one say, 'Are you ready?' They're behind that
hedge. We can't get through, it's too thick; but you fellows stop
here, and I and Hogson and Bernard'll run down to the gate and cut off
their retreat."

"What shall we do?" whispered Jack; "this field's so large they'll run
us down before we get to the other hedge. Shall we make a bolt and
chance it?"

Diggory was just about to reply in the affirmative, when help came from
an unexpected quarter.

"What are you boys doing out here at this time?" cried a loud, stern
voice.--"Noaks, what are you about down the road there?--Come in this
moment, every one of you!"

"Saved!" whispered Jack Vance, in an ecstasy of delight as the
Philistines trooped back through the double doors. "That was old
Phillips. I hope he gives Noaks a jolly good 'impot.' That chap is a
cad," continued the speaker, as they hurried back towards The Birches:
"when he can't do anything else, he chucks stones like he did to-night.
The wonder is he hasn't killed some one before now. I don't see how
it's possible for the Philistines to show up well when they've got a
chap like him bossing the show."

The bell for evening preparation was ringing as they reached The
Birches, and only a very few hasty replies could be given to Acton's
eager inquiries as they rushed together up the garden path. In the
little interval before supper, however, the subject was resumed in a
quiet corner of the passage.

"So it must have been old Noaks who told them," said Acton; "that's
proved without a doubt. I vote we go and have a jolly row with him
to-morrow morning."

"No, I shouldn't do that," answered Diggory; "don't let him know that
we've found him out."

"Well, look here," answered Acton, thumping the wall with his fist and
frowning heavily, "what are we going to do to get even with the
Philistines? We can't go out and fight them in Locker's Lane; we're too
small, and they know it. Young Noaks would never have dared to act as
he did after they'd knocked our snow man down if Mason had been here.
They think now they're going to ride rough-shod over us; but they
aren't, and we must show them we aren't going to be trampled on."

"So we will," cried Jack Vance excitedly, "and that jolly quick!"

"But how?"

There was a moment's pause. "I'm sure I don't know," answered Jack
sadly, and so the meeting terminated.

The fact of the insult, which had been put upon them by the destruction
of their snow man, rema