"The horses took fright and ran away," Sandy explained, when most of the bags had been piled on shore. "I couldn't stop 'em. The load was too heavy, and it was down hill." The chums did not answer. Sandy did not expect they would. The situation was too novel. But he was grateful for their help, and, doubtless resolved not to act meanly toward them in the future. The trouble with Sandy was he had no strength of character. He was mean in spite of himself, and couldn't help it. When the bags were out of the way the five boys, by dint of hard work, managed to right the sleigh, which was a big double bob. It was not damaged to any extent and soon was ready to receive the bags of feed. They were piled in and the horses hitched up again. "I'm--I'm much obliged to you fellows," said Sandy in a mumbling tone. "I'm sorry I didn't give you a ride that day." Sandy meant that. He was much softened by what the chums had done. "We'd made up our minds to get square with you," said Bart, as he fastened on his skates. "And I think we did, Sandy," and with that the four chums started off down the river, while Sandy drove the horses up into the road. "Queer way to get square," murmured Ned. "I'd like to punch his face." "This was the best way," Bart replied, and, somehow, though perhaps they didn't know just why, the chums agreed with him. Christmas was approaching, and mingled with the joys of the holiday season, were thoughts in the minds of the four chums and all the other pupils, that school would close for two weeks. "Next Wednesday is Christmas," observed Bart one afternoon as the chums were on their way home. "School closes Tuesday for the two weeks, and we ought to mark the occasion in some way. Have you fellows heard of any celebration?" "Nary a one," replied Fenn. "Well, there's going to be something doing, all right." "Who's going to do it?" asked Ned. "Well, not the fellow who invited the cow to school," replied Bart, referring to an incident for which Ned was responsible. "You, maybe, eh?" "Maybe," and Bart winked his left eye. There was little studying done on Monday of Christmas week, and less was in prospect for the following Tuesday. Some of the classes had arranged for informal exercises in their rooms and later there was to be a general gathering of all the pupils of the school in the large auditorium, at which Mr. McCloud the principal would make an address. Monday night Bart was very busy in his room. There were odd noises proceeding from it, and when he came down a little later, and asked Alice to sew some strips of red cloth for him, she asked: "What in the world are you up to, Bart?" "I'm a knight, getting my armor ready for the conflict of battle," he replied gravely. "Be ready for me when I return, for I may be covered with wounds and you can get lots of first-aid-to-the-injured practice." "Now, don't do anything silly," Alice advised. "Far be it from me to do any such thing. You girls can attend to that part."