love to own him for a brother!"

"I wonder who did hit him?" mused Snap. "The snowball couldn't have
come from over here."

"I know who hit him," said a little boy named Benny Grime.

"Who was it, Benny?"

"Ham Spink."

"Ham Spink!" cried Snap and Shep in concert.

"Yes."

"Why, he isn't here," said Whopper.

"He just came up, threw one snowball, and ran away. I guess he meant
to hit somebody else and the snowball hit Mr. Felps instead," went on
the small boy. "Don't let him know I told you, or he'll wax me good
for it."

"I shan't tell Ham," said Snap. "But this is strange," he continued.

"Thought Ham was too much of a dude to throw snowballs," was Whopper's
comment. "Why, he wears a new necktie every day now, and new patent
leather shoes, and new gloves, and--"

"Don't pile it on too thick, Whopper," laughed Shep. "But I admit, he
is a dude and no mistake."