their respective abodes. It was a good hour before any of the lads got
to sleep.

Whopper was just dreaming of another terrific explosion when he awoke
with a start, to hear a loud pounding on the side of the house,
directly under his bedroom window. Opening the sash cautiously he
caught sight of Giant below, hitting the clapboards with a snow shovel
which happened to be handy.

"Oh, what a racket!" murmured Whopper. "I must pay him for that!" And
scooping up some snow from the window sill he gave a low whistle. Then
as Giant looked up, he let the snow drop.

"Wuow!" spluttered the little lad, as the loose snow filled his mouth
and nose. "Say, do you want to smother me?"

"Then stop that infernal racket," answered Whopper. "Do you want the
neighborhood to think that there are more explosions taking place?"

"Time to be moving," said Giant, and passed on, to arouse Shep.

"Now, my son, be very careful and keep out of danger," said Mr. Dodge
to Charley, when the latter was ready to leave. "I shall send old Jed
Sanborn up to see you once or twice, and if you need anything from
here you let him know and he can bring it to you." And then, after a
warm handshake from his father and a kiss from his mother, Snap almost
ran from the house, fearful that he would be late.

At the barn where the things had been stored he found Giant and Shep,
but nothing was to be seen of Whopper.