“Miss May said the girls could have the back lot whenever they wanted it,” said Helen.  “And if you don’t let us play with you, Oliver Dunlap, there won’t be any snowball fight; you haven’t any other place to play.”

This was true.  Oliver knew it, and Helen knew it.  Boys who live in a city can not have a snowball fight in the street, lest they hit people who may be walking past.  No back yard is a safe place because of the many windows that may be broken.  A vacant lot, like the one behind Miss May’s school, is really the only place for this kind of fun.  Miss May early in the school year had made a rule that this lot should be for the girls in her school whenever they wanted it.  The boys might use it, she said when the girls didn’t care to play on it.

“Boys have more freedom than girls,” kind Miss May had said.  “They can run and climb and tumble about coming to school and going home.  But little girls have to be more careful.  So I think they should have the lot to play in whenever they wish.”

In the spring Miss May had swings and a sand pile and a few “flying rings” put up for the children to amuse themselves with, but these, of course, were taken down during the winter.  When it snowed, the lot was a large white square, and it certainly was an ideal spot for a snowball fight.

“I don’t see why you don’t let the girls play,” said Miss Davis to Oliver.  “You will probably be glad to have them in your army.  Sunny Boy, don’t you think the girls ought to play?”

Sunny Boy looked uncomfortable.  He wanted to be polite, but he had to be truthful, too.

“Well, girls are a lot of trouble, Miss Davis,” he explained earnestly.  “You see, as soon as they start to play their feet get cold.  And then they have to stop.”

Miss Davis said yes, she could see how that would bother a general.

“But then,” she said, “perhaps the girls won’t get cold feet while they are in the snowball fight.  They will be running about and they will be quite cozy and warm all the time, I am sure.”

“Well, let ’em play, if they want to,” said Oliver.  “I shouldn’t think they would want to play when they know nobody wants ’em.”

“Then I’ll be on your side, Oliver,” said.  Helen Graham, who intended to be in that snowball fight whether any one wanted her or not.

It was snowing steadily by this time and all the children in Miss Davis’ rooms were excited about the fight.  Recess was over before they had chosen generals and sides, but Miss Davis, who was such a dear teacher it was no wonder her pupils loved her, said that she would allow them an extra ten minutes to make their plans.

“Then you must work ever so hard to cover the lost time,” she told them, slipping out of the room to speak to Miss May, while the boys and girls began to chatter again.

Sunny Boy was made a general for one side, and Oliver took the other.  Perry Phelps and Jimmie Butterworth were on Sunny Boy’s side and Jessie Smiley and Dorothy Peters.  There were three other boys and two more girls in his army, too.  Helen Graham, of course, was on Oliver’s side, and Carleton Marsh and Leslie Bradin.  Lottie Carr and her sister were on his side, also, and four other boys.  That gave each side ten, you see.