," sobbed Maggie. "Matt Dickey is mad at Miss Davis
'cause she stood him on the floor today for not learning his lesson,
and he says he won't do a thing nor let any of the other boys help us.
Matt just makes all the boys do as he says. I feel dreadful bad, and
so does Minnie."

"Well, I wouldn't cry any more about it," said Frank consolingly.
"Crying won't do any good, you know. Can you tell us where to find the
wood-lane that cuts across to Blackburn Hill?" Maggie could, and gave
us minute directions. So, having thanked her, we left her to pursue
her disconsolate way and betook ourselves homeward.

"I would like to spoil Matt Dickey's little game," said Frank. "He is
evidently trying to run things at Enderly Road school and revenge
himself on the teacher. Let us put a spoke in his wheel and do Maggie
a good turn as well."

"Agreed. But how?"

Frank had a plan ready to hand and, when we reached home, we took his
sisters, Carrie and Mabel, into our confidence; and the four of us
worked to such good purpose all the next day, which was Saturday, that
by night everything was in readiness.

At dusk Frank and I set out for the Enderly Road, carrying a basket, a
small step-ladder, an unlit lantern, a hammer, and a box of tacks. It
was dark when we reached the Enderly Road schoolhouse. Fortunately, it
was quite out of sight of any inhabited spot, being surrounded by
woods. Hence, mysterious lights in it at strange hours would not be
likely to attract attention.

The door was locked, but we easily got in by a window, lighted our
lantern, and went to work. The schoolroom was small, and the
old-fashioned furniture bore marks of hard usage; but everything was
very snug, and the carefully swept floor and dusted desks bore
testimony to the neatness of our small friend Maggie and her chum
Minnie.

Our basket was full of mottoes made from letters cut out of cardboard
and covered with lissome sprays of fir. They were, moreover, adorned
with gorgeous pink and red tissue roses, which Carrie and Mabel had
contributed. We had considerable trouble in getting them tacked up
properly, but when we had succeeded, and had furthermore surmounted
doors, windows, and blackboard with wreaths of green, the little
Enderly Road schoolroom was quite transformed.

"It looks nice," said Frank in a tone of satisfaction. "Hope Maggie
will like it."

We swept up the litter we had made, and then scrambled out of the
window.

"I'd like to see Mat