“They’ll have to say lessons right up to recess time, before they can even roll a snowball,” Mr. Wright comforted the twins, driving the sleigh up to the curb before the school-house yard.  “You and I are going to have a nice little ride while they’re pegging away at their books.  How’s that?”

Dot and Twaddles were cheered by this thought, and they were able to see Meg and Bobby and the lunch-boxes go up the school walk without another protest.

“You go and ask her now,” suggested Meg, as she and Bobby went into the hall.  “Go on, Bobby.  Ask her if we can have a fight right after school.”

Bobby stood a little in awe of Miss Wright, the vice-principal, but the vision of snow forts, and perhaps himself as one of the captains, decided him.

“All right, I will,” he said recklessly.  “You wait for me, Meg.  It’s only quarter of.”

Bobby hurried down the hall to the door marked “Office” and opened it.  Miss Wright was nowhere in sight.  There was no one in the office, and the clock ticked very loudly indeed.

“I’ll wait a little,” thought Bobby.  “She has to come back to ring the assembly bells.”

He studied the complicated system of bells that sounded the signals in each classroom for a minute, and suddenly the telephone rang shrilly.  It startled him, and he jumped.  He looked about uneasily.  The bell kept ringing.

“I s’pose I’d better answer it,” he said aloud, doubtfully.

“Hello!” he called, taking down the receiver.

“Hello,” answered a strange voice.  “Take this message, please.  Miss Wright has a severe cold and will not be in to-day.  Have Miss Garrett take charge of the assembly.  That’s all, thank you.  Good-by.”

Bobby blinked.  Whoever had telephoned had spoken so quickly that he had had no chance to say a word.

CHAPTER VI

THE ORANGE AND THE BLACK

Bobby put the receiver back, and at that moment the door opened and Mr. Carter walked into the office.

Mr. Carter was the principal of the primary and grammar schools, but usually spent most of his time at the grammar school.  Bobby had been afraid of him once, but that was before he had learned to know him.

“Good morning, Bobby,” said Mr. Carter pleasantly.  “Has Miss Wright come in yet?”

“No, Mr. Carter.  Some one telephoned,” answered Bobby slowly, anxious to get the message delivered correctly.  “She said Miss Wright had a solemn cold and wouldn’t be in this morning.”

“What kind of cold did you say?” asked Mr. Carter curiously.  “Solemn?  What kind of complaint is that?”

Bobby looked perplexed.  He thought for a moment.

“Oh!” He had remembered.  “It wasn’t a solemn cold; it was a severe cold.”

“That sounds more like it,” said the principal smiling.  “Was that all, Bobby?”