Chapter II. Preparation.
The week following the important consultation described in the last chapter was one of serious excitement to at least seven boys at Swishford.
Other fellows could not make out what was the matter, and as long as Bowler did not shirk the football match, and Gayford stuck up as usual for his house, they did not particularly care. It was certainly a novelty to see Braintree diligently reading a book in his odd moments, but when it transpired that the book was _Wobinson Cwusoe_, that wonder ceased. And even the surprise of seeing Crashford the lion lying down, so to speak, with Tubbs the lamb, wore away in time, and the conspirators were, on the whole, left undisturbed by Swishford to develop their plans for the eventful emigration of the coming spring.
The three last elected members of the band had fallen in promptly with the scheme, and were not a little elated at the honour conferred upon them. Crashford became quite mellow towards his old enemy Gayford, and actually paid back Bowler a half-crown which he had borrowed three terms ago. Tubbs, though less demonstrative, was equally delighted, and upset the inkpot over the chart, in his eagerness to exhibit to Wester their new home. [It was hardly worth noticing that Tubbs put his finger not on New Swishford at all, but into the centre of Peru, which he said he believed was one of the healthiest countries in all Asia.] Wester, who always made a point of agreeing with the majority, found no difficulty in rejoicing, wherever the place might be, and only wished they had not to wait so long as next spring.
"Why should we wait till then?" asked Crashford.
"Oh, it"s better weather," said Gayford; "besides, Wallas is in for his Oxford local."
"Oh, that doesn"t matter tremendously," said Wallas, who was beginning to think the world might after all go on if he did not pa.s.s.
"We can give him an exam, on the ship going out," said Bowler, "a Swishford local exam., you know, and offer a slice of the island if he pa.s.ses."
"It strikes me," said Braintree, "a square mile of tewwitowy is warthah a wum pwize for a chap."
"But, I say," said Wester, "isn"t our winter the same as their summer?
so if we start now, we shall just get out in the warm weather."
"Never thought about that," said Bowler; "what do you say, Gay?"
"I know my uncle generally likes those parts not in the warm weather,"
said Gayford. "But then, he"s been at sea all his life."
"By the way, when does his ship start?" inquired Wallas; "something depends on that, doesn"t it?"
"So it does," said Gayford. "I forgot that. He got home a fortnight ago, and he gets six weeks at home. That"ll bring it to the end of November."
"Just the very ticket; we must start then, I say."
"But how about my wifle if we don"t go home at Cwistmas?" asked Braintree.
"Oh, bother! Couldn"t you get it sent up somehow, or couldn"t you fetch it next Monday?--that"s the term holiday, you know."
"Hold hard," said Bowler, "I"ve got another plan for Monday. You know we ought to get our hands in a bit before we start, and try and find out what we really want and all that sort of thing. Now, my idea is for us to get the coastguard"s boat for the day at Sound Bay (you know there"s never any one there to look after it), and sail across to Long Stork Island, and knock about there for the day, just to see how we get on.
Of course, we shall have to come back before six; but we must make believe we"ve landed there for good, and see how we manage. And, of course, if we get on there, we"re bound to get on at New Swishford, for it"s a far jollier place than the Long Stork."
Bowler"s proposition was hailed with acclamation. His hearers were just in the humour to put their enthusiasm to the test, and the notion of a picnic on the Long Stork as a sort of full-dress rehearsal of the capture of New Swishford suited them exactly.
They proceeded immediately to discuss ways and means, and found that by putting their pocket-moneys together they could raise the very respectable sum of forty-one shillings. Reserving the odd shilling for the possible contingency of having to "square" a coastguard for the use of the boat, they had two pounds to devote to the purchase of stores, weapons, and other necessaries; and, as Gayford pointed out, of course anything they got that wasn"t eatable would come in for New Swishford.
A sub-committee, consisting of Bowler, Braintree and Wester, was appointed to expend the funds of the adventurers to the best advantage, and meanwhile each member was asked to report what else he could contribute in the way of stores to the general need. Before the end of the week the list was handed in, and as the doc.u.ments might some day be of immense value to the future historian of New Swishford, I quote them here.
_Bowler_.--A waterproof, a hat-box, a pair of cricket bails, and a fold- up chair.
_Gayford_.--The chart, a compa.s.s, jam-pots for baling out boats, an eight-blade knife, a hammer and tacks, and a chessboard.
_Braintree_.--The wifle (pwaps), _Wobinson Cwusoe_, gloves, and umbwellah.
_Tubbs_.--A crib to Sall.u.s.t (sorry that"s all I"ve got).
_Crashford_.--Clay pipe, pack of cards, a corkscrew, a strap, and _Hal Hiccup the Boy Demon_.
_Wester_.--Three tumblers, bottle of ginger-beer, and a bat.
_Wallas_.--A saucepan and two eggs, a rope, and Young"s _Night Thoughts_.
At the same time the sub-committee reported the purchase of the following stores:--
Fourteen tins of potted shrimps, 14 shillings; Ditto ditto peaches, 14 shillings; Ditto bottles of lemonade, 3 shillings 6 pence; (1 penny each allowed on returned bottles.) Four of Stodge"s spice-cakes, 4 shillings; A fishing-rod, 2 shillings 6 pence; Flies for ditto, 1 shilling; One kettle, 6 pence; One crumb-brush, 6 pence; Total, 2 pounds.
This admirable selection of stores met with universal approval. Indeed, as regards the first four items, every one so highly approved that they wanted to take every man his share for safe custody to his own study.
It was, however, thought undesirable to put them to this trouble, and the sub-committee were directed to continue in charge of these and the other voluntary contributions until the eventful day.
That was not long in coming round, though to the anxious voyagers it seemed long enough. The interval was spent in deep deliberation and solemn preparation. Braintree had his boots most carefully blacked, and Crashford practised boxing all Sat.u.r.day afternoon with Rubble of the Fifth; Bowler and Gayford strolled casually round to Sound Bay, to see that the boat was safe in its usual place, and prospected the distant dim outline of the Long Stork from the cliffs. Tubbs, feeling he must do something to contribute to the success of the undertaking, wrote a long letter home, which he forgot to post, asking the forgiveness of his second sister, and adding, "Address for Monday, Long Stork Island."
Wallas amused himself by reading over the directions for restoring life to the apparently drowned, and Wester tidied up Bowler"s study and helped him make up the stores into seven equal brown-paper packages, writing the name of the owner of each on the outside.
This done, the preparations were p.r.o.nounced as complete as they could be till Monday dawned.
The town holiday was an absolutely free day for the Swishford boys.
There was no call-over in the morning, and, indeed, until the evening at eight o"clock they were their own masters.
Most of the boys availed themselves of their liberty by lying in bed an hour later than usual on the November morning, a practice which greatly favoured our heroes in their design of escaping a little before dawn.
Bowler was the first up, and went round to wake the rest.
"Howwid gwind," said Braintree, sitting up for a moment in bed and rubbing his eyes, and then subsiding again under the clothes. "Needn"t get up yet, Bowler, it"s long before c.o.c.kcrow."
"It"s just on six o"clock, I tell you, and it"ll spoil it all if we don"t get away by a quarter past. Do get up, there"s a good fellow."
"Howwid waw morning," groaned Braintree. "I"d warthah--oh, vewy well, I"ll get up."
And with a great effort he struggled out of bed and began to array himself. Bowler had a similar task with each of the other adventurers, and any leader less sanguine or eager might have felt his ardour damped by the evident want of alacrity on the part of his confederates to respond to the call to action.
However, once up, the spirits of the party rose, and they a.s.sembled in good-humour in Bowler"s study, where by the dim light of a candle the seven brown-paper parcels were solemnly doled out, and a final review of the preparations made.
A few more articles, such as a whistle, a bottle of hair-oil (contributed by Braintree), a shut-up inkpot and pen from Wester, and a guide to the environs of Tunbridge Wells from Tubbs, were thrown into the common lot at the last moment, and stuffed into the pockets of the ulsters in which the boys had armed themselves against a rainy day.
All this being done, Bowler gave the order to march, which the party obeyed by taking off their boots and crawling downstairs on tiptoe to the front door. As silently as possible the great lock was turned and the bolts drawn, and next moment the adventurers, with their boots in one hand and their brown-paper parcels in the other, stood under the stars.
"Now stick your boots on sharp and step out," said Bowler. The order was promptly obeyed, and the dim gables of Swishford soon vanished behind them as they sped along the cliffs towards Sound Bay.
It was a good three miles, and in their ulsters, and weighted with their brown-paper parcels, the boys made slow progress. It was already dawn when, rather f.a.gged and not quite sure how they were enjoying it, they reached the top of the path which led down to Sound Bay. The near approach to their journey"s end revived them, and they stumbled down the stony path cheerily but cautiously, until at last they had the satisfaction of seeing the boat bobbing up and down in the little natural harbour close among the rocks.
The wily Bowler and Gayford had marked where the oars and sail were kept, and fetched them in triumph from their hiding-place. The seven brown-paper parcels were solemnly embarked and stowed away under the seats, and then one by one the heroes of New Swishford stepped on board, the painter was thrown loose, silent adieux were waved to the land of their birth, and their gallant boat, nimbly propelled by Gayford and the boat-hook, threaded its way through the rocks and made for the boundless ocean.