the fire
than was comfortable, but there seemed to be no escape for him. The five
girls speared as many marshmallows, toasted them and thrust them flaming
at the boy. Tommy gulped down the first one with evident enjoyment. Four
others went down easily. Tommy decided that marshmallows were pretty
good stuff. He called for more, and got them. There was always a stick
with a flaming cube on the end of it ready to be thrust into his mouth.
Tommy rolled his eyes with satisfaction.

"I could take punishment like this for a week at a stretch. More!"

Still the girls fed him. Even Olive was gentle and considerate. Tommy
did not recall ever having seen her more so. All the girls were very
kind to him, but there was a mischievous twinkle in their eyes that
Tommy was not astute enough to read.

[Illustration: "I've Got the Spook," Shouted Bab Triumphantly.]

After a time the marshmallows began to take on a bitter taste. He did
not appear to be eating them with the same relish as before.

"That stuff's no good for men," he jeered.

"Have another, Tommy," answered Bab, thrusting a blue flame into the
boy's face.

"You needn't burn a fellow up," he rebuked, then swallowed the
marshmallow with a gulp.

"Here, Tommy, is a nice, large one," added Mollie.

Tom's eyes were rolling. His face that had appeared very red when he
first sat down before the fire, had grown several shades paler. The
girls continued to feed him with marshmallows, forcing one after another
upon him.

"I won't take another----" Tom did not finish what he had started to
say. Olive thrust a hot marshmallow into the boy's open mouth. Tommy
closed his mouth instantly, but not soon enough. The hot sweet clung to
the roof of his mouth, bringing from Tommy a yell of pain.

"I'll be even with you girls for this," he howled, the tears starting
from his eyes as he bounded for the kitchen for a drink of water. A
shout of merry laughter followed him. Tommy felt very sick and staggered
off to bed, where, half an hour later, his mother found him groaning. In
response to Mrs. Presby's anxious inquiries, Tommy explained that he had
an "awful stomachache."

"He deserved it," declared Olive. "He will learn to let us girls alone,
I hope. Nevertheless, we got even with him this time."

"Yes, revenge is sweet," observed Bab, whereat the girls groaned
dismally.

* * * * *

It had been decided that the "Automobile Girls" and Olive were to