It was a bright
moonlight night and about twenty members were present, all attired in
their red robes and black hoods with yellow tassels. As before, some of
the members had wooden swords and others stuffed clubs. Around the
boathouse were hung a number of pumpkin lanterns, cut out in imitation
of skulls.

For the initiation of Gus Plum one of the club members had composed a
new chant, which was sung slowly and impressively as the former bully of
Oak Hall was led in by Buster Beggs and Sam Day.

"Hoopra! hoopra! Dilly dall!
Here's the victim, see him fall!
Hoopra! hoopra! Dilly dees!
Down upon his bended knees!
Hoopra! hoopra! Dilly deet!
Bind his hands and bind his feet!
Hoopra! hoopra! Dilly dive!
Let us cut him up alive!

"Punch him, crunch him, smash him up!
Let him drink the poison cup!
Let him groan and let him rave
As we put him in his grave!"

As this strange doggerel was sung the masked students danced
fantastically around Gus Plum, slapping him with their swords and clubs.
Then of a sudden he was tripped up, bound hands and feet, and marched
out of the boathouse. Here a bag was tied over his head, so that he
could not see a thing, although the bag had holes in the rear, so that
he would not be suffocated.

"To the river with him!" came the loud command. "An icy bath will do him
a world of good."

Now if there was one thing Gus Plum hated, it was ice-cold water for
bathing purposes, and the suggestion of such a bath, in the open air,
with the thermometer below the freezing point, caused him to shiver.

"Now, see here----" he began, and then shut his lips tightly. Come what
might he resolved to utter no complaint.

"What sayest thou?" demanded a voice by his side.

"Wouldst thou beg off?" demanded another.

"No, I'll take my medicine, no matter what it is," answered the former
bully, doggedly.

CHAPTER XIII

AN INTERRUPTED INITIATION

"He's full of grit this time," whispered Phil to Dave.

"Oh, Plum isn't the boy he used to be, I am certain of that," was the
low answer.

Before long the students reached a point on the river front where there
was a heavy clump of bushes. In a hollow between the bushes a fire had
been built, and on the bushes had been hung some horse blankets, to keep
off the wind.

As the members of the Gee Eyes reached the hollow they saw two boys
wrapped up in overcoats stealing away into the woods close