aid, shaking his head
doubtfully. "Looks as if all of Three Towers Hall had turned out for an
outing."

"Humph, funny kind of weather for an outing," replied another one. "They
didn't have a teacher with 'em, either. Pretty queer, I call it."

"Well," said another, philosophically chewing a huge cud of tobacco, "I
call it lucky. If those girls hadn't happened along just when they did
we wouldn't have got hold of this bird so slick. And who am I, to be
quarreling with fate?"

CHAPTER XXV

HAPPY AGAIN

"Gee, that was some slick work!" crowed Teddy Jordon exultantly. "Who'd
ever think we would catch the old Codfish. But say----" he broke off,
his face growing sober as he looked at the girls. "You haven't told us
yet just why you're taking this tramp in the snow. What's the idea--a
health cure or something?"

"No, it isn't a health cure," explained Billie, a trifle wearily, for
now that the excitement of catching the Codfish was over the girls were
beginning to feel cold and hungry and rather forlorn. "We're just
leaving Three Towers, that's all."

"Leaving Three Towers!" the boys repeated incredulously. And Teddy
added, seeing in a flash the real state of affairs: "Now I get the idea.
You're striking, aren't you?"

Billie nodded.

"Say, that reminds me," said Chet. "We sent a telegram to Miss Walters
asking her to come back at once. We sent it for you even before we told
the police about the Codfish."

The girls brightened, and Billie darted forward eagerly and caught Chet
by the sleeve.

"Oh, Chet, what did you tell her?" she cried. "Did you ask her to come
back right away?"

Chet nodded importantly. "I told her enough to bring her back on the
run, I guess," he said, adding with a grin: "I made up the telegram and
Teddy paid for it."

"Oh, you darling!" cried Billie, hugging both the boys to the great
delight of Teddy, who made the girls giggle by asking if there was not
another telegram he could send.

"Come on, girls," cried Billie, forgetting, in the hope of seeing Miss
Walters again before long, that she was tired and hungry. "If we hurry
we can get to town before the snow gets too deep."

"But, say," cried Teddy, as the girls started on their way, "aren't you
even going to say good-bye to us? That's gratitude for you!"

The girls stopped short and looked surprised.

"Aren't you going to the town with us?" asked Vi.

"You needn't think that because you're on strike that we are, too," s