e
struck the ice with his stick, but made no attempt to see if it really
did bear--though he would not allow the children to go one step upon it
till he had tried.

"I know it doesn't bear, and you'll just have to go home again--a good
thing too--saves me from losing a day's work."

"Try, only try; Bill said it bore," implored the boys, and looked
wistfully at the two beautiful slides--just as Bill said, one up and one
down--stretching all across the lake; "of course it bears, or Bill could
not have made these slides."

"Bill's an ass!" said the Gardener, and put his heavy foot cautiously on
the ice. Just then there was seen jumping across it a creature which
certainly had never been seen on ice before. It made the most
extraordinary bounds on its long hind legs, with its little fore legs
tucked up in front of it as if it wanted to carry a muff; and its long,
stiff tail sticking out straight behind, to balance it itself with
apparently. The children at first started with surprise, and then burst
out laughing, for it was the funniest creature, and had the funniest way
of getting along, that they had ever seen in their lives.

"It's the kangaroo!" said Gardener, in great excitement. "It has got
loose--and it's sure to be lost--and what a way Mr. Giles will be in! I
must go and tell him. Or stop, I'll try and catch it."

But in vain--it darted once or twice across the ice, dodging him, as it
were; and once coming so close that he nearly caught it by the tail--to
the children's great delight--then it vanished entirely.

"I must go and tell Mr. Giles directly," said Gardener, and then
stopped. For he had promised not to leave the children; and it was such
a wild-goose chase, after an escaped kangaroo. But he might get half a
crown as a reward, and he was sure of another glass of cider.

"You just stop quiet here, and I'll be back in five minutes," said he to
the children. "You may go a little way on the ice--I think it's sound
enough; only mind you don't tumble in, for there'll be nobody to pull
you out."

"Oh no," said the children, clapping their hands. They did not care for
tumbling in, and were quite glad there was nobody there to pull them
out. They hoped Gardener would stop a very long time away--only, as some
one suggested when he was seen hurrying across the snowy field, he had
taken away their lunch in his pocket, too.

Off they darted, the three elder boys, with a good run; the biggest of
the girls follo