ght flashed out, and simultaneously Lily Jennings and Johnny
Trumbull turned indignantly upon Arnold Carruth.

"There, you have gone and let all those poor cats go," said Johnny.

"And spoilt everything," said Lily.

Arnold rubbed his shoulder. "You would have let go if you had been hit
right on the shoulder by a great shoe," said he, rather loudly.

"Hush up!" said Lily. "I wouldn't have let my cats go if I had been
killed by a shoe; so there."

"Serves us right for taking a boy with curls," said Johnny Trumbull.

But he spoke unadvisedly. Arnold Carruth was no match whatever for
Johnny Trumbull, and had never been allowed the honor of a combat with
him; but surprise takes even a great champion at a disadvantage. Arnold
turned upon Johnny like a flash, out shot a little white fist, up struck
a dimpled leg clad in cloth and leather, and down sat Johnny Trumbull;
and, worse, open flew his bag, and there was a yowling exodus.

"There go your cats, too, Johnny Trumbull," said Lily, in a perfectly
calm whisper. At that moment both boys, victor and vanquished, felt a
simultaneous throb of masculine wrath at Lily. Who was she to gloat
over the misfortunes of men? But retribution came swiftly to Lily. That
viciously clawing little paw shot out farther, and there was a limit to
Spartanism in a little girl born so far from that heroic land. Lily let
go of her bag and with difficulty stifled a shriek of pain.

"Whose cats are gone now?" demanded Johnny, rising.

"Yes, whose cats are gone now?" said Arnold.

Then Johnny promptly turned upon him and knocked him down and sat on
him.

Lily looked at them, standing, a stately little figure in the darkness.
"I am going home," said she. "My mother does not allow me to go with
fighting boys."

Johnny rose, and so did Arnold, whimpering slightly. His shoulder ached
considerably.

"He knocked me down," said Johnny.

Even as he whimpered and as he suffered, Arnold felt a thrill of
triumph. "Always knew I could if I had a chance," said he.

"You couldn't if I had been expecting it," said Johnny.

"Folks get knocked down when they ain't expecting it most of the time,"
declared Arnold, with more philosophy than he realized.

"I don't think it makes much difference about the knocking down," said
Lily. "All those poor cats and kittens that we were going to give a good
home, where they wouldn't be starved, have got away, and they will run
straight back to Mr. Jim Simmons's."