Halloween at Merryvale | Page 6

they'll play on you."
"That's a good one for you to remember, Toad," laughed the others.
Linn now read:
"Your mouth may be large, as I've oft heard you say, But your words
show a brain that is working; You'll go to the top of the ladder because,
You do what you do without shirking."
"The old witch must have liked you, Linn," commented Reddy. "That's
the best yet."
CHAPTER VI
BLOWING OUT THE CANDLES
"Let's try to blow out the candles next," suggested Toad, to which the
others agreed.
"Bet I win this," boasted Fat, "I've got a lot of wind."
"Reddy ought to win," laughed Chuck, "he's always blowing about
what he can do."
A tray with ten candles was now placed upon the table by Toad and the
boys got in line while Father Brown lighted the candles. Then, with
paper and pencil he stood near at hand to keep the score.
"Only one puff each, remember, so make it a big one," he laughed.
Fat and Herbie, from their places in the line, began at once puffing and
blowing.
"Hey, what are you trying to do," called Linn Smith, "start a cyclone?"

"No, we're only practising," was the laughing reply.
"I'll puff, and I'll puff 'till I blow your house in," sang Herbie, adding,
"here's where I win."
Hopie Smith, first in line, filled out his chest with all the air it would
hold, and stepped forward.
Puff!
"How many?" shouted the others.
"Five," counted Father Brown, "that's a good beginning."
Reddy then gave Fat a poke with his elbow.
"Move up," he urged.
Toad came next and turned around three times for luck and then took a
long breath. Puff!
"One, two, three, four," called Father.
"What," cried Toad in surprise, "only four--why, I was sure they would
all go out."
Linn came next. Standing upon his toes and holding his hands together
high above his head he turned slowly around, then, leaning down he
gave a great blow.
"Six," counted Father Brown, "that's the best yet."
"Watch me," cried Chuck, who stood next, and placing his hands upon
his hips he started dancing about before the table.
"Ha, look at the funny dancer," shouted Hopie.
Chuck gave a puff and blew out six candles which tied Linn's score.

Fat, who was now next in line, leaned far over. Placing his hands on the
floor he lifted his right foot and shook it three times, then standing up
he puffed out his cheeks for a mighty blow.
"Look out, you'll bust," warned Herbie.
Puff!
"By jiminy, he did it," cried Toad, "good boy, Fat," as every candle
went out.
"Reddy may tie him," suggested Father. "Let's see."
Reddy turned three somersaults for luck and standing before the
candles blew with all his strength, and seven went out.
"Fat gets the prize and it's just what he likes most," cried Toad.
"Oh, but I'm glad I came," sighed Fat, as he opened the big box of
candy that Toad had handed him.
"Now all be good children," he added, "and I'll give you each a piece."
CHAPTER VII
THE SEARCH FOR THE SILVER COIN
"Shall we try to find the dime in the flour now?" asked Toad of Father
Brown, after the boys had all tried some of Fat's candy and found it
very much to their liking.
"Fine," agreed Father, "and I'll go to get the pan." When he returned a
few moments later he carried a large tin dish-pan in his hands with an
inch of flour in the bottom of it.
As Toad thought the floor the best place for this trick, the pan was
placed there.
"How do you do it?" asked Reddy, standing with his back to the fire.

"It's very easy," answered Chuck with a grin. "There's a ten cent piece
on the bottom of that pan and you've got to pick it up with your lips
without using your hands to help."
"I'd have left my hands at home tonight, if I'd known they were to be of
so little use," laughed Herbie.
"Oh, you'll need them later on," replied Chuck, "see if you don't."
"Three at a time," called out Father, "in a three minute try to see who
can find the dime. Hopie, you, Toad and Fat try first."
[Illustration: The boys screamed with laughter as the queer-looking
things bumped about on the table.]
Down went all three boys on their knees before the pan of flour and
down into the flour went the three faces. Such a puffing and blowing
that the flour rose like a white cloud and settled on the heads of the
three who were pushing each other about in their efforts to find the
money.
"They look like a lot of hungry pigs," laughed Reddy.