Edward Stratemeyer

The Rover Boys at Big Horn Ranch Edward Stratemeyer

Publisher Marketing: "Line up, fellows! No crowding ahead in this contest." "Here, Jack, give me some elbow room if you want me to do any real snowball throwing!" cried Fred Rover. "All the elbow room you want," returned his cousin gayly. "Remember the prize!" shouted Andy Rover to the cadets who were stringing themselves out in a ragged line. "The first fellow to throw a snowball over the top of the barn gets a sock doughnut." "For gracious sake! what do you call a sock doughnut?" demanded Phil Franklin, another cadet, as he paused in the act of rounding up a snowball he was making. "A sock doughnut is one with a big hole in it," answered Andy, with a grin. "Then my socks must be all of the doughnut variety," put in one of the cadets dolefully. "They are always full of holes." "Never mind the socks now!" cried Randy Rover. "Let's see who can put the first snowball over the barn." It was late in the afternoon of a day in January and a number of the cadets of Colby Hall had been amusing themselves in the snow which covered the ground to a depth of nearly a foot. They had started in to snowballing each other, but had then grown more serious and had built several snow forts and likewise two or three snowmen which later they had taken great sport in knocking apart. Then some one had suggested that they try their skill at seeing who could throw, the highest and farthest, and this had led to the present contest. Contributor Bio:  Stratemeyer, Edward Edward Stratemeyer (1862-1930) is known primarily for his novels for the young. Creator of such classic series as The Bobbsey Twins, The Hardy Boys, and the Nancy Drew series, he also wrote many historical novels. Most, including FOR THE LIBERTY OF TEXAS, relate to the great conflicts of the nineteenth century.