"I—I guess I will!" spoke Hiram desperately.
Then from the outer fringe of the attacking crowd there arose a cautious warning.
"Cheese it! Here comes old Sixteen!"
Professor Rodd was approaching and the lads well knew that he was bitterly opposed to fights, and would at once report any who engaged in them.
"Come on! Let's finish the snow fight!" cried Teeter. "Get back in your fort, Hiram, and the rest of you, and we'll soon capture it."
"All right," said the bully in a low voice. Then looking at Joe he said: "This isn't the end of it; not by a long shot, Matson. I'll get square with you yet."
"Just as you choose," answered Joe, as he rallied his lads to the attack again.
Then the snow ball fight went on, with Professor Rodd an interested onlooker. Joe's boys finally won, capturing the fort; but the real zest had been taken out of the battle by the unpleasant incident, and the boys no longer fought with jolly good-will.
"Ah, that is what I like to see," remarked the Latin professor, as the lads, having finished the game, strolled away from the fort which had
