terested Plunger
most of all was the raft. It seemed to him that he would like to live
upon that raft. What could be more delightful than gliding up and down
the stream on it for ever. Then he thought of the many adventures that
had happened on rafts--of the many shipwrecked passengers that had been
saved on them.

"Wish I had one of my own," he remarked to Harry, as the two stood
watching the men crossing the stream one half-holiday. "Wouldn't it be
jolly fun?"

"Very," answered Harry, who, fired by Plunger's enthusiasm, began to
share his longing.

It should be mentioned that Plunger's attitude towards Harry had changed
since the night when Newall had been feathered in mistake for Baldry.

To use the phrase of the Third--"Moncrief minor had scored," and Plunger
never respected anybody till they had succeeded in scoring over him--in
other words, beaten him at his own game. Since then he had begun to
tolerate Harry, and receive him on something like a footing of equality.

"Those fellows," went on Plunger, nodding his head in the direction of
the workmen on the raft, "are so beastly selfish."

"How, Freddy?"

"Well, I tried to get on that raft when it was lying idle the other day;
but they commenced shouting at me like mad. I wasn't doing any harm."

"Of course not."

"If they'd been using it, it'd have been a different thing; but they
weren't. So why couldn't they have let me cross the river on it--eh?"

"I don't see why. They ought to have been glad to. They didn't know the
honour they were losing. Now, if you'd only have told 'em who you
were----"

"Shut up!" cried Plunger, pinching Harry's arm. "But, I say, couldn't we
just have some lovely games, if we only had a raft like that?"

"Lovely," assented Harry.

Here was silence between them for some moments, as they watched the raft
and the men upon it with envious eyes.

"Duffers!" exclaimed Plunger, at length giving expression to his
feelings.

"Don't take on so, Freddy."

"Can't help it--duffers!" repeated Plunger, with still greater emphasis.

Silence again, broken by Harry.

"Would you really like to go on that raft, Freddy!"

"Stow poking fun."

"I'm not poking fun, I'm quite serious. Seems to me that if we really
wanted to go on that raft, and really made up our minds to it, we ought
to be able to manage it."

"How?" came the eager question.

"Easy enough if we go the right way, and don't make a mess of it, like
Newall did that nigh