Rather sheepishly Lem, the pitcher on the High School nine, left his seat. "I have heard of your good work last season," Santa Claus went on, "and, as a reward for it I have brought you this. May it help you to win many games." With that he handed Lem a red, white and blue striped rubber ball, the kind given to babies so they can not hurt themselves. The other pupils burst into laughter, and Lem blushed. He acted as though he was going to throw it at the head of St. Nicholas, but thought better of it and went to his seat. "Fenn Masterson," Santa Claus called next, and Stumpy went forward. "Fenn, I have heard how devoted you are to the ladies," the speaker went on. "So I bring you this that you may never forget them," and Fenn was given a doll dressed in the height of fashion. On the neck was a card which read: "I love Fenn and Fenn loves me." "Kiss her, Fenn!" called out Ned in a loud whisper, and poor Fenn, blushing to his ears, carried the doll back to his seat. "I have here something for Ned Wilding," the figure went on, and, as Ned, in response to the remorseless urging of his fellow pupils, went forward he was given a tin rattle box. "Now James Eaton," called Santa Claus, and James, who was very fond of dogs was given a little woolly one that emitted a squeaky bark when gently punched in the stomach. "William Sanderson!" called St. Nicholas, and a lad who did little else than fish in his spare time, was presented with a small pole and line, from which dangled a tin trout. So it went on, until a score of the boys and several girls had been given toy presents bearing on their particular traits of character. Meanwhile Ned and Fenn had been whispering to each other. "Shall I do it now?" asked Ned, as St. Nicholas seemed to have reached the bottom of his bag. "Yes," whispered Fenn. As Santa Claus prepared to leave, thinking perhaps his identity had not been penetrated, Ned walked forward. "One moment," he called, and St. Nicholas halted in the act of dragging out his tiny reindeer and sleigh. "Though you have remembered us, you have forgotten yourself," Ned went on. "Therefore, Mr. Bart Keene, _alias_ St. Nicholas, on behalf of the pupils of the school I present you with this." Before Bart could get away Ned had torn the false beard from his chum's face. Then, holding out what seemed to be a basket-ball, Ned suddenly raised it high in the air and brought it down on Bart's head. It broke with a loud sound, for it was paper blown up, and out flew a shower of confetti, which covered Bart's red flannel uniform with tiny scraps of colored paper. Ned had brought it to use in playing a joke on someone else, but, at the last minute, discovering the identity of St. Nicholas, he had resolved on a different plan. CHAPTER X WRECK OF THE TOWER