TOM YATES AND THE COASTERS 173 



"Boys, I'm going anyhow. In the first 

 place, it's downright, mean in us, when the 

 ladies try so hard to make our meetings pleas- 

 ant, and when they give their time every week, 

 that we shouldn't be willing to give up our 

 fun just one afternoon when we have all the 

 rest of the week after school and all day Sat- 

 urday to coast or do anything we want to. 

 I am not ashamed to say that I have signed 

 the pledge, and I like to go to the meetings 

 to hear why strong drink is bad for our bodies, 

 so that I can tell folks about it and get them 

 to stop drinking, or get them never to be- 

 gin." 



''Oh, poor little Tommy !" said one of the 

 boys, sneeringly. "Poor little Tommy, he never 

 can smoke a cigaret nor drink a drop of 

 cider. Poor little Tommy !" 



Tom's face flushed with something that was 

 not Jack Frost's touch, and for a moment he 

 wanted to throw his friend down in the snow 

 and give his face a good rubbing, but the 

 better spirit soon triumphed and he replied : 



"No, I never smoked a cigaret, and I 

 never want to, either. I went to a cigar fac- 

 tory once with my mother and that was enough 



