mself very much. He was a well-behaved
dog and appeared to enjoy the ride in the automobile. He was perched on
the front seat, between Ted and Tom, who sat beside Uncle Toby. In the
back were the two girls and the baggage.

"Oh!" exclaimed Ted, when they had ridden on some little distance and
Uncle Toby had turned into the broad highway that led to Pocono, several
miles away. "Oh, I forgot all about it!"

"Forgot about what?" asked Uncle Toby, as he stopped his big automobile
to let a little car shoot out of a side street.

"I forgot to tell the fellows they could use our toboggan slide while
we're gone," explained Ted.

"That's right!" agreed Tom. "Bob Newton and some of the other boys could
have fun on it after the snow comes. We ought to have told 'em!"

"Shall we have one out at Crystal Lake, Uncle Toby?" asked Ted.

"I reckon we can rig up one," was the answer. "There is a man out there
who has a real toboggan, too, one he brought from Canada."

"Oh, that'll be great!" cried Tom.

On went the big car with the Curlytops and their playmates, bearing them
to the happy country where they hoped to have much fun over the
Christmas holidays that would soon be at hand. The children looked out
of the windows of the car. They had made an early start, soon after
sunrise, but now the sun had gone under clouds.

"Do you think it will snow?" Ted anxiously asked of Uncle Toby.

"I shouldn't wonder but what it might," was the answer. "Do you want it
to?"

"Sure we do!" cried all four children at once, and Trouble added:

"I make a snow man, I will!"

"Well, then I guess it will snow," chuckled Uncle Toby. "And I wouldn't
be a bit surprised if we should have a storm before we get to my place,"
he added.

"Do you mean before we get to Crystal Lake?" asked Janet.

"No, for we aren't going there direct," said Uncle Toby. "We are first
going to my place in Pocono, where we'll stay a few days. I have to get
some things there, and also take aboard two more children."

"Two more children?" cried Ted and Janet. Then Ted added:

"Who are they?"

"I hope they'll be playmates for you," answered Mr. Bardeen. "I'll tell
you about them later. Anyhow, first we'll go to Pocono, and later, in a
day or so, out to Crystal Lake. That will give you time to meet the pets
again."

"Are you going to take them out to the Lake with you?" asked Tom, who
knew about the different animals Uncle Toby was so fond of.

"Well, no, I hardly