Tug was the first to wake, and his heart almost stopped with horror of the time the old bell had chosen for making itself heard.  Tug was a brave boy, and he had a high sense of responsibility; but he had also a high sense of the comfort of a good warm bed on a bitter cold night, and he lay there, his heart torn up like a battle-field, where the two angels of duty and evil fought bitterly.  And he was perfectly willing to give them plenty of time to fight it out to a finish.

* * * * *

In another room of the dormitory there was another struggle going on, though it would be rather flattering to say that they were angels who were struggling.  The Twins had wakened at the same moment, and each had pretended to be asleep at first.  Then each had remembered that misery loves company, and each had jabbed the other in the ribs, at the same time.

“What bell is that?” Reddy had asked Heady, and Heady had asked Reddy, at the same instant.

“It’s that all-fired fire-bell!” both exclaimed, each answering the other’s question and his own.

“Jee-minetly! but this is a pretty time for that old thing to break out!” wailed Reddy.

“It ought to be ashamed of itself,” moaned Heady.

“It’s too bad,” said Reddy; “but a fireman mustn’t mind the wind or the weather.”

“That’s so,” sighed Heady, “but I’m sorry for you.”

“What!” cried Reddy, “you’re sorry for me!  What’s the matter with yourself?”

“Why, I couldn’t possibly think of going out such a night as this,” explained Heady; “you know I haven’t been at all well for the last few days.”

“Oh, haven’t you!” complained Reddy.  “Well, you’re twice as well as I am, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself to shirk your duty this way.”

“Duty!  Humph!  There’s nothing the matter with you!  It would be criminal for me, though, to go out a night like this, feeling as I do.  Mother would never forgive me.  But you had better hurry, or you’ll be late,” urged Heady.

“Hurry nothing!” said Reddy.  “I’m surprised, though, to see you trying to pretend that you’re sick, and trying to send me out on a terrible night like this when you know I’m really sick.”

Then the quarrel waxed fiercer and fiercer, until they quit using words and began to apply hands and feet.  It was not many minutes before each had kicked the other out of bed, and each had carried half of the bedclothing with him.

Neither of them remained any longer than was necessary on the cold floor, but each grabbed up his half of the bedding, and rolled himself up in it, and lay down with great dignity as far away from the other as he could get, even though he hung far over the edge.

But the covers had been none too warm all together, and now, divided into half, the Twins were soon shivering in misery.  They stood it as long as they could, and then, as if by a silent agreement, they decided to declare a peace, and each remarked: