Now who opened it for them, and how was it done ?" "Perhaps it wasn't fastened," suggested Morris.
"Yes, it was," answered Kennedy excitedly.

"I noticed that this morning, when we were picking up stones for the snow man's buttons." "Then I tell you what it is," continued Acton solemnly: "some one here's playing us false, and my belief is it's old Noaks.

D'you remember last term 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; for they were all lying in wait for us behind the wall, and as soon as we got near to it they threw cans of water over us and pelted us with stones." There was a murmur of suppressed wrath at the memory of the fate of this gallant expedition.
"Yes," added Shaw, "and I believe some one told them about this snow man." "Well, one thing's certain," said Acton--"we must serve 'em out somehow for knocking it down.

They evidently think now Mason's gone they can do what they like, and that we shall be afraid of them.

Now what can we do ?" There was a silence; every one felt that a serious crisis had arrived in the history of the Birchites, and that unless some immediate steps were taken to avenge this insult they would no longer be free men, but live in constant terror of the Philistines;--every one, I say, felt that some bold action must be taken, yet nobody had a suggestion to make.
"Well, look here," said Acton, "something's got to be done.