"I haven't met him, yet. I saw Mrs. Vining this morning on the street, and she told me about his boarding with her and said she hoped you and he would be friends. Just then the girls came along and I thought it would be pleasant for Mr. Bronson if he could meet them. So I asked them and sent him an invitation." "Momsy, you're a fox! You mean you thought you could keep Sandow and me at home where you could watch us," laughed Fred. "Well, shall I tell the girls you prefer your skylarking to their society?" inquired Mrs. Markham. "If she does, your goose will be cooked with Margie," blurted Sandow, and then, as he realized how disrespectful the voicing of his thoughts sounded, he added, blushing: "I beg your pardon, Mrs. Markham. I spoke without thinking." "Never mind, Sandow," laughed Fred's mother. "But I agree with you that Margie will resent such action on Fred's part." Confronted by such an embarrassing situation, the boy who was to meet Bart in defense of his father's honor, was doing some rapid thinking. "We'll have the party, Momsy," he replied. "Only please have supper at seven instead of six." And without giving his parent the opportunity to ask the reason for the late hour, Fred kissed her and dashed out the door, followed by his schoolmate. "Jiminy crickets! but this is a pretty mess!" lamented Sandow, as he and Fred settled into a rapid walk. "How do you intend to get around Bart? Put it off until to-morrow?" "Not much! I'll meet him at five instead of seven." "He won't agree, if he thinks it will be an accommodation to you." "Oh, won't he?" returned Fred, smiling in a superior manner. "You just wait and see. He'll jump at the chance!" "Go ahead and tell me; I'm not good at puzzles." "There's no mystery. I'll simply tell him that I'm going to a party and want to get through with him first. He'll think he can give me a couple of black eyes and shame me before the girls." "Great head, Cotton-Top!--provided he doesn't close your peepers. Bart's some scrapper. He told Hal he'd been taking boxing lessons during the summer. It's because I wanted to give you a few points I dropped in for you. Have you any idea how you are going at him?" "Sure. The way Phil Thomas got him in our Form game with Landon last year." While the leader of the Firsts realized that Fred was strong and agile, he had no idea the boy had already mapped out his plan of campaign, and he asked in surprise: "How do you mean?" "Why, make his nose bleed. After Thomas hit Bart on the nose, he lost his nerve." Though the plan appealed to the First, he did not wish to say so, lest Fred become overconfident, and he replied: "But it's getting in the good blow that will be the difficulty." "That's the truth," asserted a third voice. And turning, Fred and Sandow were surprised to see Buttons close beside them.