CHAPTER II

THE CLUB GROWS


And that is the way in which it happened. It began in fun and ended
quite seriously. They sat up in Number 17 Sumner until long after
bedtime that night, figuring the cost of the expedition, planning the
cruise, even listing supplies. The more they talked about it the more
their enthusiasm grew. Perry was for having Steve send a night message
then and there to his father asking for the boat, but Steve preferred to
wait until he reached home and make the request by word of mouth.

"He would just think I was fooling or crazy if I telegraphed," he
explained. "Tomorrow we'll try to dig up three other fellows to go
along, and then, as soon as we all get home, we'll find out whether our
folks will stand for it. You must all telegraph me the first thing.
Don't wait to write, because I must know as soon as possible. I dare say
there's work to be done on the _Cockatoo_ before she's ready for the
water, and we don't want to have to wait around until the end of July.
The fun of doing anything is to do it right off. If you wait you lose
half the pleasure. Now you'd better beat it, Perry. It's after ten. If
you meet a proctor close your eyes and make believe you're walking in
your sleep."

Perry reached his own room, on the floor above, without being sighted,