Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-11-13

ried he must have led Matte d life
of it. The only decent things about
Bill is he's got spunk and he'll stick
to a thing like a dog after a wood
chuck"
"They did get married, thenTe
There was something In the voice
that made Tom look at his friend curl
ously.
"Of course-or, that is, l suppose so.
They were buggy riding when we left,
and you know how Bill stuck to a
thing. But what difference does 1t
make to you, Sam? Your ~wife-you're
married, amt you?
mo"
Tom gave an expressive whistle,
then added simply, "Well, I'm sorry.
old, man, but after she said no you
ought to have braced up and tried to
forget it all"
"She never said no." Sam blurted
out almost involuntarily. at was you,
Tom, that 1 had words with her about.
l was jealous"
"Then you were a fool and deserved
all you got" Tom snapped. 1--WE won
dered how she could drop you for Bill
Bates. I see now. You gave her to
him."
Ned Brooks had looked away, as
though not to hear, but that he had
heard was evidenced by his turning
suddenly with:
"See here, fellows, what's the rea-
son we can't stop over and see the
~town-part of it-for a few hours to-
night?'
"And lose our excursion tickets?'
asked Tom.
"What's tickets to seeing ones town?
Besides, we might be able to fix them
up with the agent. Do you know
what night this isY' significantly.
October the-why, Halloween, of
coursel" exclaimed Tom.
"Yes, Halloween. Remember the
field beyond Matte Vaughan's house,
where pumpkins are always grown,
and how we did up Bill Bates?"
He grinned ~reminiscently, and Tom
broke into a loud guffaw. Even Sam
smiled.
"Bill Bates may have spunk in some
ways" said Ned, ''but he's a coward
all right when 1t gets dark. My, how
he did run that night when he saw
three pumpkins, with their big eyes
blazing all sorts of terrible things,
stealing toward him through the shrub
berry! He was on his way to call ON
Matte that night, you know, and when
she heard Of 1t she wouldn't speak to
him for a MONTH"
at was a mean trick" declared Sam.
"Of course it was" promptly, 'just
like lots Of others we did in those
days. They were like boils and had &c
come out. And | feel a stirring with
In me now that says there is just one
more which must erupt before ] can
settle down to quiet, ~peaceable citizen
ship. My proposal is that we go to
the good old field, which, of course.
has It's annual contribution of pump
kins, cover our heads with the three
biggest we can find and pay a visit
to Bill Bates. If he isn't visible.x ge
will throw a pebble against 4 o5sf
window and draw him out"
maybe he isn't at home" said Tom.
'Our Bill Bates not at home!" deri-
siveIy. "Why, man alive, 1t costs
money to be away from home, and
Bill never did that but once in his life,
and then Matte was the excuse. That
was seven years ago. His home farm
was more profitable than the little one
he bought in the next county, SO he's
there all right"
"And Matte with him." shortly.
am not going to brighten Matte"
with pumpkin heads?' peered Ned
mo, l don't think you will. Why, Mat
tie Vaughan, or Bates, could meet a
whole field Of such pumpkin heads as
we are and not CULVER an eyelashi It's
Bill we're going to ~annihilate. And If
Bills got Matte, as of course he has,
it's dead sure he isn't treating her
right, and a little Halloween visit may
do him good. Wen cross the road, do
the little missionary act IN then toss
our heads over into Bates yard as SOU
venirs and skurry through the woods
to the little station a mile above and
catch the next train. Perhaps we can
convince the conductor that our tickets
are valid on his train and so not lose
them. But, anyway, they're of second
airy consideration"
He leaned forward, peering through
the window.
"Only about four minutNs." he added.
"and it's beginning to grow dark. What
do you sayT
NO" answered Sam decidedly. Its
a fool thing at best"
"Dare, dare and double dare-call
you a coward If you back down." said
Ned solemnly,
Sans mouth twitched a little. II
was an invocation his boyhood had
never refused.
"Oh, come, Ned" he expostulated.
don't be silly"
Gnaro dora ond douHIa doro Nod