ters. Boys, wearing stiff, uncomfortable collars about their seldom-fettered necks, and with shoes which still retained their original store polish and telltale squeak, tiptoed to their seats, their faces shining from the effects of recent scrubbing. Girls, with stiffly starched skirts hovering over new stockings and tightly buttoned shoes, and with their hair so tightly drawn back by their crescent-shaped combs that to close their eyes seemed almost an impossibility, marched proudly to their desks, each evidently remembering her mother's final assertion that she would be the prettiest girl there. After singing, "Under the Greenwood Tree," as being appropriate to the day they were celebrating, and listening to an elocutionary recitation of " Woodman, Spare that Tree" by a city niece of Red Feather's who was visiting in Enterprise, the pupils were marched from the building to a certain spot in the yard, where preparations had already been made for the planting of the tree. Pinkey and Bunny were sorely disappointed when Red Feather in structed them all to leave their hats on the hooks in the hall, for this meant the loss of at least two minutes, when the exercises should be over, before they could be off. The pupils of the other rooms were congregated here and there in gaily dressed groups, all bent on similar observances of the day. "I've got old Polly all bridled now," whispered Pinkey to Bunny as the procession wended its way through the yard; "and all we'll have to do as soon as it's over is to get our caps, hurry home and change our clothes, and scoot for the country. I'll come by for you, and you must be all ready." When all had reached the appointed spot, Red Feather arranged the boys and girls in a circle around the hole in which the tree was to be planted. The tree lay on the ground on one side, and a brand-new shovel, on the handle of which were a few bows of red ribbon, lay on the other. All were anxious for things to begin, and when Red Feather did not seem to be in as much of a hurry as did her pupils, they grew impatient at the delay. "Now, children," admonished Red Feather, severely, as two or three of the boys began to nudge each other and to give evidences of sup pressed mirth, "this is no time for play. We are here to carry out a noble purpose,-one greatly to be admired by all,—and I wish you to conduct yourselves in a manner befitting the occasion." With that, she detailed Pinkey and Eddie Lewis, whom Pinkey had reason heartily to dislike, to place the tree in position and to support it until enough earth had been thrown in to hold it upright. A sudden movement of the tree, when Red Feather was not looking, caused Eddie to lose his balance and fall into the hole, thus soiling his new shoes and stockings and affording corresponding amusement to the rest of the pupils, among whom Eddie was known as "teacher's pet." When all was ready the pupils stepped forward, one at a time, and tossed in a shovelful of earth, each pausing long enough to repeat the assigned verse or sentiment. When Pinkey's turn came, he failed to experience any thoughts which could be called appropriate to the fulfilment of a noble purpose. He took the shovel, filled it with earth, cleared his throat, and began the recitation of the lines he had committed to memory: "Here thou hast found a resting-place, When he had finished he stepped back into the circle, a load lifted from his mind in the realization that his part was over. More than anything else, Pinkey disliked being required to "speak a piece" of any kind, of any length, and on any subject. Bunny got off easier than did Pinkey. With his short, jerky style of delivery, he declared that "Great oaks from little acorns grow," hastily tossed a small shovelful of earth against the roots of the tree, and retired from the scene of action. One after another, the other pupils stepped up and did their parts, until, when “ Putty" Black came forward and announced, “Just as the twig is bent, the tree 's inclined," the tree was firmly planted, the earth was well packed about its roots, and the pupils only awaited the word which would set them free. himself "as soon as the tree was planted." Already the pupils of one of the other rooms were leaving the yard, shouting noisily in anticipation of the afternoon of freedom before them. Pinkey boiled with rage as he saw one of the liberated boys toss a base-ball bat to another, and watched them place their hands alternately one over the other, contesting for first choice in the prospective game of "scrub." The fact that his dreams for the afternoon had been so ruthlessly shattered made his envy of the pleasure of others seem all the more keen. "Arbor Day is not a holiday," announced Red Feather with emphasis. "It is a day to be observed in a dignified, serious manner. Pinkerton, you may take the lead in marching back to the schoolhouse." "I don't see why we can't-" "Not another word," interrupted Red Feather. "Take your place in front, as I bade you. Your con duct is highly im "THE PUPILS STEPPED FORWARD, ONE AT A TIME, AND TOSSED IN A SHOVELFUL OF EARTH." the school-house!" "'A' class in grammar!" Could it be that they had understood Red Feather aright? Surely no one could utter such heartless words as these and still live to enforce them! Something dreadful must happen to such a monster! "Pinkerton, what are you muttering about?" demanded Red Feather, severely, as audible expressions of wrath escaped from Pinkey's lips. "I thought we were going to have a halfholiday as soon as the old-" Pinkey checked proper, and you shall be punished for it." Pinkey reluctantly placed himself at the head of the column, and at the word of command shuffled sullenly along the walk leading to the schoolhouse. "Pick up your feet, Pinkerton, and walk properly," shouted Red Feather, as she noticed. these unmistakable signs of Pinkey's disapproval. Although Pinkey knew that he would suffer for his open display of resentment, yet his feelings were so rebellious, when he thought of the afternoon's outing of which he and Bunny had Red Feather's had been excused, and he could ered Bunny. "I got enough Arbor Day tonot see why hers was not. All the afternoon, and on the way home, Pinkey kept revolving in his mind different schemes by which he might show Red Feather that her pupils felt that she had done them a great injustice. "What're you goin' to do, Pinkey?" inquired Bunny, as the pair wandered disconsolately homeward after school, discussing their blighted afternoon. "I dunno, exactly," observed Pinkey; but the more they talked about it, the more abused they both felt and the firmer became their resolve to do something about it. They separated, however, before anything definite was decided upon, and it was not until after supper that evening that a plan occurred to Pinkey which suited him. Once his mind was made up, he lost no time in getting operations under way. Leaving the house by the front door, he stole silently around to the woodshed, quietly procured the wheelbarrow and the shovel, and departed by way of the back gate for Bunny's house. Five minutes later Bunny's alert ears caught the sound of Pinkey's low, signal whistle and he knew at once that his presence was desired and that there was something up which needed his assistance. He obeyed the summons as soon as he reasonably could, for any suggestion that there was any connection between the whistle, in case anyone else had heard it, and his departure might bring forth questions which⚫ he could not answer. When he came out he could not locate Pinkey anywhere, then after another whistle from Pinkey, Bunny was able to distinguish a form which he recognized as that of his chum, and on coming closer he was surprised to see also the wheelbarrow and shovel which Pinkey had brought along with him. "What's up, Pinkey?" inquired Bunny, in surprise. "What are you goin' to do with the wheelbarrow this time o' night?" "Goin' to celebrate Arbor Day again," answered Pinkey, without going into details; 66 come on." day to last me for a while, didn't you?" "Yes, but it did n't suit me. I'm goin' to dig up that tree we planted to-day and take it down to Red Feather's yard and plant it again. She took our holiday away from us so let's give her the old tree too." "Whew, Pinkey, that 's what!" exclaimed Bunny, enthusiastically, "won't she be mad when she has to pay to have it brought back?" "We'll just show her that if we can't have what 's ours, we do n't want her buying trees for us, and puttin' ribbons on the shovel we plant 'em with." "Yes, an' makin' us dress up and say a lot o' speeches too." That was the part of the program which had appealed to Bunny less than all the rest. In high glee, though with as little noise as possible, the pair started for the schoolhouse yard. They took a roundabout way in order to avoid possible detection and approached the enclosure carefully. They found it impossible to take the wheelbarrow through the turnstile and left it outside the fence, at a point as near as possible to the tree. There being only a little-used path on that side of the yard, they were in no danger of being seen. Silently and hurriedly they worked, first one and then the other, throwing out the earth which was still quite loose, and soon they had reached the roots of the tree. It was now but a small task to lift it from the hole and carry it to the fence. "Pass 'er over, Bunny," said Pinkey, after he had climbed the fence. "We got to hurry now or it'll be late before we get through." With the tree safely loaded on the wheelbarrow, the boys set out for Red Feather's house, several blocks distant. They took the middle of the road for it, that being considered by Pinkey as safer than the sidewalk. At length they reached the street parallel to that on which Red Feather's house faced. Here they lifted the tree and the shovel from the wheelbarrow and dropped them over the fence into the vacant lot which adjoined Red Feather's back yard. After hiding the wheelbarrow by turning it upside down in the ditch at "Goin' to what?" questioned the bewild- the side ofthe road, they climbed the fence, picked VOL. XXXIII.—75. up their tree and shovel again and cautiously approached the house. To their delight, the front part of the house was dark and with proper care they could complete their task without detection. Selecting a conspicuous spot in the front yard, not far from the gate, Pinkey set to work digging a hole in which to plant the tree. He was relieved by Bunny when he grew tired and, after a few changes, they had the hole ready to receive the tree. "Never mind sayin' your speech, Bunny," said Pinkey gleefully, when they had set the tree in position, "just you shovel the dirt in as fast as you can while I tramp it down," at the same time holding on to the tree and dancing around it, packing down the loose earth as Bunny threw it in. "I ought to have a few ribbons on this shovel," observed Bunny, straightening up to rest his back a moment, "I always like to have ribbons on a shovel when I plant trees.” "This is no holiday," repeated Pinkey, after the manner of Red Feather. "This is a serious occasion. Get to work." Thus joking and in high spirits over their escapade, Pinkey and Bunny completed their task, packed the sod neatly around the trunk of the tree, and stood for a few minutes gazing on their handiwork with unconcealed admiration. "Looks pretty fine, does n't it," said Bunny, "it seems perfectly at home." "I wonder if this 'resting-place' will last as long as the other one did, said Pinkey, remembering his verse, “That corridor of time' at the schoolhouse yard was a pretty short one, seems to me." At this bright remark they both enjoyed a good laugh. With one last look at their clever piece of work, and a few contented chuckles, Pinkey and Bunny departed by the route they had come. They loaded the shovel in the wheelbarrow once more and started home well pleased at the outcome of their venture, and feeling that they had well repaid Red Feather for her heartlessness of the afternoon. "And won't the rest o' the fellers wish they'd had a hand in it?" said Pinkey, as they separated, "Tell you what, Bunny, it takes us to keep even with Red Feather!" Pinkey replaced the wheelbarrow and the shovel in the woodshed and entered the house with an air of unconcern that aroused no suspicion that he had been doing anything unusual. It was quite the custom for the boys of Enterprise to congregate in the evening and join in spirited games of "Tally-ho," so his absence caused no comment and brought forth no embarrasing questions. Next morning, Pinkey and Bunny met on the courthouse corner and proceeded schoolward together. They were still in high spirits over their night's work, and as they walked along they confidentially told several of their companions who joined them, what they had done. As they entered the schoolhouse yard, the open hole, around which several pupils were already gathered, offered conclusive proof of the truth of their assertions, had proof been necessary. "Here's Pinkey Perkins!" shouted one. "He knows who did it, don't you, Pinkey?" "What makes you think so?" replied Pinkey, visibly flattered. "If I did know I would n't tell." There was a knowing look on his face, however, which admitted beyond question that he was the person responsible for the disappearance of the tree. "Where'd you take it, Pinkey," demanded Joe Cooper. "Who said I took it anywhere?" retorted Pinkey. "I believe I saw it in Red Feather's yard as I came by," spoke up one in whom Pinkey had confided, "maybe she took it home for safe keepin'." Just then some one noticed Red Feather coming in the gate and the crowd dispersed to see what she would do. Her way led directly past the spot where the day before they had planted the ill-fated tree with so much ceremony. To the disgust of all, she did not even look toward the place. With her eyes straight to the front, she pursued her unerring way to the schoolhouse and disappeared within. A few minutes later, the last bell pealed forth its summons, the boys put away their marbles and balls and bats, and the girls folded up their skipping ropes, and all filed in and went obediently to their seats. As he sat down, |