indignantly.

"Well, you get out, and be quick about it!" cried the man, and raised
his stick. "Don't let me catch any of you in here again either!"

"Don't worry,--we can spend our money elsewhere," said Tom.

"Where we are treated decently," added Dick, and walked from the candy
store.

Once outside, the boys talked the situation over for all of ten minutes,
but without satisfaction. All were indignant over the way the
storekeeper had treated them, and Tom wanted to go back on the sly and
play a trick on him, but Dick demurred.

"Let it go, Tom. He is a mean man, that's all."

"Well, I am going to show folks how generous he is," answered Tom, with
a sudden grin. "Wait here a few minutes," and he darted into a nearby
store where they sold stationery. When he came out he had a good-sized
sheet of paper in his hand and also several big red seals.

"What's that?" asked Sam.

"It's a sign for the candy storekeeper's front window."

With caution Tom went back to the store. He saw that the proprietor was
in the rear parlor, dishing out ice-cream to several customers who had
come in. The girl was also at the back. Swiftly Tom stuck the sheet of
paper up under the show window, fastening it with the gummy seals. The
paper read as follows:

FREE BOUQUETS OF ROSES TO ALL YOUNG LADIES BUYING ICE-CREAM HERE TO-DAY.
COME IN!

"Now let us watch for some fun," said Tom.

They had not long to wait. The steamboat had come in and a number of
passengers were walking up the street. Soon a party of three girls and a
young man espied the sign.

"Oh, Clara," cried one of the girls. "Free roses this time of year, just
think of it!"

"Come on right in," said the young man, and led the way into the store.
Then another young man came along with a girl and they also read the
sign and entered. Soon two old maids stopped and read the announcement.

"I do love ice-cream, Angelina," said one. "Let us go in and get
chocolate and get the bouquets, too." And they followed the crowd
inside.

The store had two side windows to it, which were opened a few inches
from the bottom for ventilation, and the cadets stole up to these
windows to listen to the talk. Everybody ordered cream and began to eat,
and then asked for the bouquets.

"Bouquets?" asked the storekeeper, mystified.

"Why, yes," said the young man who had brought in the three girls.

"If you don't mind, I'd like Jack roses," said one of the maidens.

"And I like American