ph. "One can
defend the fort and the others can attack it."

"Hurrah! just the thing!" cried Bert. "When shall the battle begin?"

The boys talked it over, and it was decided to have the battle come off
after lunch.

The boys went home full of enthusiasm, and soon the news spread that a
real soldiers' battle was to take place at the lot.

"Oh, Bert, can't I go and look on?" asked Nan.

"I want to go, too," put in Flossie.

"Can't I be a soldier?" asked Freddie. "I can make snowballs, and throw
'em, too."

"No, Freddie, you are too little to be a soldier," answered Bert. "But
you can all come and look on, if you wish."

After lunch the boys began to gather quickly, until over twenty were
present. Many girls and a few grown folks were also there, who took
places out of harm's way.

"Now, remember," said a gentleman who was placed in charge. "No icy
snowballs and no stones."

"We'll remember, Mr. Potter," cried the young soldiers.

The boys were speedily divided into two parties, one to attack and one
to defend the fort. It fell to Bert's lot to be one of the attacking
party. Without loss of time each party began to make all the snowballs
it could. The boys who remained in the fort kept out of sight behind the
walls, while the attacking party moved to the back of the barn at the
corner of the big lot.

"Are you all ready?" shouted Mr. Potter presently.

A yell of assent came from nearly all of the young soldiers.

"Very well, then; the battle may begin."

Some of the boys had brought horns along, and now a rousing blast came
from behind the barn and then from the snow fort.

"Come on and capture the fort!" cried Bert, and led the way, with his
arms full of snowballs.

There was a grand cheer and up the hill rushed the young soldiers, ready
to capture the snow fort no matter what the cost.

CHAPTER VIII

FUN ON THE ICE

"Oh, the fight is going to start!" cried Nan, in high excitement. "See
them coming up the hill!"

"Will they shoot?" asked Flossie, just a bit nervously.

"Course they won't shoot," answered Freddie. "Can't shoot snowballs.
Ain't got no powder in."

The attacking party was still a good distance from the fort when those
inside let fly a volley of snowballs. But the snowballs did not reach
their mark, and still the others came up the hill.

"Now then, give it to them!" cried Bert, and let fly his first snowball,
which landed on the top of the fort's wall. Soon the air wa