go in for havin' this thing done right, if we're goin' to do it at all.
The girls have got the best of us now, an' if any of you think we can
turn things around, let's go to work shipshape."

" I nominate Tom Hardy president of this meetin', to see how we can get
ahead of the
girls," squeaked Winny; and, to say the least, he was very officious in
so doing, since he was a member of the "ten-centers," and really had
nothing to do with the discomfiture of the sleigh-riders.

In the general excitement, however, no one seemed to remember that
Winny was not one
of them, and all called for Tom Hardy to conduct the meeting. Si Kelly
recognized the fact that he should have been the one to occupy this
proud position; but the leadership seemed to be slipping away from him,
and, shout as he might, no one paid any attention to him. He had led
the boys on to defeat, instead of victory, and since he could suggest
no wiser plan than to return the neckties and letters, all looked to
Tom Hardy for advice.

"Fellers," he said, gravely, as he seated himself in the Deacon's
chair, understanding the
importance of his position, "we've got to do something to get ahead of
the girls, an' I go
in for havin' each one say what he thinks is best. After that we can
pick out a plan. Now,
what do you think we ought to do, Si?"

Master Kelly was very sulky; but he managed to state, as his
conviction, that they could do no less than return the neckties and