with her, received the avowal of her own uncontrollable
impulse towards him. In fact, at times he almost believed that he had
actually held her in his arms and whirled in the dizzy intoxication of
the waltzes he had announced. He even was able to feel a real pang of
jealousy, a fierce and contending antagonism against Snorky, who
actually knew her. Such a situation was of course fraught with too many
explosive possibilities to long endure. Fortunately Fate stepped in and
preserved the friendship.

CHAPTER XII

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

A WEEK after these events, returning on a Saturday morning from the last
vexations of the curriculum with the expectant thrill of the opening of
the baseball season, Skippy was amazed to receive, by the hands of
Klondike, the colored sweep, a scribbled note in the familiar
handwriting of his sister:

DEAR JACK:

Miss Green and I and a party of girls are down for
the game. We're at the Lodge. Come right over and
bring Arthur.

SIS.

His first emotion was one of horror; had they been up to the room, and
was his duplicity forever at the mercy of a sister's gibes? Klondike
reassured him. He bounded upstairs, made a hasty survey, found
everything in order, and hastily departed for the Lodge, after a quick
plunge into the glorious buckskin vest, a struggle into a clean collar
and a hurried dusting off of his shoes against the window seat. He
reached the parlors of the Lodge on the heels of Snorky Green, who,
being as thoroughly bored by the prospect as he, forgot the week's feud
in a common misery.

"Gee! Aren't sisters the limit?"

"Well, we're in for it."

"Let's hope they clear out before dinner."

The next moment Skippy was perfunctorily pecking at the cheek of Miss
Clara Bedelle and pretending to be overjoyed at the prospect of parading
before the assembled school with six young ladies in tow. Then he looked
up and something like a cataleptic fit went through his body.

Directly in front of him, evidently waiting for the introduction, was
unmistakably Miss Mimi Lafontaine! He looked at Snorky and saw the same
expression of horror over his pudgy features, as he came up, knees
shaking, to be introduced in turn.

Then to Snorky's distressed soul came the welcome sound:

"Jack, dear, I want you to meet Mimi--Miss Lafontaine."

To the amazement of sisters and friends, said Sno