to Dave. "Meekest man I ever saw,
and ought to have a monument for politeness."

"I hope all his eggs are smashed," said Shadow Hamilton. "He certainly
deserves it."

"Shouldn't wonder if they are--he came down hard enough," answered Dave.

By good luck all the students had seats close to each other, and as the
train rolled along they told of their various holiday experiences and
discussed school matters.

"Just four weeks and then we'll close down for Christmas," said Roger.

"We ought to have lots of fun," said Ben. "We can go skating and
ice-boating, and we can build a fort----"

"And snowball Pop Swingly and Horsehair," interrupted Sam, mentioning
the janitor of Oak Hall and the driver for the institution. "Don't
forget them or they'll feel slighted."

"What's the matter with snowballing Job Haskers?" asked Phil, mentioning
a teacher who was anything but popular with the students.

"Oh, we'll attend to him, never fear," answered Roger Morr.

"Has anybody heard from Plum?" questioned Sam, during a lull in the
conversation.

"I got a letter from him," answered Dave, seeing that nobody else
replied. "He is afraid he is going to have a hard time of it to reform.
I hope you fellows will treat him as well as you can."

"I shall," said the senator's son, and several nodded.

"I think I have always treated him better than he deserved," said Shadow
Hamilton. He could not forget what serious trouble the former bully of
Oak Hall had once caused him, when Doctor Clay's valuable collection of
postage stamps had disappeared.

It had been snowing slightly since morning, and now the flakes began to
come down thicker than ever. As a consequence the engineer of the train
could not see the signals ahead and had to run slowly, so that when the
Junction was gained, where the boys had to change for Oakdale, they were
half an hour late.

"We've missed the connection and must remain here for just an hour and a
quarter," declared Dave, after questioning the station master. "We can't
get to Oak Hall until after dark."

"I move we have something to eat," said Roger. "A sandwich, a piece of
mince-pie, and a cup of hot chocolate wouldn't go bad."

"Second the commotion!" cried Ben. "All in favor raise their left ear."

"Which puts me in mind of a story," said Shadow. "Two men went to a
restaurant and ordered----"

"Fried snakes' livers on mushrooms," interrupted Dave. "You've told that
story before."

"No, I didn't, and