Several weeks had passed since Poppy-Seed Bagel's scary encounter with the Herring Boys. Egg Bagel, Water Bagel and Plain Bagel had agreed to try to have a meeting with the Herring Boys, but kept putting it off. They were not looking forward to it, but they had promised the other Bagel Boys that they would try.

After the Herring Boys' warning to Poppy-Seed Bagel, to stay away from their neighborhood, the Bagel Boys had stopped playing their favorite game of rolling down the hill, for fear they might run right into some of the Herring Boys.

Finally, the three Bagel Boys decided they had better do something, or the others would really get angry. But they had no idea about how to arrange a meeting with the Herring Boys.

"I suppose we could roll down the hill to the next block and wait till they see us," said Water Bagel.

"Yeah, but I don't think we could get all the way back home; especially if the meeting turns out to be a fight. We are stronger than Poppy-Seed, but I doubt if we could flip our way on our sides, all the way back up the hill to our house," said Egg Bagel. "Even if we could, it would take a very long time," he said.

"I guess you are right, since we can't roll up-hill," said Water.

"Maybe we could send Air Bagel down to the Herring Boys' block," said Plain.

"He can fly for short distances and could probably get back up the hill by himself."

Water Bagel shook his head. "Nah! Remember, we told him he could not fly for the next few weeks because of the way he was bothering Cyber who was trying to do some computer work. And, anyway, we three are the ones who said we would try to have a meeting with the Herring Boys. We can't give this unpleasant task to Air or any of the others."

"I have it!" exclaimed Plain Bagel." To heck with a meeting. We could challenge them to a game of football at the bottom of the hill near the school, the next time it rains; three players on each side. If we win, they must agree to leave us alone in our own neighborhood."

"Suppose we lose?" asked Water. "Well, then we would be no worse off then we are now," said Plain Bagel.

"That sounds like a good idea," said an excited Egg Bagel. "We will write out a message to them, and ask Barton Baguette to drop it off at their house when he delivers his magazines."

And that is what happened. The other Bagel Boys quickly agreed to the plan. The very next day, Barton stopped by the Herring Boys' house while delivering his magazines. He knocked at the door, and was greeted by Sliced and Fats.

The Herring Boys agreed to the football game and asked Barton to tell the Bagel Boys to meet them at the bottom of the school hill the next time it rained. And so, everyone was looking forward to the big game.

But now, night has fallen on the little house near the top of the hill, and the time has come for you and the Bagel Boys to go to sleep.