To have it said that a lot of girls were victorious over the Black Bears or Grey Foxes was not to be thought of, so the General spurred his fighters back again to try and win the lost trench, but Fred was a fine general, too, and he was quick to take advantage of the other's mistake in leaving the protection of the fort.
In less than half an hour's time after Fiji rallied his men, the fort was demolished, most of Fiji's men were prisoners, and the girls were triumphant! The captives then had to submit to having their faces well washed in the soft cold snow.
That was a glorious day and one to be remembered, for not only were merry faces as red as Baldwin apples and hands swollen and purple from handling much snow, but the Remington larder suffered from such secret raids that the cook finally stumped up to the library to "give notice."
Mose intercepted her, however, and tried to pacify her with the news that the visitors would soon go home, and "anyway, Thanksgivin' onny comes once a year, Maria!"
"Agh! G'wan! Don't Oi know this fam'ly? It's foriver havin' comp'ny an' eatin' me out av iverything Oi cook! It's cook, _cook_, _COOK_ aul the toime an' niver a crumb to eat!" declared Maria.
"But just think, Maria, how soon this thing will have to stop. The high cost of livin' and the laws made by the President won't let us eat much anny more, an' you'll have an easy time, then," said Mose, trying to placate the angry cook.
"An' it's good wages an' plenty of my friends to visit me to tay," said Maria, thoughtfully, so Mose knew he had won a different kind of battle than the one fought on the Flats with snow.
After a red-hot luncheon that partly thawed out the half-frozen warriors, Mrs. Remington asked if they would like to take a sleigh-ride in a great farmer's sleigh that afternoon. The man called twice a week to deliver eggs, butter, and chickens from his farm some miles in the country, and would be glad to have the extra fee offered for driving a party of young folks on a joy-ride.
That evening was spent in quiet ways, as everyone felt weary and ready for bed the moment it could reasonably be suggested.
The rest of the visit was devoted to indoor pastimes, as a thaw set in and made the ground too wet and muddy for any games or fun on the lawn.