ined the
other side.

All through her preparations Miriam carefully guarded the secret that
she was bitterly hurt at having been left out of Mrs. Gray's party, and
she meditated a revenge that was still only a half-formed idea. In the
first place, she chose Julia Crosby as one of the guests of the
Christmas house party; Julia Crosby the tall, mischievous sophomore who
had originated the "Black Monks of Asia." Surely the two together could
work out some scheme which would bring her enemies to her feet and
humble little Mrs. Gray, who had dared to slight her.

Meanwhile, the holidays were approaching. The crisp, cold air resounded
with the jingle of sleigh bells, for snow had fallen the first week in
December and all the sleighs in Oakdale were taken from their summer
quarters.

The four chums were full of secret preparations. Grace had devised a
scheme of entertainment which, in the town of Oakdale, would be unique,
but it required much work and practice to perfect it. In the meantime
Nora O'Malley had decided to entertain her friends at a bobbing party to
start the Christmas holidays. And it was at this party that Miriam
seized her first opportunity to make trouble.

"Anne, you are learned in many things, but not in outdoor fun," said
Grace as the young people in mufflers and sweaters started to climb the
long hill where the coasting was best.

"Do you mean to say you have never been coasting, Anne?" demanded David.

"I'm afraid I'll have to admit it," replied Anne. "To tell the truth, I
never did have any fun, except reading, until I started in the High
School and met all of you. You see, little city children are denied all
these nice things unless they go to the parks, but it's no fun going
alone."

"Well, you won't be alone now," said Hippy Wingate. "There are four to a
sled, and we'll put you in the middle to keep you from getting lost in
the snow."

"Look out, here comes some one!" called Grace, just as a small sled shot
past them like a flash, with a laugh and a cheer from its occupants,
Miriam and Reddy Brooks.

"They ought not to have done that," exclaimed David. "We couldn't see
them over the knob of the hill and they might have run us down."

By this time they had reached the top of the hill, and Anne's heart
bounded at the sight of the long, white track made by the sled which had
just passed them and disappeared far below across a flat meadow now
smooth and hard as a table top.

"Don't be frigh