ter
another whirled about him, catching his coat skirts or his arm and
laughingly daring him:

"Guess who I am!"

He didn't even try, but entered into the fun with as great zest as any
youngster present, and it must be admitted, making a greater noise
than any. Around and around the great hall sped the goat, somebody
having mischievously closed the doors to prevent its escape; and
across and about chased the merrymakers, tossing off their masks to
see and careless now who guessed their identity.

"Baal!" "Baal here!" "Who owns him? Where did he come from?" "What
makes him so slippery? I wonder if he's been greased!"

At last answered the farmer:

"I guess I could tell you who owns him, but I'd better not. I don't
want to get nobody into trouble, much as he deserves it."

"'He?' Is it a 'he' then and not one of the girls?" demanded Winifred.

But he did not inform her, merely asking when it would be time to bob
for apples.

"Because I know they're prime. They come out Dame's choisest bar'l.
Grew on a tree she'll let nobody touch, not even me."

"Apples! Apples! My turn first!" cried Florita Sheraton, stooping her
fat body above the "caldron" into which some of the fruit had been
tossed. But she failed, of course, her frantic efforts to plant her
white teeth in any one of the apples resulting only in the wetting of
her paper crown and ruff, as well as the ripping of her hastily made
"robe." Then the others crowded around the great kettle, good
naturedly pushing first comers aside while but a few succeeded in
obtaining a prize. Old John was one of these; so gay and lively that
the audience found him the most amusing feature of the entertainment.

Till finally Mrs. Locke gained courage to cross to his side and
whisper something in his ear; at which he looked, abashed and with a
furtive glance in the direction of the Lady Principal, he murmured:

"Right you be. I 'low I've forgot myself and I'm afraid she'd blush to
see me so cuttin' up again. And too, I clean forgot that bag! I'll
step-an'-fetch it right away."

With his disappearance half the noise and nonsense ended, but more
than satisfaction greeted his return, with Jack, the boot-boy, in
close attendance. The latter bore in each hand a jug of freshly made
sweet cider but his expression was not a happy one, and he kept a
watchful eye upon the old man he followed. The latter carried two
baskets; one heavy with well cracked nuts, the other as light with its