Page:Ned Wilding's Disappearance.djvu/64

54 "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?"