"You
mustn't play with lighted candles."

Teddy told about the new plan, and his mother said:

"Well, you must be careful. I believe the candles, rubbed on your sled
runners, will make them slippery enough to coast down the wooden hill.
But be careful. And don't make any noise, for I've just gotten William
to sleep."

"Don't let Trouble come out when we're on the toboggan," begged Ted. "He
might get hurt." Trouble was the pet name for William Anthony Martin,
the youngest member of the Martin family. And he was called "Trouble"
because he was in it so often--sometimes through his own fault, and
often because of Ted and Janet.

"Yes, I'll keep Trouble in," said Mrs. Martin, with a smile. "And here
are your candle ends," she added, giving Ted a handful. "Be careful."

Ted promised and ran out into the yard to meet his playmates. Tom had
also found some candle ends, and the boys and girls were soon busy
rubbing the paraffine on their sled runners. For the candles mostly sold
nowadays are made of paraffine, instead of beeswax or tallow, as
old-fashioned candles were made. Paraffine is made from crude oil, as is
kerosene and gasolene.

"Now we'll have some nifty fun!" cried Tom, as, having rubbed as much of
the candle on his sled runners as the steel would hold, he turned his
coaster over right side up.

"We'll have races!" cried Ted.

"But we have to take turns going down," said Janet. "The toboggan slide
isn't wide enough for two to go on at a time."

"We can have sorter--now--sorter races to see who can go the farthest,"
remarked Ted, stumbling over his words in his excitement.

"That'll be fun," agreed Lola. She and Janet were also greasing their
sled runners, all the little quarrels forgotten in the jolly good times
they were hoping to have.

"All ready now!" cried Tom, picking up his sled. "Who's going to have
the first coast?"

"I think Janet or Ted ought to have it, for they started the toboggan
and it's in their yard," said Lola.

"That's right!" agreed her brother.

"No, company ought to have the first ride!" decided Janet, who made up
her mind she would be as polite as her playmate.

"Jinks!" cried Tom, with a laugh. "Nobody'll ride if we keep on talking
like this! Come on, Ted!" he added. "Let's you and me go down together!"

"Oh, don't!" begged Janet. "'Tisn't wide enough, and you might get
hurt."

"Oh, we'll not!" insisted Tom. "And it'll be more fun that way. I guess
it's wide enough, Te