plan of action. It was decided that the largest and heaviest of the
second and third-year students were to tackle the smallest freshmen
first, while the others were to hold the rest of the first-year men at
bay.

"We'll get fifteen or twenty neckties first clip that way," said one
of the sophomores, "and it doesn't matter who we get them from. A
little chap's tie counts as much as that of a two-hundred pounder."

In the meantime the freshmen were busy following Tom's advice and
sewing their ties fast to their collars, shirts, and even their
undershirts. Then Dick, who had, unconsciously almost, become a
leader, called the boys into an empty recitation-room.

"Now, I've got a plan," said he. "We want to bunch up, and all the
little fellows and lightweights get in the center. The heavy fellows
can take the outside and fight the others off. Understand?"

"Yes!"

"That's a good idea!"

"Forward to the fray!" yelled Stanley, "and woe be to him who tries to
get my tie! His blood be on his own head!" he added tragically.

"Forward!" cried Sam, "and let our watchword be, 'Die, but no tie!'"

"Now don't get excited," said Dick. "Take it coolly, and I'm certain
that when the time is up we'll have the most of our ties still on."