ticked very loudly indeed.

"I'll wait a little," thought Bobby. "She has to come back to ring the
assembly bells."

He studied the complicated system of bells that sounded the signals in
each classroom for a minute, and suddenly the telephone rang shrilly.
It startled him, and he jumped. He looked about uneasily. The bell
kept ringing.

"I s'pose I'd better answer it," he said aloud, doubtfully.

"Hello!" he called, taking down the receiver.

"Hello," answered a strange voice. "Take this message, please. Miss
Wright has a severe cold and will not be in to-day. Have Miss Garrett
take charge of the assembly. That's all, thank you. Good-by."

Bobby blinked. Whoever had telephoned had spoken so quickly that he
had had no chance to say a word.

CHAPTER VI

THE ORANGE AND THE BLACK

Bobby put the receiver back, and at that moment the door opened and Mr.
Carter walked into the office.

Mr. Carter was the principal of the primary and grammar schools, but
usually spent most of his time at the grammar school. Bobby had been
afraid of him once, but that was before he had learned to know him.

"Good morning, Bobby," said Mr. Carter pleasantly. "Has Miss Wright
come in yet?"

"No, Mr. Carter. Some one telephoned," answered Bobby slowly, anxious
to get the message delivered correctly. "She said Miss Wright had a
solemn cold and wouldn't be in this morning."

"What kind of cold did you say?" asked Mr. Carter curiously. "Solemn?
What kind of complaint is that?"

Bobby looked perplexed. He thought for a moment.

"Oh!" He had remembered. "It wasn't a solemn cold; it was a severe
cold."

"That sounds more like it," said the principal smiling. "Was that all,
Bobby?"

"She wants Miss Garrett to take charge of the assembly and she said
that's all thank you good-by," repeated Bobby glibly, just as the
speaker had rattled it off to him over the telephone.

"All right," agreed Mr. Carter. "I might as well stay the day out
here. Let's see, it's about time for the assembly bell, isn't it?"

Bobby had almost forgotten what he had come to the office for. As Mr.
Carter moved toward the bells, he recollected.

"I was going to ask Miss Wright," he hurried to say. "Could we--do you
think we could, have a snowball fight out in the yard after school?
With forts and everything? We wouldn't break any windows."

"I don't see any reason why you shouldn't have a snowball fight," said
Mr. Carter promptl