Si four agates and seventeen marbles, to say nothing of three tops, all
believed that his debt had influenced his decision.

All, save Tom Hardy, gave their opinion, and it was found that the boys
were about evenly divided; one party adopting Si's suggestion, and the
other favoring the acceptance of the invitations, if it could be done
so that they would not appear to be "backing down."

It "Now, see here, fellers'," said Tom, when every one looked at him as
if expecting to hear what he thought, "I want you all to understand in
the first place that I am willing to do what the majority think best;
but I've got a little scheme that I think a good one. Let's go on the
sleigh ride, an' go to the party, too."

"Then the girls would think we were smart," growled Si.

"Wait a minute, till you hear the whole of it. About half want to do
one thing, and half another. Now, I say, let's each one write to the
girl who has sent him a necktie, thanking her for the invitation to the
party, and ask her to go on a sleigh-ride with us. We can hire both of
Grout's big sleighs, an' have about as big a time as was ever seen in
this town. I guess the girls won't be much ahead of us then."

"But how about their payin' for our neckties? " asked Dan Crockett.

"We'll let that go as if we was much obliged. to them; but we'll raise
ten cents more apiece, an' buy aunt Betsey wood enough to last her till
summer. If we pay the money now, we can each get a saw, an' have it all
cut up before night. The girls won't have any the best of us then; aunt
Betsey will be just that much better off; we can have our sleigh-ride,