shoe pinches, is it?" chuckled Bobolink; and
after that he and Jack left the place, to do their shopping in more
congenial quarters, while Mr. Briggs stood on his doorsteps and glared
angrily after them.

CHAPTER IX

"FIRE!"

"Saturday, eleven-thirty P.M., the night before Christmas, and all's
well!"

It was Frank Savage who made this remark, as with eight other scouts
he trudged along, after having left the house of the scout-master,
Paul Morrison. Frank had been the lucky one to be counted among those
who were going on the midwinter tour, his parents having been coaxed
into giving their consent.

"And on Monday morning we make the start, wind and weather
permitting," observed Bobolink, with an eagerness he did not attempt
to conceal.

"So far as we know everything is in complete readiness," said Bluff
Shipley.

"Five iceboats are tugging at their halters, anxious to be off,"
laughed Jack. "And there'll be a lot of restless sleepers in certain
Stanhope homes I happen to know."

"Huh! there always are just before Christmas," chuckled Tom Betts.
"But this year we have a double reason for lying awake and counting
the dragging minutes. Course you committee of two looked after the
grub supplies as you were directed?"

"We certainly did!" affirmed Bobolink, "and came near getting into a
row with old Briggs at his store. He wanted to ask us top-notch prices
for everything, and when we kicked he acted so ugly we packed out."

"Just like the old curmudgeon," declared Phil Towns. "The last time I
was in his place he kept following me around as if he thought I meant
to steal him out of house and home. I just up and told my folks I
never wanted to trade with Mr. Briggs again, and so they changed to
the other store."

"Oh, well, he's getting old and peevish," said Jack. "You see he lives
a lonely life, and has a narrow vision. Besides, some boys have given
him a lot of trouble, and he doesn't know the difference between
decent fellows and scamps. We'd better let him alone, and talk of
something else."

"I suppose all of you notice that it's grown cloudy late to-day,"
suggested Spider Sexton.

"Oh! I hope that doesn't mean a heavy snowfall before we get started,"
exclaimed Bluff. "If a foot of snow comes down on us, good-bye to our
using the iceboats as we've been planning."

"The weather reports at the post office say fair and cold ahead for
this section," announced Jack Stormways, at which there arose