“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 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 goodnight.

“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’re 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, for fear he should go to sleep.  Dr. Rowlands came round as usual at eleven, and then Eric closed his eyes for a few minutes, till the head-master had disappeared.  After that he lay awake thinking for an hour, but his thoughts weren’t very pleasant.