ant to be in a snowball
fight, Miss Davis."

"Miss May said the girls could have the back lot whenever they wanted
it," said Helen. "And if you don't let us play with you, Oliver
Dunlap, there won't be any snowball fight; you haven't any other place
to play."

This was true. Oliver knew it, and Helen knew it. Boys who live in a
city can not have a snowball fight in the street, lest they hit people
who may be walking past. No back yard is a safe place because of the
many windows that may be broken. A vacant lot, like the one behind
Miss May's school, is really the only place for this kind of fun. Miss
May early in the school year had made a rule that this lot should be
for the girls in her school whenever they wanted it. The boys might
use it, she said when the girls didn't care to play on it.

"Boys have more freedom than girls," kind Miss May had said. "They can
run and climb and tumble about coming to school and going home. But
little girls have to be more careful. So I think they should have the
lot to play in whenever they wish."

In the spring Miss May had swings and a sand pile and a few "flying
rings" put up for the children to amuse themselves with, but these, of
course, were taken down during the winter. When it snowed, the lot was
a large white square, and it certainly was an ideal spot for a snowball
fight.

"I don't see why you don't let the girls play," said Miss Davis to
Oliver. "You will probably be glad to have them in your army. Sunny
Boy, don't you think the girls ought to play?"

Sunny Boy looked uncomfortable. He wanted to be polite, but he had to
be truthful, too.

"Well, girls are a lot of trouble, Miss Davis," he explained earnestly.
"You see, as soon as they start to play their feet get cold. And then
they have to stop."

Miss Davis said yes, she could see how that would bother a general.

"But then," she said, "perhaps the girls won't get cold feet while they
are in the snowball fight. They will be running about and they will be
quite cozy and warm all the time, I am sure."

"Well, let 'em play, if they want to," said Oliver. "I shouldn't think
they would want to play when they know nobody wants 'em."

"Then I'll be on your side, Oliver," said. Helen Graham, who intended
to be in that snowball fight whether any one wanted her or not.

It was snowing steadily by this time and all the children in Miss
Davis' rooms were excited about the fight. Recess was over befo