"Well, Tim, that was a surprise attack for fair, wasn't it?" he asked
pleasantly. "I think we'll have to say the Black side won.
Congratulations, Bobby. And now, Generals, shake hands, and the
biggest fight in Oak Hill school history will be over."

Tim put out his lip stubbornly.

"I didn't know it was fair to play like that," he argued sourly. "We
could have taken their fort easy, if you'd said that was the way to
play. 'Sides Meg Blossom put 'em to it. Bobby hadn't a thing to do
with that."

"Yes, Meg did," said Bobby hurriedly, trying to edge out of the crowd.
"She really won the war."

"Just one moment," Mr. Carter spoke coolly, and yet there was an odd
little snap in his voice that made every boy and girl turn toward him.
"Look at me, please, Bobby. What happened to your eye?"

"Oh, gee," mumbled Bobby unhappily. He had hoped to get away
unnoticed. "I guess--I guess a snowball hit it."

"A packed ball, probably dipped in water first," announced Mr. Carter,
gently touching the poor sore eye. "Tim, do you know anything about
such a ball?"

"No, I don't," said Tim hastily. "Nobody can say our side packed
balls."

"No one can prove your side threw a packed ball," corrected the