ou help it?"

"Leave that to me," I replied, as I hastened down to the
landing-place, where I summoned my boatmen for service.

We took the three row-boats out of the water, and carried them some
distance from the shore, hiding them in the bushes. The Splash was too
large to be carried far; but we took her out of the water, and put her
high and dry on the island. A force of twenty students had been placed
under my command, and with a little engineering we made easy work even
of these heavy jobs. The rudder of the sail-boat was unshipped, and
concealed, so that she would be useless to the invaders, if they
attempted to carry her off. There was no fear that they would try to
tow the scow back to Parkville; for in doing this their punishment
would be too severe.

Having accomplished my work, I returned to the headland where
Vallington had his headquarters, just as Mr. Parasyte's boat touched
the shore below.

"We are all right now," I remarked to the leader.

"The boats are secure--are they?"

"They are."

"Very well; then we are ready to receive our visitors. I will appoint
a committee of three to wait upon them and invite them to our
headquarters."

Three students were detailed for this duty, and they descended the
bluff. Mr. Parasyte and the deputy sheriff followed them up the bank,
where Vallington was ready to receive them in state, supported by his
officers. The parson had instructed the rebels to treat our visitors
with the utmost politeness, and enjoined them not to insult or annoy
Mr. Parasyte. This was good advice, for some of the boys would have
been glad to duck him in the lake, or to subject him to other
indignities, now that they had the power to do so.

The principal of the Parkville Liberal Institute had doubtless been
very angry when he returned to the school, and found that a "breaking
away" had taken place; but he had cooled off during his passage over
the lake, and now he looked troubled and anxious, rather than angry.
As he walked towards the spot where the officers of the camp stood, he
gazed curiously around him; but he said nothing.

"Vallington, I am very much surprised to find you with this party,"
were the first words he spoke, as he discovered our leader, standing
on his dignity, a little in advance of his supporters.

"Considering the circumstances, Mr. Parasyte, I am not at all
surprised to find myself here," replied the parson. "If it were a mere
frolic for the love of mischief