e," came sternly from Tom Rover. He
turned to face one of his twins. "Randy, I ought to give you a
thrashing for wetting me like this."

"Don't Fred get half the thrashing?" questioned Randy Rover,
quizzically, for he could readily see that his parent was not as angry
as his words seemed to imply. "I don't like to be selfish, you know. He
can have more than his share if he wants it."

"You'll take your own thrashings--I don't want 'em," broke in his
cousin Fred quickly.

"Jack," cried Dick Rover, turning to his son, "turn that water off at
once."

"I don't know where to turn it off. I didn't turn it on," answered Jack
Rover, the oldest of the four boys who had been fooling.

"I'll turn it off and fix it so they can't turn it on ag'in," came from
old Jack Ness, and away hobbled the man of all work.

"I think it's a shame for you boys to drench old Ness and Aleck," was
Sam Rover's sober comment. "Both of them might catch cold or get
rheumatism."

"We didn't start to do anything like that, Dad," answered Fred Rover.
"We were going to have a little fight between ourselves, playing rival
firemen. We aimed the water at the hedge, and we didn't see Ness and
Aleck until they let out a yell."

"But I saw two of you playing the water in that direction," cried Dick
Rover. "You were one of them, Jack."

"Oh, well, Dad, what was the harm after they were all wet?" pleaded his
son. "They'd have to change their clothing anyway."

"That's just it," added Andy Rover quickly, with his eyes twinkling
from merriment. "A little more water won't hurt a person when he's
already soaked. It's just like spoiling a rotten egg--it can't be
done," and at this reply, both Dick Rover and his brother, the
fun-loving Tom, had to turn away their faces to hide their amusement.
Nevertheless, Dick sobered his face almost instantly as he answered:

"Well, these pranks around the farm have got to stop. You'll have your
grandfather and Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha all upset, not to say
anything about your sisters and your mothers. It's a fortunate thing
that they went down to the town to do some shopping. Otherwise I think
all of you would be in for quite some punishment."

"Oh! Then you're not going to punish us, are you?" broke in Randy Rover
quickly. "That's fine! I knew you wouldn't mind our having a little
fun."

"Don't be so fast, young man," returned his father. "Your Uncle Dick
may be too lenient. I am rather of the opinion that you