Half a dozen boys

by Anna Chapin Ray

"I'll tell you what," suggested Bert. "I'm sick of the sleds. There's a pile of boards in the barn. Let's each take one, and go down on that."

There was a race to the barn, a quick pulling over of the pile, and the boys were back at the top of the chute again, each one armed with his bit of board. Rob went down first, and succeeded in managing his improvised sled so that he had the full benefit of the slide; but Sam, who followed him, was so heavy and came with such force that, at the foot of the incline, the boy and his board parted company. The latter stuck fast in the soft snow and mud, and the boy went tumbling and rolling away, amidst the shouts of his friends. The fun waxed fast and furious. Mishaps were many, and Sam was particularly luckless. Sometimes his board would escape from his clutches, and go merrily bobbing down the slope away from him, or else it would run off from the side, and land him in the snow beneath, or, again, some other boy on his sled would come whizzing up behind him, and, knocking his feet out from under him, would carry him along on top of the pile, struggling and laughing.

"It's curious," he remarked at length, "there don't seem to be no reason why my board should act so queer. If there's goin' to be anything left of me, I reckon I'd better quit."

"I say, Bert," suggested Ted, "let's all go down in a crowd. There's a short ladder over there that would be just dandy. Would your father be willing we should try it just once?"

"I guess so," replied Bert. "I don't suppose we'd hurt it any, and it would just about hold us five. That's as much fun as ice-boating."

"I don't know," said Sam, discreetly holding back. "I am afraid that won't work. I don't want to get my neck broke."

"Sam's getting scared," said Ted, as he and Phil clambered up with the ladder.

"No, I ain't!" said Sam warmly, "but I hain't got an inch of skin now that isn't black and blue."

"This will have to be our last grand slide," said Bert, as they took their places. "The snow is going fast."

The five lads settled themselves on their unique toboggan, and at the word Ted gave the starting push. Away they went, rushing down the slope with such force that the forward end of the ladder plunged into the mud at the foot, and the rear flew up and described a half-circle in the air, scattering its riders in all directions. Two shouts broke on the air, one of woe as they took their flight, the other and longer one of mirth, as each surveyed his fallen companions. Phil was particularly funny, for a train of crackers scattered from his pockets marked the course of his flight.