not a fair fighter, nor a very brave one, and most of his
victories had been won over smaller boys or by using unfair methods.
Now with Stanley Reeves looking on, he did not dare cheat, and so Bobby
unexpectedly found himself, after perhaps five minutes of tussling,
sitting on Tim's chest, with Tim breathless and beaten.

"Wash his face," insisted Stanley, suddenly scooping up a handful of
snow and beginning to rub it thoroughly into Charlie's eyes and mouth.

CHAPTER XIII

THE TWINS HAVE A SECRET

Bobby seized a double handful of snow and began to give Tim the same
treatment.

"Quit!" yelled Tim in anguish. "Quit, I tell you, Bobby! Ow, now
you've cut my nose!"

A small twig in the snow had scratched poor Tim rather violently on his
small pug nose, but it was not cut.

"Say you've had enough," ordered Bobby, thumping about on the fallen
lad's chest like a particularly well-packed bale of hay. "Say you've
had enough!"

"Had enough," murmured Tim obediently.

Bobby got up at once, and Tim rose and shook himself. At the same
moment Stanley Reeves let go of Charlie. The two boys slouched off
without a word.

"Now that ought to last them for some time," said Stanley cheerfully.
"Any time you need any advice on training up Tim Roon in the way he
should go, you just apply to me, Bobby."

Bobby grinned, showing his even, white teeth, and said he would. Then
Stanley went on to join the other high-school boys who were
bob-sledding, and Bobby ran home to tell his family the result of his
chase.

That night it snowed again. Father Blossom said winter was a habit,
like anything else, and that after the weather made up its mind to send
one snow-storm it couldn't stop but had to send them right along.

"I want Dot to stay in the house to-day," said Mother Blossom, after
Meg and Bobby had started for school. "She coughed a good deal last
night and I think she'll have to keep out of the snow for a while."

"Oh, Mother!" wailed Dot. "I want to go coasting with Twaddles.
Everybody's out on Wayne Place hill in the afternoons, and when we go
in the morning we have the nicest time! Please, Mother, just this
once; and I will take the nasty cough medicine to-night, just as good."

Mother Blossom shook her head.

"Mother said no," she said firmly. "Now, Dot, you're too big a girl to
cry. Why, dearest, you haven't missed a day since there has been
sledding. Can't you and Twaddles find something pleasant