“Say, if Crabtree is going away we ought to give him something to remember us by,” came from Pepper. “Sure, let us present him with a gold watch and chain,” answered Dale sarcastically. “We might have it inscribed as follows: ‘To our much beloved friend, The Honorable Josiah Crabtree, A. M., P. M., X. X. M., and all the rest, as a slight token of our love, esteem, friendship, well-wishes, and undying affection.’” “He’d fall dead if he got it,” put in Andy. “I move we present him with an alarm clock,” said Pepper. “A good loud one. I saw a special sale of ’em in Cedarville for seventy-five cents each.” “That’s the talk!” cried Dale. “If you’ll get one, I’ll get another.” “The box is now open for contributions to the Crabtree Alarm Clock Collection!” announced The Imp, grinning broadly. “Who wants to chip in to get our beloved teacher a few clocks with good alarms attached?” The idea took like wildfire and in a short time the cadets collected several dollars. Pepper and Dale were chosen to get the clocks, and they bought five, each with an “alarm” that was loud and long. “We must be careful to set them just right,” said The Imp. “I think about five minutes apart will do,” said Andy, and so it was arranged. The boys watched their chances, and after winding up the clocks managed to place them in two dress-suit cases which Josiah Crabtree had packed to take with him. They knew that the teacher was going to take the boat from Cedarville at five o’clock and timed the clock alarms accordingly. “We must get down to Cedarville to see the fun,” said Pepper. This was an easy matter, for, because of going away in the morning, the cadets were allowed to do pretty much as they pleased, Captain Putnam and George Strong being too busy getting ready for the encampment to pay much attention to them. A crowd of the cadets went to Cedarville on their bicycles and some walked. Josiah Crabtree went in the school carryall, driven by Peleg Snuggers. The teacher was bachelor yet he had quite an eye for the ladies, and when he saw a pretty widow he knew walking down to the steamboat dock he bowed and tipped his hat and asked her to ride with him. She accepted and entered the carryall, and then both walked out on the dock to await the arrival of the boat. “Five minutes yet!” announced Pepper. “And then for some fun!” Josiah Crabtree found a seat for the widow, and both chatted pleasantly. In the meantime a crowd commenced to collect on the dock. “Yes, I dearly love music,” the widow was saying. “Music is grand,” answered Josiah Crabtree. “I often think——” What the teacher thought was not expressed, for just then from one of the dress-suit cases came the shrill rattle of one of the alarm clocks. CHAPTER X OFF FOR THE ENCAMPMENT “Oh, dear me!” shrieked the widow. “What in the world is that?” “I—I don’t know!” answered the teacher, as he surveyed the suit-case in wonder.