. Audacious as the scheme was, both were anxious for
the honour; but after discussing the point for some time, Mellor gave
way to Crick. Mellor was well known at Garside. He would be at once
stopped were he found entering the school, and questioned as to what he
had come for. Crick was unknown to the porter, and little known to most
of the boys. The main thing was to provide him with one of the Garside
caps. It so happened that Mellor had retained his old cap. There were at
least twenty other boys of about the same size and age as Crick in the
school. With the school cap on his head it would be easy enough for him
to slip into the grounds during one of the half-holidays when most of
the boys would be on the playing-fields. If any one did notice him, he
might pass muster as a new boy.

For the rest, Mellor was acquainted with every detail of the school
building, and gave Crick precise information as to the best and surest
methods to reach the west turret; so that Crick, as the result of this
information, knew almost as much about the building as Mellor.

Everything having been thus clearly planned, it only remained to put the
plan into execution. To this end Garside had been carefully reconnoitred
by the two boys at every opportunity that offered--that was to say, on
every holiday. The opportunity they sought at length came--on that
afternoon when Plunger and his companions were so busily engaged in
playing the part of Crusoe. On cautiously approaching the school, the
two confederates found that it was almost deserted. Crick thereupon
boldly entered the grounds, with the Garside cap on his head and the
collar of his sweater up, just for all the world as though he belonged
to the school.

A door at the rear of the building led through a narrow passage to the
stairs leading to the turret. Crick was not long in finding the door,
just as it had been described by Mellor.

Entering it, he quickly mounted to the turret, and reached the trap-door
leading to the roof. It had not been raised for some time, and Crick did
not find it easy to open; but putting his head to it, and forcing it
upward with the full strength of his body, it at length opened amid a
shower of dust, and the next minute Crick was through it and on the
roof.

His heart beat loudly as he saw only a few yards from him the old flag
flying from its staff. He did not lose his head, however. He knew well
enough that, though he had succeeded in reaching the turr