nish enemies with breathless
interest. Again and again did the young earldorman's well-drilled band
sally forth from its stronghold to attack larger bodies of the foe, and
again and again did the boy on the bed wish that he was living in those
soul-stirring times. Then came the building of the _Dragon_, for war
must be waged on the sea as well as by land, and a call of, "Oh,
John-e-e-e-e! Oh, John-e-e-e-e!"

He stood up regretfully. One of his legs was cramped from lying
motionless so long, and he limped into the front room. Silvey was below
on the water-streaked walk.

"Come on out!"

"Can't. She found out about my hitching this morning."

"Aw-w-w, come on. The fellows are building a snow fort in the big lot,
and pretty soon, we're going to have a big fight." He reached down,
scooped up a handful of the moist snow, and patted it easily into a
small, hard ball. "Look, packing's fine. Go down and tease her!"

John shook his head. Mother was inexorable on such occasions, and never
had there been a time on record, no matter what the weeping or wailing,
when a gating had been lifted. So he would meet his punishment without
further ado.

Silvey went disconsolately back towards home, and the prisoner returned
to his room and stared from the window which overlooked the railroad
tracks. Presently he turned away and rummaged in the bureau in the big
south room until he found his mother's opera glasses. A moment or so of
adjustment, and he smiled contentedly. If he could not be a participant,
he would at least witness the battle.

The construction of the fort was well under way. Long, erratic paths in
the snow showed where the three big balls had been rolled which formed
the most exposed wall. They were almost as tall as the boys, themselves,
and even now Sid and Red Brown and Perry Alford were digging their heels
into the slippery footing as they moved a fourth to its proper place.
Mosher, bent almost double, was rolling a new and rapidly increasing
sphere over the soft snow. The walls completed, the gang devoted
themselves to filling in the crevices, smoothing the surface, and to
testing the weak places in the fortress. A few busy minutes were spent
in making ammunition, then Sid, his longing for leadership gratified at
last, led his army behind the "U" shaped protection. Bill beckoned his
followers out of range, and missiles began to fly. John laid the glasses
down wistfully.

Shucks! watching only made him want to j