upon him, Tom paused
and in conspicuous silence, looked down at his shining skates.

"Hullo," said Ralph good naturedly, seizing Tom's arm and swinging
around. Then, taking in the situation with a careless glance, he
added, "Get a new pair of skates for Christmas?"

"'Jolly Ramblers,'" said Tom impressively, "the best 'Jolly Ramblers'
in the market!"

Ralph was a full half head the taller, but, as Tom delivered himself
of this speech with his head held high, he felt every inch as tall as
the boy before him.

If Ralph was deeply impressed he failed to show it, as he answered
carelessly, "Huh, that so? Pretty good little skates they are, the
'Jolly Ramblers!'"

"You said no game fellow would use any other make," said Tom hotly.

"O but that was nearly a year ago," said Ralph. "I got a new pair of
skates for Christmas, too," he added, as if it had just occurred to
him, "'Club House' skates, something new in the market just this
season. Just look at the curve of that skate, will you?" he added,
lifting a foot for inspection, "and that clamp that you couldn't shake
off if you had to! They're guaranteed for a year, too, and if anything
gives out, you get a new pair for nothing. Three and a half, they
cost, at Mr. Harrison's hardware store. I gave my 'Jolly Ramblers' to
a kid about your size. A mighty good little skate they are!" And, with
a long, graceful stroke, Ralph Evans skated away.

And it seemed to Tom Reynolds that all his Christmas joy went skimming
away behind him. The sun still shone, the ice still gleamed, the
skaters laughed and sang, but Tom moved slowly on, with listless,
heavy strokes. The "Jolly Ramblers" still twinkled beneath his feet,
but he looked down at them no more. What was the use of "Jolly
Ramblers" when Ralph Evans had a pair of "Club House" skates that cost
a dollar more, had a graceful curve, and a faultless clamp, and were
guaranteed for a year?

It was only four o'clock when Tom slipped his new skates carelessly
over his shoulder and started up the bank for home. He was slouching
down the main street, head down, hands thrust deep into his pockets,
when, on turning a corner, he ran plump into--a full moon! Now I know
it is rather unusual for full moons to be walking about the streets by
daylight; but that is the only adequate description of the round,
freckled face that beamed at Tom from behind a great box, held by two
sturdy arms.

"That came pretty near being a collision," said t