who the newcomers were. It was not only the boys of Chester who liked
Jack Winters; for any girl would be proud to be asked for her company
by a fellow like Jack, so universally esteemed.

"You've turned the tables on us this time, Jack," said Lucy Marsh,
bravely enough. "It's a case of the biters bitten, evidently. We came
to spy, and we've been spied on in turn. Well, since you've discovered
us in a tree, perhaps you'd better climb up and help a pack of foolish
girls back to the solid ground again. I seem to lose my head once I
get off the earth."

Accordingly Jack and Joel joined them, and it was no particular effort
to help each girl down. When the last had been safely landed, the boys
jumped lightly after them.

"You'll excuse our looks, of course, girls," said Joel. "We've been in
a scrimmage and are hardly fit for ladies' company; but all the same
we're delighted to have been of service to you."

"And so," remarked Jack, turning to Mollie Skinner, who was small but
pert, and as pretty as a peach, "you had a boasting letter from some
girl over in Harmony, I think I heard you say as we came up. She tried
to discourage you, didn't she? All right, Mollie, you just send her
back a Roland for an Oliver; give her as good as she sent. Tell her
the Chester boys are going to swamp Marshall next Saturday, just to
put them in trim for the great game on Thanksgiving morning with poor
old Harmony. Twit her with a few reminders of that last baseball game
we played, when Chester trailed Harmony's colors in the dust. I guess
you can rub it in good and hard, Mollie, if you try."