ks made a jolly party as they boarded the train. They
turned over one of the double seats and sat facing each other, and
laughed and chatted until Hemson was reached. Here a carriage awaited
them, and they were driven to the Morr mansion, where they received a
warm greeting from the senator and his wife.

The girls had much to tell about themselves, and then asked about
matters at the school. They were indignant to learn that Nat Poole had
exposed the football signals.

"It is just like him--the sneak!" cried Jessie. "Oh, Dave, I hope you
don't have anything more to do with him."

"I am willing to let him alone if he will let me alone."

"Do you hear anything from Link Merwell?" questioned Laura.

"Not much. But I understand he and Nick Jasniff have it in for me."

"Then, Dave, you must be on your guard," cautioned his sister. "I think
Merwell is a regular snake in the grass--his actions at the ranch prove
it--and Jasniff is no better."

"Jasniff is worse," said Roger. "He is a brute."

The boys and girls spent a happy evening together, and all too soon Mr.
Porter and Mr. Wadsworth arrived to take Laura and Jessie back to
Crumville. The boys hated to see them go, and went to the depot with
them. There was some warm handshaking, and then the train rolled away,
and the boys went back to the house.

"Splendid girls, both of them," was Roger's comment, and Dave quite
agreed with him. But he was thinking more about Jessie than his
sister,--and it is quite likely Roger was thinking more about Laura.

The boys remained at Roger's home until Saturday afternoon, and then
returned to Oak Hall. The air was heavy and very cold, and they were
glad to get out of the carryall, rush into the school, and warm up.

"Feels like snow to me," said Dave; and he was right. It started to snow
that night, and kept it up for the greater part of Sunday, so that by
Monday the ground was covered to the depth of a foot or more.

"Hurrah, for a snowballing match!" cried Buster. "Everybody in the line
after school."

"Let us choose sides," suggested Ben. "Instead of having an Army of the
North and an Army of the South, we can have----"

"An Army of Red and an Army of Blue," finished Dave. "What do you say to
the red sweaters against the blue sweaters?"

As many lads of the school wore red sweaters, and about an equal number
wore blue, the idea caught on instantly, and at the noon recess the two
armies, of Red and of Blue, were hastily