Chapter I: Preface

"'An every-day story;' I should think it was!" is the exclamation of that much-dreaded being, the critic, as he hastily turns over these simple pages. But that is just what it is meant to be. Most of our boys live every-day lives, with few exciting adventures or narrow escapes. And although they greedily absorb the highly spiced tales of youthful pirates and ruffians that are only too common in these days, by reading them they realize the more keenly the humdrum nature of their own surroundings, and too often are led to wish for the excitement of the other life. But, after all, it is the simple round of school and games, the frolics and scrapes, which seem so unimportant to their elders, that go to make up the sum of a boy's happiness or misery; and if this be so outside of books, why is it not equally true within their covers?

Every New England town can show a Teddy, a Phil, and a Fred, more or less thinly disguised, while Rob and Fuzz, without any disguise at all, are even now important members of one small community.

With this warning as to the commonplace nature of our boys and of their doings, and this slight explanation of its cause, the writer steps aside, and leaves the Half Dozen Boys to tell their own story.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I. Introduces Some New Friends
II. Fred
III. The Beginning of the Fight
IV. The Other Boys
V. Walks and Talks
VI. Fred's New Home
VII. "And when the fight is fierce"
VIII. King Winter
IX. The I.I.'s
X. Rob and Fred Entertain Callers
XI. The Disadvantages of Science
XII. Their Summer Outing
XIII. The Boys Meet an Old Friend
XIV. Phil's Fight
XV. "Greater love hath no man"
XVI. A Literary Evening
XVII. Rob Assists at an Important Interview
XVIII. "The Victor's Crown of Gold"

HALF A DOZEN BOYS.