Page:The fighting scrub, (IA fightingscrub00barb).pdf/203

 "Eleven minutes past," said Loring. "Fifteen minutes to get to the village and find his man. Five minutes to get started. Five minutes more at the station. Barring accidents, Clif, he ought to roll into Danbury by nine-ten."

"I dare say," Clif agreed, "but if Tom is still set on going home I guess Wattles won't be able to do much.'

"Oh, Wattles will fetch him," said Loring confidently. "Now it's up to us to fix things at this end. What about his absence from supper? Suppose it was noticed?"

"Why, yes, but that doesn't matter. If a fellow doesn't want to come to his meals he doesn't have to. No one's going to bother about that, but if he's missed from assembly hall it's good night! I wonder who's in charge to-night!"

"That's so. I'd forgotten about study hour." Loring thoughtfully thumbed the pages of the time-table. Finally; "Say, is it hard to get permission to cut study hour, Clif?"

"Gee, I don't know. I never tried it. Why?"

"I was thinking that if Tom got permission to stay away, because of illness or something, he might get by."

"Of course, but how can he get excused if he isn't here to ask?"

"Couldn't you do it for him?"

The two boys observed each other in thoughtful silence for a moment. Then Clif's eyes lighted. "Gee,