reason or other, he's at daggers drawn with young Noaks and Hogson.
I think they've knocked him about, and he's doing it to pay them out."

"But how did they get to know about our fireworks? and how do they
reckon they're going to get them out of the shed? Look here, hadn't we
better tell Blake?"

"We can't do that," answered Jack Vance, "or it'll get Diggy in a row.
If he says anything about Joe Crump, it'll all come out about his having
been in Locker's Lane when the Philistines caught him, and of course
that's against rules."

"What time did he say they meant to come?"

"About a quarter to nine."

There was a silence which lasted for over a minute; then Diggory spoke.

"This is what I think we'd better do. If they come at all, they are
certain to be here soon after half-past eight, because I heard Fox
telling Blake on the day of the match that they go to bed at nine.
We won't tell any one, but as soon as 'prep' is over we'll cut down into
the playground, and when they come we'll kick up a row. They'll soon
make tracks if they find they're discovered, and it'll be better than
saying anything to Blake about it, and we shall have defeated them
ourselves."

"All right," answered Acton. "But it'll look queer if we all three stop
out from supper; two's enough. I'll go for one, and you and Vance toss
up."