m out."

With this happy thought, he at once set about securing the geese.

One end of an old shed near by had in former times been used by the
Bascoms for a hen-house, and there was still a low entrance through
which the fowls were wont to go in and out.

Carefully, and so as not to alarm them, Nat drove the thirteen birds
into the shed and clapped a board over the opening. The geese objected
with continued cries to these proceedings, but they were too thoroughly
coated with ice to get away.

"There, now, Mister Al Peck, I think I'll get even with you this time,"
he said, in a tone of satisfaction.

Hastening through the remainder of his chores, he started off in the
direction of the Peck place without saying a word about the matter to
either of his parents.

As he approached Mr. Peck's barn, he beheld Al returning from the
direction of his goose-pen.

"You needn't look for them, Al Peck," remarked Nat, with a malicious
grin, "for you can't find them. You ought to keep your old geese shut
up, if you don't want to lose them."

"I haven't lost them," declared Al, with a somewhat puzzled expression
of countenance.

"Oh, you haven't?" snapped Nat, angered at the other's apparent
coolness. "You needn't think you're going to get them back for nothing.
I found them all camped under our haystack this morning, and drove them
into the old hen-house. You've just got to pay me ten cents apiece for
them before I'll let them out. I bet you'll keep them to home after
this."

Al opened his mouth and closed it again like a flash. He was evidently
surprised.

Just then Mr. Peck appeared on the scene. Al repeated what Nat had said,
to his father's very evident amazement.

"Why, I saw--" began the elder Peck, when Al interrupted him with a
gesture, and whispered something in his ear.

A broad grin overspread Mr. Peck's face for a moment; then he said, with
becoming gravity:

"I suppose you've got the rights of it, Nat, but seems to me it's a
rather mean trick."

Nat had begun to think so, too, by this time, but he refused to listen
to the promptings of his better nature and said nothing.

"We'll come right over with the team for them," said Mr. Peck.

And he and Al at once harnessed up, and placing a large, strong coop in
the wagon, drove over to the Bascom place.

"I should think you'd have your geese tame enough to drive," said Nat;
but the Pecks paid no attention to the remark.

Mr. Peck pulled his cap well do