t vainly endeavored to keep at the head of
something or somebody. All this time Juggie was swelling his cheeks and
sounding his horn, and this was the only thing that was successfully done.
Fortunately the ground to be charged across was not a long stretch, and in
a moment they were all shoving against the fence.

"Wort, you didn't do that right," claimed the president.

"Yes, I did."

"No, you're wrong," asserted Sid.

"Let me try?" asked Rick.

"No, this will do," said Sid. "You may march us, Rick."

This compromise was accepted. Away they all went, Rick strutting forward
with great dignity, but Juggie waved his flag cautiously, for the
flourishing of such a long pole might lead to his capsizing. Tony followed
Juggie. Billy and Pip still tugged at the go-cart that the president
continued to monopolize. Charlie solemnly guarded the precious freight in
the "chariot." Wort, who had been at the head of the column, had now
wandered to the rear, and his face wore a puzzled look, as if he did not
know where to put the chief marshal.

"You ought to have two policemen in front," squeaked a little voice from
the sidewalk. It was Tommy Keys, a small boy, who had seen a procession in
Boston, and thought he knew how such things ought to be managed.

"Shet up," shouted the governor, indignant at even the faintest suggestion
of weakness, and he rushed upon Tommy with a drawn clothes-stick. Away
went the terrified Tommy.

"So may all our foes be routed!" said the president, and to this sentiment
there was a response of three cheers. Alas, how soon all that pride was to
be humiliated! The column was now nearing the head of the lane which ran
into Water Street, the leading business avenue of the town. Sid, who
always had an eye out to the course that was prudent, was exclaiming, in
low tones, "Don't--don't go too near Water Street! Look out for
down-townies, fellers!" It is often the case in a village of any size that
there will be among the boys two parties representing two different
sections and supposed to represent two different ideas and civilizations.
Seamont had its boy-clans, those at the lower end of the village being the
down-townies, and those at the upper end were designated as up-townies.
The club belonged to the up-townies, "the only fit class for gentlemen,"
Sid had declared The down-townies delighted to hurl all kinds of epithets
at the other boys, and these "gentlemen" up-townies could sling titles
almost as