The Triple Alliance

ndship. The members had solemnly sworn to stand by one another whatever happened, and the manner in which they carried out their resolv

sociation; he was constantly tumbling into trouble, and needing t

, to partake of two more of the latter's mince-pies, and on their return to the schoolroom found a crowd assembled round Acton, who, seated on the top of a small cup

en pence, promising to repay them, with interest, immediately after the holidays. The money had been expended in the purchase of a disreputable old canary bird, for which Noaks, the manservant,

e defendant with great severity, "no humbug

I came away for my share in a telesc

Why can't you answer my question? How

five

name of Fortune d

pay all that to No

t bird ate five shillings'

ne so hearty at its grub before.' Those were the very words he used, and he said it was eating

u're a fool. But that's no reason why these two chaps should be

ll pocket-money's giv

gets sixpence a week, and he's always breaking w

at was to put as it were an execution into Mugford's de

," he added, turning to the defendant, "just shell out some

ttle time, returned with a miscellaneous collection of small articles in hi

t's

me on my birthday, called 'Loft

ther!" said Ac

se have

and the clasp of a cricket belt, and old Dick Rodman's chess

y of that rubbish? Look here, we'll give you till after dinner, and unless

ys slowly dispersed; "he's always doing something stupid. But I suppos

splayed a perfect chaos of ragged books, loose sheets of paper, broken pe

you got to sell? you'll h

Christmas pudding. "I've got nothing, except-well, there's this book of Poe's, 'Tales of Adventure, Mystery,

ee more small articles a

d Diggory; "because, if so, Vance and I'll bid for them, and then y

keep, and that's my clasp-knife and the book; they're such jolly stories. 'The Pit and the Pendulum'

id you bring a ca

es

hat first, and you

ffering any further loss than what was afterwards made good again by the generosity of his two comrades. They, for their part, made no fuss over this little act of kindness, but handed the book

nity were preparing to obey Acton's order to "Come outside

that beast of a Noaks has done? Why, he'

ment; still it was necessary, at all events, to simulate some of their lead

n awful shame!"-"Let's

s he that sour-looking man who br

l-partly, I believe, because his son's a Philisti

round the room ordering every one out into the playground, and Jack Vanc

As the work progressed the interest in it increased, the more so when Diggory suggested that the figure should be supposed to represent the obnoxious Noaks, and that the company could then relieve their feelings by pelting his effigy as soon as it was completed. Every one was pleased with the project, and even Acton, who as a rule would never follow up any plan which w

t the classes were dismissed, and the dux cried, "Come on, you fellows!" every one obeyed the summons willingly enough. There had been a slight thaw in the night, and the statue stood in need of some trifling repairs.

he rush; he dashed through the garden doorway, and then stopped dead with an exclamation of dismay. All those who followed, as they arrived on the spot, did the same. Every vestige of the snow man, which had been left barely an hour ago sta

heir hopes and handiwork; then the silence was broken by a subdued chuckle coming from the other side of the wall

hat was stuck on the very back of his head, and rammed down until the brim rested on the top of his ears; and it will be quite sufficient to remark that his face

was hardly an improvement on the one Nature had already bestowed upo

own the path, determining in his own, mind to be the first to open fire on the snow man. Without a moment's hesitation he flung the missile at the intruder's head, and,

of snowballs as fast as hands could make them. "Look out!" cried Kennedy. Young Noaks's face rose once more above the top of the wall,

cried Acton; "l

the road; but it was only to find the enemy in full retreat

d Diggory, "who are they

way that the reader may be enabled to take a more intelligent interest in the chain of events which commenced with the destruction of the snow man; and i

stood The Birches; the house itself faced the Chatford road, while behind it, in regular succession, came first the sloping garden, then the walled-in playground, and then the small field in which were attempted such games of cricket

ed that no boy should either go or return by this route when visiting the town; the whole

d this stood a large red-brick house, shut in on three sides by a high wall, whereon, close to the

CE H

ass Schoo

S, B.A., H

r. Welsby's boys the Phillipians, which title had in tim

would, for the most part, have made very good friends and comrades. However, in fairness both to them and to their rivals, it must be said that at the period of our story Mr. Phillips seemed for some time past to

l for an outbreak of open hostilities between the two schools: the Philistines charged the Birchites in the open street with being afraid to meet them in the field. These base insinuations led to frequent exchanges of taunts and uncomplimentary remarks; and, last of all, matters were brought to a climax by a stand-up fight between Tom Mason, Acton's predecessor as dux, and young Noaks. The encounter took place just outside the stronghold of the enemy, the Birchite so f

, as Jack Vance finished a hasty accoun

ot an uncle, called Simpson, who lives at Todderton, where I come from. This man Simpson made a lot of money out

pt the key, and having unfastened the door, summoned his followers inside to hold an impromptu council of war and discuss the situation. There was a grave expression on each face, for every one felt that things were beginning to look serious. Mason, the

at they came in through that door; of course it's always kept locked, and here's t

n't fastened,"

I noticed that this morning, when we were pi

when Mason and Jack Vance and I made a plot for going down and throwing crackers into their yard? Well, they must have heard of it from some one; f

ed wrath at the memory of the

I believe some one told

or knocking it down. They evidently think now Mason's gone they can do w

s some immediate steps were taken to avenge this insult they would no longer be free men, but live in constant terror

think it over, and we'll have another meeting in a week's time; then if

n said about the Philistines; well, I've got part of a plan