“Don’t let them know I told you,” pleaded Win, “or they will half kill me for telling.”

“Sure not,” promised Rand.  “You can slip off again and no one will know you have been here.”

“Well, what do you think of that!” exclaimed Pepper, when Win had gone.

“Shure, an’ phat mischief are ye’s plotting now?” demanded Gerald, who came across the lawn as his brother slipped away.

“More monkey tricks,” responded Rand.  “Monkey is going to surprise us to-night.”

“Is he now?” asked Gerald; “and phat is he up to now?”

“He is going to smash the shell so we can’t row to-morrow,” replied Donald.

“Faith, I think he’ll find it a hard nut to crack,” asserted Gerald, dropping his brogue in his indignation.  “Though there isn’t anything surprising about that.  I don’t think Monkey could surprise us, except by trying to be good.”

“And I don’t believe he’ll try that,” laughed Pepper.

“What shall we do about it?” asked Gerald.  “Tell the colonel?”

“I am no sure there is anything to it,” said Donald.  “And it may be possible we can take care of Monkey and Sam ourselves.  In my opinion, it would no be a bad plan to go down to the boathouse and capture them if they come.”

“That isn’t a bad idea,” agreed Rand.  “We can slip away, one at a time, so if they see us they won’t suspect anything.  I will go first and the rest of you can join me later.  There isn’t any moon to-night, and we can easily find places to hide around the house.”

“Faith,” whispered Gerald, “we’ll beat them at their own game.”

Acting upon Rand’s suggestion the boys separated, each taking a different course, meeting later at the boathouse.  The place was in darkness when Rand, who was the first to arrive, got there.  Making a hasty examination by the light of a match he saw that the shell was all right.  Keeping in the dark, he waited until the others, slipping up like so many shadows, had come.

“Seen or heard anything?” asked Donald, as they consulted behind the house.

“Not a thing,” responded Rand.  “Perhaps they have given it up.”

“You can no depend upon what they may do,” commented Donald.

“That’s right, old Solomon,” agreed Pepper; “so it’s just as well to be prepared for anything.”

“What shall we do if they come?” asked Donald.

“Jump out and scare them to death,” suggested Gerald.

“No,” advised Rand.  “Let’s give them a chance to get in.  If they go to the door or window, Don or I will give the call and we will all rush on them and grab them.”

“Don’t wait too long or they may spoil the shell,” said Pepper.

“We will just give them a chance to get inside,” went on Rand, detailing his plans.  “I think it will be better if we each hide in a different place.  Pepper can go over there behind those bushes and watch the road.  Don can watch the door, and I will go on the other side and look out for the window.”