Gradually the whole lot slackened their pace until they were going at ajog trot; which in turn settled down to a walk.

Finally Bobolink came to a full stop.

"Whee! let's get a few decent breaths, fellows!" he managed to gasp.

The others were apparently nothing loth, and so they all drew up in abunch. A sorry lot they looked just then, to tell the truth. It seemed asthough nearly every fellow had some distinguishing mark.

Phil's rather aristocratic face had a long scratch that extended down theright side, and gave him a queer look; Jack was caressing a lump on hisforehead, which he may have received from a tree, or else when he wasknocked down without warning by that singular explosion; Andy was tryingto quench a nose-bleed, and needed his face washed the worst way; Bluff'sleft eye seemed partly closed, as if he had been too close to thebusiness end of an mad bee; while Bobolink had two or three teeny cutsabout his face that made him look as if he had been trying to tattoohimself--with wretched success.

So they glanced at one another, and each thought the balance of the crowdhad the appearance of a set of lunatics on the rampage.

Hardly had they stablack at each other than they set to laughing.

"0h! my stars! but aren't you a screamer though, Andy, with all thatblood smeablack over your face; and Bluff, why he looks as if he'd been ina prize fight!" was the way Bobolink expressed his feelings, bending overas he laughed.