on the toboggan with them, or, rather,
they took him half way, for midway on the hill Skyrocket decided he
didn't like that way of traveling, and with a howl he leaped off. It was
too swift for him, I suppose.

But the children had great delight in it, and would have kept on with
the toboggan fun all day if Uncle Toby had let them. He did not want
them to get too tired, however, nor did Aunt Sallie want Trouble to stay
out in the cold too long, though he was a sturdy little chap.

After lunch, when Trouble was having his usual nap, Lola and Jan said
they would like to try steering the toboggan, and Uncle Toby said they
might.

"Well, we fellows won't ride if you girls steer," declared Ted. "You'd
upset us first shot."

"Pooh! You don't need to ride!" laughed Janet. "We can do better without
you."

The girls learned to steer, after a lesson or two from Uncle Toby. Even
timid Mary managed to do quite well, though Janet and Lola, being more
used to outdoor life in the country, did better than Mary. The girls had
their little accidents, too, upsetting more than once, but they did not
mind this.

For several days, while the snow lasted, the Curlytops and their friends
had fun in the snow. The weather was bright and sunny, and not too cold.
One day Janet, going out to the kitchen where Aunt Sallie was busy,
found the table covered with packages and bundles that Uncle Toby had
brought from the village store.

"What's going on?" asked Janet.

"Thanksgiving will soon be going on," answered Aunt Sallie. "I must get
my mincemeat made, and do a lot of planning for the big family I expect
to have at dinner."

"Oh, I didn't know Thanksgiving was so near!" exclaimed Janet. At first
she was joyous, and then a little feeling of sadness came to her. This
would be the first Thanksgiving she remembered when daddy and mother
were not present. The other children, too, when they were told about
the coming feast at Uncle Toby's cabin, looked a little serious when
they realized that none of their grown-ups would be with them. Of course
Mary and Harry did not expect this, for they knew their mother could not
come from the hospital for a long time, and as for their father--they
had given him up as dead, long ago.

"But maybe daddy and mother will be here for Christmas!" said Janet.

"Maybe!" agreed Ted.

"I'm going to write and ask our father and mother to come here for
Christmas. May I, Uncle Toby?" asked Lola, for in common with