g intrusion into the quiet smugness of his life.

Jimsy's quick, eager little smile of greeting as he came up the hill
again warmed the pang away--it was so full of good-fellowship and
understanding.

"Ever go belly-whopper, Uncle Ab?" he demanded radiantly.

"I--I scarcely think so," said the first citizen.

"I--I don't like to belly-whop down the hill with you standin' up here
alone," said Jimsy shyly. "Why don't ye go down just once with me, Uncle
Ab? Then if ye like it, we'll just have one thump-walloper of a time!"

"No, no, Jimsy," said the first citizen. "I--I can't do that--" and then
for the first time he met the amused eyes of Hiram Middleton and
Specks.

[Illustration]

So they had followed to the hill--incredulous and curious! A wave of
anger swept Abner Sawyer into indiscretion.

"I--I'll go with you once, Jimsy," he said, and Jimsy's round little
face glowed.

So the first citizen seated himself stiffly on the sled behind Jimsy,
wondering what on earth to do with his legs. They seemed to have
lengthened mysteriously and they looked astonishingly thin. Jimsy gave a
wild Indian whoop of warning and the sled hurtled off down the hill,
with the first citizen, unbelievably stiff-legged and frightened,
clinging to his hat.

His emotions were panoramic. There was panic first at his lost
dignity--then wonder at their speed, but most of all his legs bothered
him--his legs and his hat. He wished Jimsy would quit yelling. Yet for
all he tried he could not bring himself to say so.

"Ki-yi-yi-yi-whoop!" sang Jimsy, steering. Abner Sawyer gulped.
Everybody on the hill, of course, was staring; his coat-tails were
flying dizzily behind him. There would be a scandal and the directors
of the Lindon Bank might even meet and call him to account. Small
blame to them. Abner Sawyer mentally sketched a caricature of
himself--coat-tails, legs and all--and Heaven help him!--lost his hat.
He emitted a feeble croak of dismay. Jimsy looking back steered into a
snow-bank and dumped the president of the Lindon Bank out upon the hill.

"Gosh Almighty, Uncle Ab," he yelled, "I'm awful sorry. I seen your lid
go--"

"Never mind, Jimsy," said the first citizen, sitting up, "never
mind--I--I really shouldn't have worn such a wind-catcher to--to
belly-whop in--"

He sat very stiff amid the ruins of the snow-bank. Jimsy grinned.

"Ye ain't really done no belly-whoppin' yet," he said.

[Illustration]

And now for the first