the great high walls of snow
that had been piled up along the pavements made fine places for jumping
boys. Sunny Boy tried several himself, and Daddy had to remind him
that it was a quarter to nine, or he might have been late for school.

Every one talked about the blizzard in school. All the children wanted
to hear from those who had been lost, and Sunny Boy and Jimmie and
Perry and Carleton and the three little girls were kept busy answering
questions. Miss May and Miss Davis asked questions, too, and even when
they did get at their lessons they read snow stories and drew sleighs
and horses and snow forts on the blackboard.

But after that day, Oliver Dunlap's party was the most exciting thing
talked about. There might be another snowstorm but, as Oliver said, he
wouldn't be eight years old again that winter.

"Oliver's party is to-morrow, and I haven't any birthday present for
him yet," Sunny Boy said to his family at breakfast the day before the
party.

"We'll go down town and get it this afternoon, as soon as lunch is
over," Mrs. Horton promised. "I didn't mean to leave it till the last
minute, dear, but I have been very busy. Hurry home from school, and
we'll go and buy him something nice."

After school Sunny Boy hurried home, and he and Mother went down town
shopping as soon as they had had lunch. They looked at ever so many
things which might please Oliver, and finally they decided that a
little flashlight he could carry in his pocket would be a good birthday
gift for him. They bought it, and Mrs. Horton wrapped it up nicely and
Sunny Boy wrote on a little white card, "Many Happy Returns of the Day
from Sunny Boy to Oliver," and this was tied on the outside of the
package.

The next day was Oliver's birthday. It happened to be a Saturday.
Miss Davis said this was lucky, or she didn't know what might have
happened in school. She said no one could expect children who were
going to a party in the afternoon to be very much interested in
learning to spell and write in the morning.

The party was to be from two to five o'clock, and Sunny Boy, in his
best white flannel suit, and carrying Oliver's present under his arm,
started about quarter of two for the birthday boy's house.

At the same time the door of the Bakers' house opened.

"Going to the party?" called Nelson, running down the steps of his
house, followed by Ruth. "What did you get for Oliver?"

Sunny Boy told him. Nelson said he had