Guns and Snowshoes | Page 5

her to utter a
cry of pain. She tried to save herself from falling, but could not, and
went down in a heap.
"For shame!" ejaculated Shep and ran to help the old woman to arise.
In the meantime Snap, with flashing eyes, hurried across the street and
confronted Carl Dudder. As my old readers know, Carl Dudder was a
close crony to Ham Spink and had done his full share in making our
young friends uncomfortable during the summer outing.
"Dudder, aren't you ashamed of yourself?" said Snap.
"What are you talking about?" demanded Carl Dudder, although he
trembled a little as he spoke.
"You threw those snowballs at Mammy Shrader."
"I didn't."

"You did--I saw you."
"That's correct--I saw him too," put in Giant, who had followed Snap.
In the meantime Whopper had followed Shep, and both were doing
what they could for the old woman.
"See here, Snap Dodge, I don't want you to talk to me," blustered Carl
Dudder. "I know my own business."
"You ought to be knocked down for throwing at Mammy Shrader."
"You can't knock me down!" growled Carl, doubling up his fists.
"A fight! a fight!" cried several boys, always ready for an affair of that
sort.
There was an awkward pause. Snap did not wish to fight, and yet he
wanted Dudder to understand that he was not afraid.
"I think I owe you something from last summer," said Dudder, coming
closer and sticking his chin in Snap's face. "I haven't forgotten that."
"Yes, but you seem to have forgotten that we about kept you from
starving to death," answered Snap calmly.
"And that's no joke," came softly from Giant.
"You keep your oar out, little one," grunted Dudder, turning to glare at
Will.
"You and your crowd acted very meanly last summer and you know it,
Dudder," said Giant, not in the least abashed. "Your treatment of
Mammy Shrader is on a par with your other actions."
"Shut up!" roared the other boy, and made a quick pass at Giant's head.
But the small boy dodged and the fist struck Snap on the shoulder.
The next instant Snap hauled off, struck out, and Carl Dudder measured
his length in the snow.

CHAPTER III
THE RESULTS OF SNOWBALLING
Carl Rudder had not expected this telling blow and he was so dazed it
was several seconds before he turned over in the snow and arose to his
feet.
"Good for you, Snap!" cried Will. "That's the way to serve him."
"Wha--what do you mean by hitting me like that?" demanded Dudder,
glaring at Charley, but still keeping a safe distance.
"What do you mean by hitting me?" demanded Snap.
"I'll punch your head good for you!
"Try it--if you dare," answered Snap, defiantly, and he took an
aggressive step forward, at which Dudder retreated.
"I'll fight you another time--when you haven't so many friends around,"
said Carl Dudder lamely, and then turning on his heel he started away,
followed by one of his cronies.
"If old Mammy Shrader is hurt, you'll be to blame," called Snap after
him.
"He's a coward," was Giant's comment. "I wish I had got a whack at
him. He is much larger than I am, but I am not afraid of him."
While this scene was transpiring Shep and Whopper had helped old
Mammy Shrader to a seat on the porch of a house not far from where
she had gone down. The old woman complained of a pain in her side
and it was next to impossible for her to take another step.
"I'll have to go home," she panted. "But how am I to get there?"
"Here comes Mr. Sell in his grocery wagon," cried Whopper. "Perhaps
he'll give you a ride."

"Maybe he will--I buy my things from him," answered the old woman.
The grocer was stopped and the situation explained, and he readily
volunteered to take Mammy Shrader to her home, located at no great
distance. He and the boys helped her into the wagon.
"The boy who struck her ought to be horsewhipped," said the grocer.
"Fun is one thing, but hitting an old woman is quite another."
"Just what I say," answered Shep.
"Well, I knocked him down anyway," said Snap, coming up, and Giant
told the details of the brief encounter.
Snap volunteered to go with the grocer, and between them they soon
had Mammy Shrader at her home and lying on a couch. Shep hurried
home and told his father the particulars of what had occurred.
"I will drive over and see her," said the doctor, and as his horse was
hitched up he went immediately.
"She is suffering from a sprain and from the jar," said the physician,
after an examination. "She must take it easy for a week or so."