trying to add up in his head the exact amount he had earned that day, a snowball came whizzing across the street and took him in the ear with such force that he staggered and almost fell. While he was trying to recover, another snowball followed and landed upon his chin, causing him to slip and fall flat upon his back.
Franklin lost no time in scrambling to his feet. His ear and chin pained not a little, for the snowballs had been "soakers," almost as hard as stone. But to this he paid no attention, his one thought being to discover who his assailant was.
He noted the direction from which the snowballs had come and then made off on a run. Opposite was a high board fence, enclosing a factory yard, and springing over this he was just in time to catch sight of two boys hurrying to an exit in the rear. The two boys were Bob Jackson and Mike Nolan.
"So it was you two who threw those snowballs, eh?" cried Franklin, in not an over-pleasant tone.
"Yes, it was," retorted Jackson, as he came to a sudden halt. "And what are you going to make out of it?" he added, with a swagger.
"It wasn't a very smart thing to do, to use soakers on a fellow when I wasn't looking," went on Franklin.
"Say, are you looking for trouble with us?" de-
