he went down in a heap, tripped by the string Bob had stretched
across the opening.

The storekeeper was more surprised than hurt, for he was quite
stout and his fat protected him. As he got up, muttering vengeance
on whatever had upset him, he went to the door to look out. There
was not a person in sight.

"It must have been that pesky Bob Henderson!" he exclaimed. "He's
always yellin' an' shoutin'."

He turned back into the store, rubbing his shins. As he did so he
uttered an exclamation of dismay. And well he might, for the
spigot of the molasses barrel was wide open, and the sticky brown
fluid was running all over the floor.




CHAPTER II

ANOTHER PRANK

"Drat that boy!" cried Mr. Hodge. "I'll make him suffer fer this.
I'll have him arrested fer malicious mischief, an' I'll sue his
father. I'll see if I can't put a stop to sech nonsense."

He did not waste time in words, however, but hastened to shut the
spigot of the molasses barrel to stop the wasteful flow. However,
two gallons or more had run all over, the floor, making a sticky