“Let Percy Randall look after that,” suggested Edwards, “and we can arrange the other details. First let us see Jerry Bunce and obtain the use of his boat. We will fix the hour of departure at eleven o’clock to-night――not at our dock, for proctor Murray will be back this afternoon and he would see us. We will have the boat anchored around the bend down the river just beyond Packer’s woods, and the fellows must go through the town by twos and threes so as not to arouse suspicion. There will be a rowboat at the shore to take us aboard――――” “Hold on, Edwards,” said I. “Suppose you can’t get the steamer? You speak as if it was definitely arranged.” “I do so,” he answered, “in order that we may not have to meet again. I don’t think there will be any trouble about the steamer, but if there is any change of plan, Percy Randall can let his men know. Since we have made up our minds, we had better not linger around here any more.” Then, turning to Percy, he added: “Pick out fifty or sixty of the strongest fellows and have them on hand at eleven o’clock sharp.” “All right,” answered Randall, “and now, fellows, those of you that don’t happen to be chosen must not be disappointed. You can all see that this is the best plan, and that a large mob would spoil it. If you lie awake to-night you’ll probably see some fun when we get back.” “Come now, fellows, let us disperse,” said Ray. “There is nothing to be gained by standing around here any longer. We will only betray our plans.” At this the crowd quickly broke up, and the campus soon resumed its usual aspect――with that one marked exception――the absence of the old cannons, a change more noticeable than ever now that the throng had dispersed. “Perhaps we had better satisfy ourselves at once about the boat,” said Edwards. “Suppose we go down to see old Jerry?” Accordingly Ray, Tony, Dick, and I accompanied Edwards down to the small shanty in which Jerry Bunce lived, situated on the shore of the lake, some distance from the boat house dock. Jerry Bunce was at home, but at first, to our consternation, would not listen to our proposition. “I ain’t a goin’ to hev no wild crowd o’ students a playin’ the mischief with my boat,” he said emphatically. It required considerable argument to convince him that we would do the boat no harm. He feared all manner of trouble from the expedition, and raised objection after objection. Edwards, however, had set his mind on having the boat, and he had a persuasive and convincing manner that eventually overcame old Jerry’s opposition. “Wall, I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” he said at length. “If ye must hev the boat to-night, and you’ll do it no harm, I’ll let it to ye fer fifty dollars――not a cent less.” We closed with him gladly at this figure, and the bargain was soon completed. The steamer was to be ready at the place arranged that night at eleven o’clock. CHAPTER X A NIGHT EXPEDITION