“But we’re making a regular knock-me-down shindy,” said Llewellyn; “somebody must keep cave.”

“O, old Rose is safe enough at his Hebrew in the library; no fear of disturbing him if we were dancing hippopotami,” answered Graham.

But it was generally considered safest to put some one at the top of the stairs, in case of an unexpected diversion in that direction, and little Wright consented to go first.  He had only to leave the lavatory door open; and stand at the top of the staircase, and he then commanded for a great distance the only avenue in which danger was expected.  If any master’s candle appeared n the hall, the boys had full three minutes’ warning, and a single loudly-whispered “cave” would cause some one in each dormitory instantly to “douse the glim,” and shut the door; so that by the time of the adversary’s arrival, they would all be (of course) fast asleep in bed, some of them snoring in an alarming manner.  Whatever noise the master might have heard, it would be impossible to fix it on any of the sleepers.

So at the top of the stairs stood little Wright, shoeless, and shivering in his night-gown, but keenly entering into the fun, and not unconscious of the dignity of his position.  Meanwhile the rest were getting up a scenic representation of Bombastes Furioso, arranging a stage, piling a lot of beds together for a theatre, and dressing up the actors in the most fantastic apparel.

The impromptu Bombastes excited universal applause, and just at the end Wright ran in through the lavatory.

“I say,” said the little fellow, “it’s jolly cold standing at the top of the stairs.  Won’t some one relieve guard?”

“O, I will,” answered Eric, good-naturedly; “it’s a shame that one fellow should have all the bother and none of the fun;” and he ran to take Wright’s post.

After watching a minute or two, he felt sure that there was no danger, and therefore ran up to Upton’s study for a change.

“Well, what’s up?” said the study-boy, approvingly, as he glanced at Eric’s laughing eyes.

“O, we’ve been having leap-frog, and then Bombastes Furioso.  But I’m keeping ‘cave’ now; only it’s so cold that I thought I’d run up to your study.”

“Little traitor; we’ll shoot you for a deserting sentinel.”

“O no;” said Eric, “it’s all serene; Rowley’s out, and dear old Rose’d never dream of supposing us elsewhere than in the arms of Morpheus.  Besides the fellows are making less row now.”

“Well! look here! let’s go and look on, and I’ll tell you a dodge; put one of the tin washing-basins against the iron door of the lavatory, and then if any one comes he’ll make clang enough to wake dead; and while he’s amusing himself with this, there’ll be lots of time to ’extinguish the superfluous abundance of the nocturnal illuminators.’  Eh?”

“Capital!” said Eric, “come along.”

They went down and arranged the signal very artistically, leaving the iron door ajar a little, and then neatly poising the large tin basin on its edge, so as to lean against it.  Having extremely enjoyed this part of the proceeding, they went to look at the theatricals again, the boys being highly delighted at Upton’s appearance among them.