Page:Dave Porter and his Rivals.djvu/289

Rh the instructor; and the letter was sent by special messenger within the hour.

That evening the boys celebrated their victory by lighting a number of bonfires along the river. They were allowed to be out an hour later than usual, and skated and had a good time generally. Nat Poole and his cronies were not in evidence, but nobody missed them.

"I hope we don't get snow," remarked Dave, on retiring. "A heavy fall would knock out the game with Rockville."

"Oh, they could clear the ice," answered Phil. "But I'd like to see it stay clear."

But this was not to be. All day Sunday the sky was overcast, and by Monday morning it was snowing furiously, blotting out the landscape on all sides.

"Here is where we stay indoors and do some studying," remarked Roger, making a wry face.

"Good chance to catch up," was Ben's comment. "I've got to bone at some Latin anyway."

"And I have a theme to finish," added Dave. "Let us do all the studying we can," he went on. "Then, if it clears off, we'll have so much more time outdoors."

This proposal was accepted by the lads of Nos. 11 and 12, and soon nearly all of them were at work over their lessons. The exception was Luke