We"ll wear masks and he"ll think he"s in for a bit of hazing and won"t squeal very loud. Then we can blindfold him and bring him here."
"So far, so good," put in Rockley. "And after that?"
"You know how he hates liquor?"
"Does he, or is it all put on?" questioned Ben Hurdy.
"I can"t say as to that, but anyway he pretends to hate it, so it amounts to the same thing. Well, after we have him here we can get him to drink something by hook or by crook, and when he falls asleep we can put an empty bottle in his hand and then somebody can bring Captain Putnam to the spot. That will wipe out d.i.c.k Rover"s record as a model pupil all in a minute."
"Good!" almost shouted Rockley. "We can dose him easily. You just leave that for me."
"Wish we could get his brothers into it, too," came from Pender.
"Oh, we can serve them out some other way," answered Lew Flapp. "At the start, we don"t want to bite off more than we can chew," he added slangily.
The matter was discussed for fully an hour, and when the meeting broke up each member understood fully what was to be accomplished.
Two days after the athletic contests the cadets had a prize drill. The cadets had been preparing for this for some time and each company did its best to win.
"I am greatly pleased with the showing made by all three companies,"
said Captain Putnam after the drilling and marching were at an end.
"Companies B and C have done very well indeed. But for general excellence the average of Company A is a little above the others, so the prize must go to Captain Rover"s command."
"Hurrah for d.i.c.k Rover!" was the cry, and this was followed by a cheer for First Lieutenant Powell and for Second Lieutenant Tom Rover.
"Humph! Forever cheering those Rovers!" muttered Flapp, who was in Company C. "My, but it makes me sick!"
"Never mind," whispered Rockley. "Just wait till we get the chance to work our little game."
At once Lew Flapp"s face took on a cunning look.
"I"ve got an idea," he whispered in return. "Why not try it on to-night? Then Captain Putnam would say Rover had been celebrating because his company won the prize."
"You are right there, Lew, I didn"t think of that. Wait till I sound the other fellows."
It did not take Rockley long to talk to his cronies, and presently he came back with a knowing look on his face.
"It"s settled," he said. "By to-morrow morning d.i.c.k Rover will be in disgrace and will lose his position as captain of Company A."
CHAPTER XXVII
A PRISONER OF THE ENEMY
Never dreaming of the plot hatched out against him, d.i.c.k retired as usual that night. Now that the worry over the compet.i.tive drill was a thing of the past he realized that he was worn out, and scarcely had his head touched the pillow than he was in the land of Nod.
His awakening was a rude one. He felt himself raised up, a large towel was pa.s.sed over his face and tied behind his head, and then he was dragged from his cot.
"Don"t dare to make a sound!" whispered a low voice in his ear. "If you do, you"ll be struck senseless."
"Hullo, I"m about to be hazed," thought d.i.c.k, and it must be admitted that he was far from pleased. "They think they are going to do something grand to the captain of the company that won the prize. Well, not if I can help it," and he began to struggle to free himself.
But his tormentors were too many for him and almost before he knew it his hands and his feet were made secure and a sack was drawn over his head. Then he was raised up and carried away he knew not to where.
"One thing is certain, they are taking me a long distance from camp,"
was his thought, when he found himself dumped into a rowboat. "Can they be going to the head of the lake?"
The idea of using the boat had been suggested by Jackson, who said it would bewilder d.i.c.k, so he would not know where he was being taken. And Jackson was right, the eldest Rover thought he was a long way from camp when he was placed on sh.o.r.e again.
His feet were now unloosed and he was made to march forward until the vicinity of the hermit"s den was reached. Then he was carried into the den and tied fast to a log erected near one of the side walls.
"Take the sack from his head," came in the voice of Lew Flapp, and this was done and then the towel was also removed.
For the moment d.i.c.k could see nothing, for the glare of a large lantern was directly in his face. Then he made out half a dozen or more cadets standing around him, each with a red mask over his face, and a red skull cap with horns.
"Hullo, this must be a new secret society," he thought. "I"ve been initiated into the Order of Black Skulls, but never into the Order of Red Skulls. Wonder what they will want me to do?" There was a moment of silence and one of the masked cadets stepped to the front.
"Prisoner, are you prepared to meet your doom?" was the question put in a harsh voice.
"Oh, chestnuts!" cried d.i.c.k. "I went through that long ago, when I first came to Putnam Hall."
"Bow to your superiors," said another voice.
"Where are the superiors?" asked d.i.c.k innocently. "I don"t see "em."
"The prisoner is impertinent! Make him bow!"
At once several sprang behind d.i.c.k and forced him to move his head up and down.
"Let up, my head isn"t on a hinge!" he cried. "Cut it short, for I"m sleepy."
"Make him drink the poison and at once!" put in another of the masked cadets.
The speaker tried to disguise his tones, but the voice sounded much like that of Lew Flapp and instantly d.i.c.k was on the alert.
"How much do you want me to drink?" he asked cheerfully.
"Only one gla.s.s, if you drink it without stopping to sneeze," put in another voice, and now d.i.c.k was certain that he recognized Rockley.
"These are no friends," he thought. "They are enemies and they intend to play me foul."
"How can I drink with my hands tied behind me?" he asked.
"We will hold the gla.s.s for you," said another, and d.i.c.k felt almost sure it was Gus Pender who uttered the words.
"It"s the whole Flapp crowd," he mused. "I"m in a pickle and no mistake. I suppose they"ll half kill me before they let me go."