nty of time to think of the good cheer he had missed at home--that
family feast to which, as long as he could remember, they had sat down
at three o'clock on Thanksgiving afternoon. It had become so fixed and
seemingly immovable that Dale had not even considered the possibility
of changing it. And so it was with a tired and lagging step that he
walked up from the gate and opened the front door.

Inside, he paused suddenly and sniffed. For an instant he stood
stock-still, eyes wide, mouth half open. Then, with a sudden, incoherent
exclamation, he tore down the hall, past the lighted dining-room,
and through the open kitchen door. The room was warm and bright, and
filled with the delicious odor of roasting turkey.

"Mother!" he cried, his face shining. "You didn't have it--
You--you--waited!"

His mother straightened from closing the oven door and smiled at
him--that wonderful, indescribable smile that somehow belongs to mothers.

"Of course I waited!" she said quietly. Then, as he leaped forward and
clutched her in a bear-hug, she laughed softly and asked, just a little
tremulously, "Didn't you think Father and I could do a good turn, too?"

CHAPTER X

THE SURPRISE

There was no school on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and as soon as Dale
had finished his chores he sallied forth to hunt up some of the fellows.
A light snow had fallen during the night, but the day was clear and
bright and just the sort for a good active game or a brisk hike. As
he skirted the north side of the green a shrill yodeling from behind
brought the scout around to see Court Parker bearing down upon him,
calling out:

"Say, where were you yesterday, anyhow? I didn't see you all day."

"I was--busy," returned Dale, briefly.

"Busy stuffing yourself, I s'pose. Well, you missed a dandy game up at
Sherm's. We're going to have another this afternoon."

"Won't the snow-- Say! Why couldn't we play 'Smugglers over the Border,'
or something like that? It's just the day for it."

Court's glance swept comprehensively over the snow-covered green and his
eyes brightened. "I hadn't thought of that. Now and then you do manage
to hit the little black circle, Tommy. Let's hunt up the bunch and see
what they say."

The crowd was presently gathered from several different parts of town,
and the majority approved of Dale's suggestion. Ranny Phelps and several
of his clique had other plans for the afternoon, but Ranny had a habit
of frequently f