t when he walked into the Forum."

"We're not talking about the Forum," said Plunger quickly, giving Harry
another pinch. "We're talking about rafts--that raft," pointing to the
one on the river.

"And it's that raft I'm talking about. Have you ever noticed what
happens on a Saturday?"

"Many things happen on a Saturday; but what is the one thing that
happens in particular?"

"The workmen on the bridge leave off exactly as the clock strikes
twelve--a little bit sooner if they can manage it. Never later."

"Oh, yes; they're very punctual at leaving off. But what's that to do
with the raft?"

"A good deal. They always leave the raft tied up under the bridge. What
would be easier than to untie it, and there you are."

"Harry, you're a genius--a reg'lar genius!" cried Plunger, bringing his
hand down on Harry's back. "It never sprouted out like that when you
were at Gaffer Quelch's. It's come on since you've been at Garside. I
must have helped it."

Plunger had undoubtedly helped in the development of what he was pleased
to term Harry's "genius," but whether altogether to the advantage of
Harry time alone could show.

"You helped it, Freddy! The only help you give is helping Number One.
You ought to have belonged to the help-myself society. You'd have been
just the fellow for the president."

Plunger kicked Harry, and Harry returned the compliment; then their eyes
went to the river again, and the raft, which was just getting under way
again to cross to the other side.

"Those duffers don't know how to use a raft," said Harry contemptuously,
after he had been watching the workmen for some moments.

"Of course they don't. That's the worst of being landlubbers. Wish we
could only take them in hand and show them."

"One of 'em ought to be wearing a suit of goatskins and things of that
sort, with a great cap on his head, with the hair on the outside to
shoot off the rain if it came on," said Harry thoughtfully.

"Like Robinson Crusoe, you mean?"

"Like Robinson Crusoe. That slim fellow with the black hair would do for
Friday, and the others could be Indians--if they only knew how to do
things properly; but they don't."

"They don't," repeated Plunger emphatically. "My, if we only had the
working of that raft, Harry, we'd make things hum!"

It was tantalizing to watch the men, so they turned away with visions of
what it would be possible to accomplish if they only had possession of
the raft. They could discov