" was Spouter's comment.

"I'm mighty sorry Colonel Colby allowed them to return to the Hall,"
answered Jack. "I'm afraid it spells just one thing--Trouble!"

CHAPTER VIII

THE SLEIGHING PARTY

"What did you say to those horrid young men?" asked May, after Jack and
Spouter had returned to the box-sled and the driver had picked up the
reins and started through the main street of Haven Point.

"Oh, we told them to mind their own business after this," answered Jack.

"And if they don't, you let me know, and we'll attend to them," said
Spouter to his cousin.

"It's too bad, Jack, they came back to Colby Hall," remarked Ruth.

"Right you are! But Colonel Colby wanted to give them another chance. He
asked us about it, and we didn't want to stand in the way of Slugger and
Nappy turning over a new leaf."

"Hi there--somebody start a song!" cried Andy, who caught a few words of
what was said, and thought the occasion was getting too serious.

"That's the talk!" exclaimed Alice Strobell.

"What shall we sing?" questioned Annie Larkins.

"Oh, sing something that we all know," came from Jennie Mason. She, too,
had seen Slugger and Nappy, but had refused to recognize them,
remembering well the trouble she and Ida Brierley had had with the pair
when all had gone out on the lake in a motor-boat, the particulars of
which were given in the volume preceding this.

Soon the happy young folks were singing one familiar song after another
and shouting and tooting the tin horns in great glee. In the meanwhile
the turnout had left the vicinity of Haven Point, and was moving swiftly
along in the direction of one of the neighboring towns.

"Oh, isn't this too lovely for anything!" exclaimed May, as one of the
songs came to an end. "I never felt better in my life."

"If I felt any better, I'd have to call in the doctor," announced Andy
with a sudden sober look on his face, and at this little sally all the
girls giggled.

They were soon passing close to a stone wall, and from this some of the
boys scooped handfuls of snow with which they began to pelt each other.
Then they attempted to wash the faces of some of the girls, and a great
commotion ensued.

"Hi you! be careful back there!" cautioned the driver. "First thing you
know, somebody will get pushed out."

"Oh, that will never happen!" cried Gif; but he had scarcely spoken when
there came a wild yell from two of the cadets in the back of the
box-sled, and the next