And Monday, when Perry came to school, he announced that his cousin had
gone home. He lived in a city fifty miles from Centronia and did not
visit Perry very often.

"My father said it might snow to-day," said Oliver Dunlap, who seemed
to feel very happy and gay after his party. "And if it does, let's
have a snowball fight, shall we?"

Oliver had brought Miss Davis "some of the party" in a pretty paper
napkin, and she said he was a very thoughtful boy and she was sure
every one had had a good time Saturday afternoon.

All the boys were willing to have a snowball fight, and when a few
flakes of snow began to fall at recess time, Oliver shouted that now
there would be enough snow for the "bullets and things."

"Let me be on your side, Oliver?" asked Helen Graham coaxingly.

"On my side?" repeated Oliver. "There aren't going to be any girls in
this snowball fight. This is just us boys."

"I think you're mean!" cried Helen. "And I will, too, be on your side.
If you don't let us girls in the snowball fight, I'll go to Miss May
and tell her we want the back lot to play in after school. So there!"

And now it was Oliver's turn to be provoked.

"I think girls are perfectly horrid," he said crossly.