bsey!" shouted Charley warningly.

"And you keep on yours, Charley Mason!" returned Bert.

All of the others on the hill had stopped coasting to witness the
contest, but now with a whoop Danny Rugg swept forward with his new sled
and came down the hill at top speed.

The bottom of the hill was barely reached when Charley's sled made an
unexpected turn and crashed into Bert's, throwing Bert over on his side
in the snow.

"What did you do that for?" demanded Bert angrily.

"I--I--didn't do it," stammered Charley. "I guess you turned into me."

"No, I didn't."

Bert arose and began to brush the snow from his clothes. As he did so he
heard a rushing sound behind him and then came a crash as Danny Rugg ran
into him. Down he went again and his sled had a runner completely broken
off. Bert was hit in the ankle and badly bruised.

"Why didn't you get out of the way!" roared Danny Rugg roughly. "I
yelled loud enough."

"Oh, my ankle!" groaned Bert. For the moment the wrecked sled was
forgotten.

"I didn't touch your ankle," went on the big boy.

"You did so, Danny--at least, the point of your sled did," answered
Bert.

"You ran into me in the first place," came from Charley.

"Oh, Charley, you know better than that." Bert tried to stand, but had
to sit down. "Oh, my ankle!"

"It wasn't my fault," said Danny Rugg, and began to haul his sled away.
Charley started to follow.

"Don't leave me, Charley," called out Bert. "I--I guess I can't walk."

Charley hesitated. Then, feeling in his heart that he was really
responsible for running into Bert in the first place, he came back and
helped Bert to his feet.

"The sled is broken," said Bert, surveying the wreck dismally.

"That was Danny's fault."

"Well, then, he ought to pay for having it fixed."

"He never pays for anything he breaks, Bert,--you know that."

Slowly and painfully Bert dragged himself and his broken sled to the top
of the hill. Sharp, hot flashes of pain shooting through his bruised
ankle. Nan ran to meet him.

"Oh, Bert, what is the matter? Are you hurt?" she asked.

"Yes,--Danny ran into me, and broke the sled."

"It wasn't my fault, I say!" blustered the big boy. "You had a right to
get out of the way."

"It was your fault, Danny Rugg, and you will have to have my sled
mended," cried Bert.

Throwing down the rope of his own sled, Danny advanced and doubled up
his fists as if to fight.

"Don't you talk like that to me," he said su