The Triple Alliance

en on the Philistines for the destruction of the snow man. Every one felt the importance of a counter-attack, for unless something of the kind were attempted,

uggested Butler, a timid small b

lf a dozen voices in wither

come to an abrupt termination; and the great reason why each side forbore to make any open complaint against the other was undoubtedly

, and it's no use our doing anything, because they're always prepared. Some one's acting the spy. I can't think it's any of you fellows, but I b

, broken at length

aking any plans until we find out who tells 'em to the Philistines. I shou

do it?" asked Acton, lau

t to

returned the other, "only I shou

e dux; "come on outside.

for you. Well, let you and me go into the boot-room when Noaks is at work there, and pretend to make a plan as though we were going to do it again to-morrow night; then two of us might go down and see if they're pr

at isn't a bad idea; at

gus plan in Noaks's hearing, while Jack Vance, having been admitted into their confidence and sworn to secrecy, willin

; "and we'll show them what sort of

nto the playground, where they were joined a minute later by Acton, who, unlocking th

"and with this moonlight you'll soon be able to see if they're

eath their feet like stone. They turned off on to the grass, lest the noise should give the enemy warning of their approach; and when within

any one," sai

re! let's get into this field and run down on the oth

hed behind a thick bush, and peering through its leafless branches could see n

spered Vance; "I don't beli

stir any of them;" and so saying, he knelt up, and cri

he Philistines rushed out into the road with a yell of defiance. Many of them were bigger than Acton, and what would have been the fate of the two

ed the sortie. "There's nobody here, and

another voice; "they

returned Noaks; "they must be behind

n a yard of Diggory's head. The two boys crouched

ne say, 'Are you ready?' They're behind that hedge. We can't get through, it's too thick; but you

so large they'll run us down before we get to th

in the affirmative, when help

a loud, stern voice.-"Noaks, what are you about down

ood 'impot.' That chap is a cad," continued the speaker, as they hurried back towards The Birches: "when he can't do anything else, he chucks stones like he did to-night

replies could be given to Acton's eager inquiries as they rushed together up the garden path. In t

d Acton; "that's proved without a doubt. I vote we

wered Diggory; "don't let him

out and fight them in Locker's Lane; we're too small, and they know it. Young Noaks would never have dared to act as he did after they'd knocked our snow man

ack Vance excitedly,

t h

ure I don't know," answered Jack s

e of the conquering Philistines. Even the bedroom feuds were forgotten: night after night the "House of Lords" left the "Dogs' Home" in undisturbed tranquillity, and the occupants of the "Main-top" retired to rest without even p

of some way of paying those fellows out for knocking down our snow man. It would be splendid

ack Vance; "that is if y

one, and I'm jolly

ad passed, he was suddenly aroused by several violent tugs at his bed-clothes. Th

t," said Diggory, "bu

ot an

sked the other, i

an pay out the

grumbled Jack, and promptly

n, as the boys were picking up for a game at prisoner's base. "And there's that dummy of

ilar designs on Shaw, and every one, with the exception of the den-keepers, seemed suddenly seized with an irresistible desire to do something. The playground was full of boys rushing and dodging all over the place, when sudd

, while a shout of baffled rage some little distance down the road showed that they had only narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the enemy. The pursu

his neck, while Diggory's cap was in his hand, and his hair in a state of wild disorder. Their faces, flushed with running, were radiant with a

een up to?" cried Acton;

f the Philistines; they can't say we're not quits with

ength succeeded in shaking him into a sufficient st

t what they're like, how the wall curves in a bit, and there's a scraper close to the gate-post, on either side, about a foot from the ground. We'd got an old play-box cord with us, and we tied it to each of the scraper

d young Noaks cried, 'Why, it's a Birchite!-What do you want here, you young dog?' I couldn't think of anything else to say, so I said, 'I want to know if this is the bear-pit or the monkey-house.' My eye, you should have seen them! I dropped down in a trice, and they all rushed to the doors; but they couldn't lift the latch, because Mug and Ja

him, and hung on to his coat like a young bull-terrier, and got a smack on the nose; and just then Diggory turned, and came prancing back, and ran his head into the beggar's stomach, and that

d Diggory to his breast in a loving embrace, Shaw and Morris stuffed the door-key down M

e dux, "won't the

in the mud, and knock

ry to meddle with us a

hor of the enterprise; "we did it

for the Triple Alli

trieved, and that the day was still far distant when they would be crushed beneath the iron heel of