d _him_ into
mischief any more."

"Attlay, then; and what do you say to Brooking?"

"No, again," said Eric; "he's a blackguard."

"I wonder you haven't mentioned Duncan," said Wildney.

"Duncan! why, my dear child, you might as well ask Owen, or even old
Rose, at once. Bless you, Charlie, he's a great deal too correct to
come now."

"Well; we've got six already, that's quite enough."

"Yes; but two fowls isn't enough for six hungry boys."

"No, it isn't," said Wildney. He thought a little, and then, clapping
his hands, danced about and said, "Are you game for a _regular_
lark, Eric?"

"Yes; anything to make it less dull. I declare I've very nearly been
taking to work again to fill up the time."

Eric often talked now of work in this slighting way partly as an excuse
for the low places in form to which he was gradually sinking. Everybody
knew that had he properly exerted his abilities he was capable of
beating almost any boy; so, to quiet his conscience, he professed to
ridicule diligence as an unboyish piece of muffishness, and was never
slow to sneer at the "grinders," as he contemptuously called all those
who laid themselves out to win school distinctions.

"Ha, ha!" said Wildney, "that's rather good! No, Eric, it's too late for
you to turn 'grinder' now. I might as well think of doing it myself, and
I've never been higher than five from lag in my form yet."

"Haven't you? But what's the regular lark you hinted at?"

"Why, we'll go and seize the Gordonites' _pigeons_, and make another
dish of them."

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

"To-night."

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

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

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 enough to guess
what 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