(1 penny each allowed on returned bottles.)
Four of Stodge's spice-cakes, 4 shillings;
A fishing-rod, 2 shillings 6 pence;
Flies for ditto, 1 shilling;
One kettle, 6 pence;
One crumb-brush, 6 pence;
Total, 2 pounds.

This admirable selection of stores met with universal approval. Indeed,
as regards the first four items, every one so highly approved that they
wanted to take every man his share for safe custody to his own study.
It was, however, thought undesirable to put them to this trouble, and
the sub-committee were directed to continue in charge of these and the
other voluntary contributions until the eventful day.

That was not long in coming round, though to the anxious voyagers it
seemed long enough. The interval was spent in deep deliberation and
solemn preparation. Braintree had his boots most carefully blacked, and
Crashford practised boxing all Saturday afternoon with Rubble of the
Fifth; Bowler and Gayford strolled casually round to Sound Bay, to see
that the boat was safe in its usual place, and prospected the distant
dim outline of the Long Stork from the cliffs. Tubbs, feeling he must
do something to contribute to the success of the undertaking, wrote a
long letter home, which he forgot to post, asking the forgiveness of his
second sister, and adding, "Address for Monday, Long Stork Island."
Wallas amused himself by reading over the directions for restoring life
to the apparently drowned, and Wester tidied up Bowler's study and
helped him make up the stores into seven equal brown-paper packages,
writing the name of the owner of each on the outside.

This done, the preparations were pronounced as complete as they could be
till Monday dawned.

The town holiday was an absolutely free day for the Swishford boys.
There was no call-over in the morning, and, indeed, until the evening at
eight o'clock they were their own masters.

Most of the boys availed themselves of their liberty by lying in bed an
hour later than usual on the November morning, a practice which greatly
favoured our heroes in their design of escaping a little before dawn.

Bowler was the first up, and went round to wake the rest.

"Howwid gwind," said Braintree, sitting up for a moment in bed and
rubbing his eyes, and then subsiding again under the clothes. "Needn't
get up yet, Bowler, it's long before cockcrow."

"It's just on six o'clock, I tell you, and it'll spoil it all if we
don't get away by a quarter past.