Bobby looked a little guilty. He had planned to hurry out and start
the building of his fort and eat his lunch as he worked. He sat down
with Meg and bolted the good sandwiches Norah had packed, very much as
Philip sometimes ate his dinner. But then this was an exceptional
occasion. Bobby didn't usually forget his manners.

"Come on, fellows!" called Tim, as the children streamed out into the
yard. "Choose your sides--hurry up!"

As they chose their sides, Tim found, to his disgust, that he would
have to have some girls under him. These were mostly sisters of the
boys who lived in Tim's neighborhood, and though he had often pulled
their braids and otherwise teased them, still they felt that for the
honor of their home streets they were bound to fight on Tim's side.

After every one was enrolled on the Black's side or on that of the
Orange, they set to work to build the forts. Such scrambling for snow!
Such frantic scouring of corners for drifts from which to pack the
walls! And mercy, such screaming and shouting! No game was ever
played without a noisy chorus, and this was the most exciting game the
Oak Hill children had found in a long time.

"Well, how is it going?" asked Miss Mason, as they came up, damp and
rosy, in answer to the noon bell. "I watched you from the window for a
few moments, but I couldn't tell what you were building."

Couldn't tell what they were building! If that wasn't like a woman!
For a second Bobby was completely discouraged, and then he thought that
of course Miss Mason couldn't be expected to know. She probably had no