Mark and Texas were seated on the steps of barracks when the Parson came through the sally port. The two were listening to the music of the band at the Saturday afternoon hop in the Academy Building, and also watching several cadets paying penalties by marching sedately back and forth in the area.  
Stanard strolled in slowly with no signs of excitement. He came up and sat down beside the two in his usual methodical way.
 
"Good-afternoon, gentlemen," said he. "Good-afternoon. I have something to deliberate upon with you if it is perfectly agreeable."
 
It was agreeable, and so the Parson told his story, embellishing it with many flourishes, classical allusions and geological metaphors. And when he finished Texas sprang up in excitement.
 
"Wow!" he cried. "Let's go up thar an' clean out the hull crowd."
 
[Pg 73]"It is best to deliberate, to think over our plan of attack," returned the Parson, calmly, and with a mild rebuke in his tone, which reminded Texas of his promise never to get excited again, made him sit down sheepishly.
 
"I think," put in Mark, "that we ought to think up some scheme to scare 'em off, or get away with Indian, or something. It's a harmless joke, you know, so what's the use of fighting over it?"
 
"Oh," growled Texas, in disgust.
 
"If we could only manage to turn the tables on them," continued Mark. "Shut up a while, and let's think a few minutes."
 
And then there was silence, deep and impressive, while everybody got his "ratiocinating apparatus," as the Parson called it, to work. Mark was the first to break it.
 
"Look here, Parson," said he, "what's the name of all those chemicals of yours that you hid up the chimney for fear the cadet officers 'd make you give 'em up?"
 
The Parson rattled off a list of unpronounceable names, at the mention of one of which Mark sprang up.
 
"Get it! Get it! you long-legged Boston professor, you!" he shouted. "Never mind why! But I've got something in my pocket that'll—gee whiz! Hurry up!"
 
[Pg 74]The Parson did as he was commanded, and in about as much of a hurry as was possib............