Everybody would laugh at Sam, and call him a coward, and suspect him of failing in his expedition purposely, all of which would please Jake Elliott mightily.
How to accomplish all this was a problem which Jake thought he had solved by a sudden inspiration.

He had formed his plan at the very moment of receiving Sam's rebuke, and he waited now only for a chance to execute it.
An hour passed; two hours, three.

It was after midnight, and all the boys were sleeping soundly.

Jake arose noiselessly and crept to the tree at whose roots Sam had laid his baggage.

It was thirty feet or more from any of the boys, and Jake was not afraid of waking them.