of cat calls and yells as they ran. The trio vaulted the fence
and pursued in vain. The others were too quick for them.

They took turns acting as sentinel at the fence for the next hour, but
there was no further disturbance. Late in the afternoon as Ernest and
Carol were nearing the Morton home after an errand downtown, they were
met by a broadside of snow balls as they were passing an alley. It was
growing dusk and the alley was shadowy, but they had no doubt as to the
perpetrators of this fresh insult, and grabbing handfuls of snow, they
promptly charged the offenders. They proved to be the same Pat and Mike.

"Here take this!--and this!" yelled Carol as he stuffed an icy mass down
Pat's neck and administered a stout kick in the shins as nearly
simultaneously as he could manage.

Ernest was equally successful in accounting for Mike and the enemy went
away spitting and threatening.

"You dassen't show your faces out of doors tonight--allee samee!" was
their parting taunt as they retreated.

As a matter of fact neither Ernest nor Carol were allowed to do much
showing of their faces out of doors after dark unless they had some
business, their parents being firm in the belief that thirteen and
fourteen year old boys should be at home after night. But this slur on
their courage was not to be borne.

"I'll ask Mother if we can't make some hickory-nut candy tonight, then
we can slip out and watch for them," suggested Ernest after a few
moments study.

"Bully, that'll work! Mother will be glad to have me out of the way
because Susy's having a party."

It took some tact on Ernest's part before he secured the necessary
permission, for Mrs. Morton felt that early to bed after Christmas
dissipation would be wiser for all the children.

Chicken Little promptly demanded that Katy and Gertie be included, but
Ernest was obdurate, threatening to shut her out if she teased.

Sherm and Carol arrived before the Mortons had finished tea; they shot
in the side door with a swiftness that looked as if they were glad to be
inside. Their words, however, belied any lack of courage. Sherm was
armed with a baseball bat.

"I came round by Front Street," he said, "I just thought I'd see if any
of the gang were hanging round. I knew they wouldn't dare tackle me when
I had this." He caressed his weapon lovingly.

Carol had a bag of the hardest snow balls he had been able to
manufacture.

"I'd liked to put a rock in every one of them,