Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-29

late his parole, and the fact established a
mask for the agent of the chief wrong -doer
winch he was quite unscrupulous enough to
take advantage Of
Thad waited that night for the chosen four
I'm the solitude of his room, on the second
floor of the dormitory, possessing his soul in
patence, and mentally preparing himself for
the work he had in hand.
| Dove and Cranstone and Guipe," he told
aby To- oe On to listen r
g1ye it their support, why, then I'll under
| Five or six times he looked at his watch.
noung the flight of time. No hour had been
elect could be trusted to make their way to.
the trysting spot at the earliest convenient
moment.
Dow. was the first to arrive. He came tip
toeing into the room in his stocking feet and
took seat without uttering loud sound.
Five minutes later Cranstone pushed open
the, door and entered. and close upon his
heels came Guipe and Berkeley.
"All quiet along the line?" quered Nc
Pherson, when Guipe had softly closed and
locked the door,
| The answer was one of assent.
II 1t was dark within the room; the plotters
ed BY an interrogatory p @ NV @Wels, , from p'C Cram
stone, MCPHERSON began his recital. :
He told of the reunion which he and Even
and how they had received shelter there.
| Then he went on to give the details of Lofty's
plot to seize the Venture. He presented all
| the. arguments in favor of the conspiracy
whole statement with splendid impartiality.
| When he had done, his auditors understood
perfectly what the scheme was, and under
stood, moreover, that it was Lofty's scheme
| sponsor for it.
| 1t took over an hour to round up the dis
course, and during all this time the auditors
listened with breathlsss attention The mag
nitude of the scheme did not appall them but
rather Appealed to their craving for intrigue
and adventure-just as Lofty Rankin had
known it would. The difficulties in the way,
provided for without exception, involved risk,
but risk, with fair chance of gain, was meat
| and drink for Lofty's adherents.
Dove, who proved himself the most dis
questions to ask when McPherson's tale was
told, and receiving satisfactory replies there
to, announced that he was willing to enlist in
the proposed undertaking. Guipe, Cranstone
and Berkeley were equally compliant
"If you have made up your minds, then"
said Mcpherson, "all that remains is to take
in three more fellows. and effect our escape
from the academy. II must be done, too
night. They are pushing the work of fitting
out the schoolboat and it won't do to delay
another twenty-four hours. I noticed today,
while 1 was on board the Venture, that the
stores were coming aboard at a lively rate,
and probably the work of provisioning the
vessel has been concluded. By tomorrow
night they'll have her hauled up at the coal
docks, and the bunkers will be full. If we
can pounce down upon her while she is lying
at the dock it will simplify the attack good
deal If not, then well have to carry her by
boarding"
"Ten of us ought to be able to do it against
the force they keep on board the boat" said
DOVE. "The trouble, it seems to me, will be
to muster in the other three fellows we want,
and get away in body. Recent events have
made the profs and the funkeys lie awake :
nights to watch us fellows"
"You are right" assented Mcpherson "To
muster in three more good fellows and get
away in a body is the Waterloo we shall have
to pass. As for mastering in the necessary
three, I'll have to leave that to YOU It
wouldn't be policy for me to be seen arguing
pened. Pm out of the guard house on parole,
remember, and I've got string tied to me.1
His satellites were confident of their ability
to accomplish the required task of filling their
ranks.
us to enlist fellows, who, like ourselves, have
had some experience ON board steam ves-
sci. There's Alf Bertrand and his cousin,
Howard Mackey. They are both the sons
Of lake captains. and have had their expert
ence in helping to work steamboat"
Bertrand and Mackey. will do then. If
nobody has any objections" agreed McPher-
SON. 1tAnd the other one p
The third name proposed was that of Ter.
he was one Of "our fellows" was advanced
AMONG tha Westhronl hovs in the th,o.ot:saI