"They'll not set it off until midnight," spoke Sam, "That's what they said. We'll have time enough to do what we are going to." The three friends worked hurriedly. When they had finished they had several packages. Down the trellis they went and out on the campus, which was shrouded in darkness. They made their way to the foot of a statue of George Washington, which stood on a broad base in front of the school. There stood the Father of His Country, with outstretched arms, as if warning invaders away from the precincts of learning. "They've been here!" said Sam in a whisper. He pointed to some straggling black lines at the base of the figure, and to a thin thing like a string: which led over the grass toward the room of Adrian Bagot. "They've put our initials in powder here," said Jack. "Trying to throw the blame on us when it goes off." "We'll soon fix that," replied Sam. The three boys made some rapid movements around the statue, and then cut the thin thing which led to the room of young Bagot. "I guess when he touches off that fuse he'll wonder what has happened," observed John Smith. "Have you enough of the other fuse?" asked Jack. "Plenty," replied the Indian student. "Have you changed the initials?" "Every one," said Sam. "Then I think we can go back," said John. "Take care of my fuse. Don't get tangled up in it." The boys made their way quietly to a spot just under the window of Bagot's room. There they placed what seemed to be a piece of board. "Now back to your room, and wait until they start the fun," said John. The three friends had not long to wait. A little after midnight they heard Bagot's window cautiously open. There was the sound of a match striking, and then Sam called to Jack: "Let her go!" A second later a thin trail of fire spurted along the ground from the sporty student's room. It was followed by a larger one from the foot of the trellis by which Jack had descended. A few seconds later it seemed as if a Fourth of July celebration was in progress. Sparks of fire ran along to the statue of the first President. Then there was a puff of smoke, and in front of the hero of the Revolution there shot up dancing flames. At the same time there sounded several sharp explosions, as though the British were firing on the Minute Men at Lexington, and the latter were replying as fast as they could load and discharge their flintlocks. Windows began to go up here and there, and heads were thrust forth. "What is it?" "What's the matter?" "Are there burglars?" were some of the cries. Brighter now burned the fire at the foot of the statue, which was enveloped in a cloud of flame and smoke, and, had the original been alive he must have delighted in the baptism of gunpowder. Then there came a louder explosion. It was followed by a shower of sparks, and a trail of sparks began running along the ground, toward the college.