though varying somewhat in their ages, were Alf Maitland and Maurice
Shannon and Grant Harlson, and three or four others who ranked with
them. The girls differed more in age, for there were some who aspired
to be teachers, who, if boys, would have been home at work in
summer-time, and some who could come, while very young, since their
older sisters came with them to exercise all needed care. And among
the smaller ones, though not so young as some, was Katie Welwood, a
black-haired, black-eyed, evil-tempered little thing, who was the rage
among the boys. She had smiled upon Grant Harlson, and smiled upon
young Maitland, so early in her years is the female a coquette, and
they looked askance upon each other, though they were the best of
friends. Had they not together defied the big George Appleton, and
vanquished him in running fight, and were they not sworn allies, come
any weal or woe! But woman, even at the age of ten, has ever been the
cause of trouble between males, and those two had, on her account, a
mortal feud. It all came suddenly. There had been certain jealousies
and heartaches caused by the raven-locked young vixen with the winning
eyes, but there had been no outspoken words of anger between these
vassals in her train until there came excuse in other way, for your
country lad is modest, and never admits that his ailing has aught to do
with the grand passion. But there had been a sharp debate over the
proper ownership of a big gray squirrel at which they had shot their
arrows from strong hickory bows together, and, with this excuse for
fuel to the fire already smoldering, there soon came a great flame.
Neither would yield to one he knew in his heart addicted to winning,
villainously, the affections of the young woman, and so they fought.
Unfortunately for Grant, Napoleon was at least in a measure right when
he remarked that Providence always favored the heaviest battalions, and
equally unfortunate for him that Alf, as resolute as he, was just a
little heavier, was as tough of fiber at that stage of their young