resent a good appearance. Yes,
you may decorate the house out of the woods."

The timber was green in places with a vine called creeping Jenney, and
laurels whose leaves were almost as green and waxy as those of the
Southern magnolia. The creeping Jenney could be entwined with the
laurel-leaves in such a way as to form long festoons. The boys and girls
spent the mornings and recesses for several days in gathering Jenney,
and in twining the vines with the laurel and making decorative festoons.

They hung these festoons about the wooden walls of the low building and
over the door. Out of the tufts of boxberry leaves and plums they made
the word "Welcome," which they hung over the door. They covered the rude
chimney with pine-boughs, and in so doing filled the room with a
resinous odor. They also covered the roof with boughs of evergreen.

The spelling-book was not neglected in the preparations of the eventful
week. There was to be a spelling-match on the day, and, although it was
already felt that Abraham Lincoln would easily win, there was hard study
on the part of all.

One afternoon, after school, in the midst of these heroic preparations,
a party of the scholars were passing along the path in the timber. A
dispute arose between two boys in regard to the spelling of a word.

"I spelled it just as Crawford did," said one.

"No, you didn't. Crawford spelled it with a _i_."

"He spelled it with a _y_, and that is just the way I spelled it."

"He didn't, now, I know! I heard Crawford spell it himself."

"He did!"

"Do you mean to tell me that I lie?"

"You do--it don't need telling."

"I won't be called a liar by anybody. I'll make you ache for that!"

"We'll see about that. You may ache yourself before this thing is
settled. I've got fists as well as you, and I will not take such words
as that from anybody. Come on!"

The two backwoods knights rushed toward each other with a wounded sense
of honor in their hearts and with uplifted arms.

Suddenly a form like a giant passed between them. It took one boy under
one of its arms and the other under the other, and strode down the
timber.

"He called me a liar," said one of the boys. "I won't stand that from
any _man_."

"He _sassed_ me," said the other, "and I won't stand any sassin', not
while my fists are alive."

"_You_ wouldn't be called a liar," said the first.

"Nor take any sassin'," said the second.

The tall form in blue-jean shirt and leather