her hand; for
she could not help tumbling down very often, because this was only the
second time she had tried. Once they both very nearly had a tumble,
for Bouncer came out, and ran bounding and barking by their side, and
rushed on the ice with them; but he suddenly stopped short and
barked, as if to say, "How is this? What makes the water so hard this
morning?" and when he stopped they nearly tumbled over him, but they
managed to keep up. After sliding till Mary's face looked like a
rosy-cheeked apple, it was time to go in to lessons; and afterwards
they took a walk, and saw some gentlemen and boys skating on the large
pond on the Common.

Just as Mary's mamma said they must go home, the London coach with its
four horses came gayly along the hard frosty road along the Common. A
boy on the top waved a red handkerchief, and Mary cried out, "That's
Thomas; I know it is!" She was quite right, for the coach stopped, and
aunt Mary and Willie got out, while Thomas slid down from the roof.
They were soon shaking hands, giving kisses and kind welcomes, and all
walked merrily up the lane, and had a very happy dinner.

Then came what Mary called "happy time." This was the time when it
grew dark, candles were brought, shutters and curtains closed, and
they all collected round the tea-table, while the fire blazed, the
kettle boiled, and everything looked bright and pleasant. This
evening it seemed happier than ever; and next morning it was
delightful to awake and remember who had come to the cottage, and to
see the party at breakfast; and then to have Thomas and Willie to
slide on the pond. Mary grew quite a brave slider before they were
called in to dinner.

When dinner was over, she asked her mamma whether they should not go
on with nice work this evening? and her mamma said, "O, yes, they
must, or they should not be ready." This "nice work" was preparing a
number of presents, which were to be given away at Christmas. None of
their friends had been forgotten. Mary was busy hemming, knitting,
dressing dolls, and making pincushions; her mamma was also hard at
work, and besides, was often cutting out and fixing, and had a village
girl, who came almost every day for work, making frocks and different
things; Chrissy was also busy making all kinds of pretty things.

When aunt Mary heard of it, she said, "We are all at work in the same
way. Thomas has brought his turning lathe, and a few tools that he
has, and he and Willie are v