but dismissed them as soon they came into their minds.

When four o'clock was struck by the bell on the tower, the usual number
of boys climbed the fence and set out for Barrington, and although they
came back fully satisfied that there was something afoot, there was not
one among them who had a word of news.

"The town looks as though it had been struck by a panic," said Dixon.
"There was hardly anybody in the post-office, and the few people I saw
on the streets looked as if they might be on their way to a funeral. I
couldn't get a thing out of any man I saw, so I called on the Taylor
girls, who told me the committee has positive evidence that there is to
be an uprising among the negroes, led by such men as Elder Bowen. Of
course that is all humbug. I don't believe in running, but I really
think it would be pleasanter for the elder if he would sell out and go
up to the United States. He's got Bud Goble down on him--"

"Did he and Bud have a squabble sure enough?"

"Naw. Bud got impudent and the elder took him by the neck and showed him
the way to the gate. That's all there was of it. Of course there are a
few who are mad about it, but the majority of the folks I talked with
think Bud was served just right. I wish the colonel would call for
volunteers to guard the elder's house of nights. I'd go for one."

As usual there was nothing said to the guard runners, and neither was
there another sham fight in the hall, the trouble over the flag having
been settled for a few days at least. The students were very quiet that
evening, and when Dick and Marcy went on post at eight o'clock, there
were no indications of the hubbub and confusion that one of them was
destined to create before he was relieved at midnight. Dick thought it a
part of his duty to keep watch of the town as well as over a portion of
the school grounds, and when he stopped to rest, he always turned his
face toward Barrington. Once he thought he heard faint shouts, and a few
minutes later he was sure he saw the first rays of the rising moon; but
that could hardly be, for, if he remembered rightly, the almanac said
there wasn't to be any moon that night.

"By gracious!" thought Dick. "Can it be a fire?"

He glanced toward the archway to make sure that the corporal was not
watching him, and then did a thing he had never done before in his life
and was never guilty of afterward. He deserted his post. He opened the
gate without causing the iron latch to click