the street and grinned. One by one the gang climbed through the
narrow opening to the sidewalk and left their vindictive enemy guarding
the empty storeroom.

Across the street from the flats stood the building which housed the
corner drug store and "Neighborhood Hall," used according to season for
high-school dances, minstrel shows, and fraternal meetings. They
assembled at the entrance, which commanded an excellent view of all
approaches leading from the flats, and awaited developments.

A little girl rounded the corner with sundry grocer's packages in her
arms. She noticed that the boys were gathered in the excited group,
which always spelled danger to unescorted maidens, but held bravely on.
As she passed, Silvey yelled exultantly. Perry Alford threw wildly and
hit the ground by her feet. Red's missile caught one nervous, white
little hand and made her drop a bag of eggs to the sidewalk. John raised
his arm, then lowered it as if paralyzed.

It was Louise!

"Quit that fellows," he cried, seizing on the first excuse which came
into his mind. "She's a little girl."

Silvey looked at him in blank amazement. "What of it?" he ejaculated.
"Ain't the first time you've made one cry."

John's lips tightened. "Don't care if it isn't," he snapped. "Stop that,
Sid, or I'll punch your face in."

He threw his own cucumber into the gutter to show that his was a
peaceful errand and walked hastily over to the sobbing figure.

"They'll leave you alone," he assured her. "Let me pick up your eggs."

They were smashed beyond all hope of salvage, but he gathered the
fragments of shell, with as much of the dust-laden yolks as he could
scrape up, and placed them gravely in the torn, soggy bag. Then he took
the bread and the butter from her very gently and turned his back on the
gang.

"I'll carry them all for you," he said, almost in a whisper. "Let's go
home now."

She acquiesced silently. They strolled down the leafy walk. John's back
tingled unpleasantly, for he expected a shower of missiles. Louise's
weeping ceased, save for an occasional sniffle. At last Silvey roused
himself from the amazed silence into which his chum's actions had thrown
him, and seized upon the solution of the mystery.

"Johnny an' Lou-i-ise! Johnny an' Lou-i-ise!"

Louise flushed scarlet and bit her lip. John turned and stuck out his
tongue defiantly. An awkward silence followed.

"I'll punch that kid's head off when I catch him," he growled as the