eplied Foster with a loud laugh. It was
true that he was not aware that the canes had been taken away, but he
was not minded to betray his surprise to the members of the rival
class.

There was a brief interval of silence which was broken by the old
minister, who said, "I shall be very glad, young gentlemen, to have you
come into the house. The night air is cold and you must be thoroughly
chilled. A little while ago I may have appeared somewhat lacking in
hospitality," he added, turning to Mott as he spoke; "but now I can
assure you I shall be very glad indeed to receive you."

"Thank you," responded Foster. "We shall be glad to come in if the
others will come too."

"We can't very well to-night," said Mott glumly. "We've got to go--"

Suddenly there broke in a wild yell upon the silence of the night. The
sound was made by only two men, but these two were possessed of a lung
power that was well-nigh phenomenal. Hawley who with his companion had
been watching the events that were occurring before them had suddenly
turned to Will and whispered, "Let's go in and take a hand! Yell,
Phelps! Make them hear you clear over in Winthrop!"

"Hi-i-i-i!" the two lusty freshmen had shouted together as they leaped
forward, and the prolonged yell was repeated when all the assembly had
instantly turned and for a moment in sheer astonishment were gazing at
the startling approach of men from behind the barn.

"Come on, fellows!" shouted Hawley again. "Come on! We'll get every one
of them! Come on! Come on!"

To the startled sophomores it seemed as if myriads of their foes were
rushing upon them, and after a momentary confusion every one had started
swiftly across the narrow field that intervened between the yard and the
road that approached Coventry Center from another direction.

"Come on, Foster! Come on all you fellows!" shouted Hawley. "Come on!
We'll get every soph that's here and will put 'em where they won't do
any harm till long after St. Patrick's Day."

Obediently every freshman started to follow Hawley, and across the
rough, plowed field they ran swiftly toward the road where the
sophomores had already disappeared from sight behind the bushes that
were thick and high by the roadside. When once they had gained the road
they could see the forms of two men speeding away in the distance, and
with a renewed shout the freshmen started in swift pursuit.

On up the long hill they sped until at last they stood together on the