can't do it."

They had to give it up; but they did their best, and Uncle Josh cut them
short in the middle of it.

"Come, come, boys, we can't stay here all day. There won't be another
Saturday again for a week, and then it may rain. Don't put your skates
on. Wait till we get to the pond. Bring along the big ones. They'll do
for me."

"Why, are you going, Uncle Josh?"

"Of course I am. If the ice is twenty feet thick, I want to skate on it.
That kind of ice'll bear anybody."

And so the boys tied the big skates upon the sled, and were starting
off, when Uncle Josh exclaimed:

"No, boys, give 'em to me. I haven't had a pair of skates in my hand for
twenty years. I want to see how it would seem to carry them."

There were not a great many people to be met in a small village like
that, but every one they did meet had a smile for Uncle Josh and his
skates, till they reached the miller's house, just this side of the
pond. And there was Mrs. Sanders, the miller's wife, sweeping the least
bit of snow from her front stoop.

"Joe," said Billy, "do you see that?"

"And Charley Shadders was guessing, then. He said snow wouldn't light on
her stoop."

"There isn't but mighty little of it, and it didn't cost her anything."

But just at that moment Mrs. Sanders was resting on her broom, and
looking very severely at Uncle Josh, and saying,

"Now, Deacon Parmenter, where are you going with those boys? Skates,
too, at your time of life."

"Good-morning, Sister Sanders. I declare, if you'll go with us, I'll
trot right back and get a pair of skates for you. I'd like to see a
good-looking young woman like you--"

"Deacon Parmenter! Me? To go skating? With you and a couple of boys? I
never!"

But she did not look half so angry as she did at first. She was a plump
and rosy woman; but she had a pointed nose, and her lips were thin.
Billy whispered to Joe Pearce, "Aunt Sally says it'd keep any woman's
lips thin to work 'em as hard as Mrs. Sanders does hers."

They were almost smiling just now, for Uncle Josh went on: "Now, Sister
Sanders, I know it's a little queer for an old fellow like me, but it's
just the thing for young folks. Just you say the word, and you shall
have 'em. You're looking nicely this morning, Sister Sanders."

"Billy," whispered Joe, "how red in the face Uncle Josh is getting!"

"So is she," said Billy. "If he goes on that way, she'll come along and
spoil the fun."

"No, she won't."

Joe was rig