replied Duncan, with a shrug. "Gang your own gait;
I'll have nothing more to do with trying to stop you since you _will_
ruin yourself."

Nothing more was said in the study that evening, and when Eric went down
he didn't even bid Duncan good-night.

"Charlie," he said, as he stole on tiptoe into Wildney's dormitory.

"Hush!" whispered Wildney, "the other fellows are asleep. Come and sit
by my bedside, and I'll tell you what we are going to do."

Eric went and sat by him, and he sat up in his bed. "First of all,
_you're_ to keep awake till twelve to-night," he whispered; "old
Rowley'll have gone round by that time, and it'll be all safe. Then
come and awake me again, and I'll watch till one, Pietrie till two, and
Graham till three. Then Graham'll awake us all, and we'll dress."

"Very well. But how will you get the key of the lavatory?"

"Oh, I'll manage that," said Wildney, chuckling. "But come again and
awake me at twelve, will you?"

Eric went to his room and lay down, but he didn't take off his clothes,