The other side of the tale my father had evidently heard, and we fancied he must have heard also of the intended attack on us, for it never took place, and we knew of interviews which he had with John Binder and others of our neighbours; and when the frost came in January, we found that the stones had been taken out of the pond, and my father gave us a sharp lecture against being quarrelsome and giving ourselves airs, and it ended with--"The pond is mine.

I wish you to remember it, because it makes it your duty to be hospitable and civil to the boys I allow to go on it.
And I have very decidedly warned them and their parents to remember it, because if my permission for fair amusement is abused to damage and trespass, I shall withdraw the favour and prosecute intruders.

But the day I shut up my pond from my neighbours, I shall forbid you and Jack to go on it again unless the fault is more entirely on one side than it's likely to be when boys squabble." My father waved our dismissal, but I hesitated.
"The boys won't think we told tales to you to get out of another fight ?" I gasped.
"Everybody knows perfectly well how I heard.

It came to the sexton's ears, and he very properly informed me." I felt relieved, and the first day we had on the ice went off very fairly.

The boys were sheepish at first and slow to come on, and when they had assembled in force they were inclined to be bullying.