didn't tell us
that he attempted to flog you; only that you pitched into him,
apparently without any cause or reason," added Tom Rush.

"You all ran out of school," said I. "What is Mr. Parasyte going to do
about it?"

"We don't know, and we don't care. He is a tyrant, and a toady; and
all but about a dozen of the fellows are going to quit the school."

"But where are you going?" I asked, surprised at this decided step.

"We have it all arranged, and are going to break away in a bunch. We
are getting things ready; but we want you, Ernest."

"Why me?"

"Because you are a good sailor, and know all about boats?"

That was highly complimentary in a direction where I was peculiarly
weak--my love of boats and boating. Bob Hale then informed me that the
students were going into camp on their own hook this year. This was an
annual institution at the academy. Belonging to the Institute were
seven tents, large enough to accommodate all the boys and all the
teachers; and in the month of July the whole school camped out for one
or two weeks. This custom did more for the popularity of the Institute
than anything else, and without it, it was doubtful if the school
could have been kept together; for it was an offset to the dislike
with which a large majority of the boys regarded the principal.

The students had begun to talk about camping out as soon as the spring
opened, and when the rebellion broke out, it immediately ran into this
channel. The camp during the preceding year had been in a piece of
woods ten miles east of Parkville; but the rebels had already decided
to establish it, at the present time, on Cleaver Island, two miles
north-west of the steamboat pier, and including an area of about
twenty acres, well covered with wood.

I could not say that I approved of this scheme; but Bob Hale and Tom
Rush said the students had unanimously agreed to it. I was not in
favor of insubordination and rebellion. But the moral sense of the
boys had been outraged; Mr. Parasyte had resorted to the grossest
injustice, and they were determined to "break away" from him. Rather
reluctantly I consented to join the insurrection. I ought not to have
done so; but smarting as I then was under the injustice of my uncle
and the principal, I found an argument to satisfy myself with my
conduct.

The Splash seemed to be necessary, in my estimation, for the success
of the enterprise, and my friends volunteered to assist me in raising
her. I we