an extra
kiss "for mother" upon his forehead.

He was already upon the canal with Carl and Jacob. Were they thinking
about sisters or kisses? Not a bit of it. They were so happy to be on
skates once more, so impatient to dart at once into the very heart of
Broek, that they spun and wheeled about like crazy fellows, relieving
themselves, meantime, by muttering something about "Peter and donder"
not worth translating.

Even Lambert and Ben, who had been waiting at the street corner, began
to grow impatient.

The captain joined them at last and they were soon on the canal with the
rest.

"Hurry up, Peter," growled Ludwig. "We're freezing by inches--there! I
knew you'd be the last after all to get on your skates."

"Did you?" said his brother, looking up with an air of deep interest.
"Clever boy!"

Ludwig laughed but tried to look cross, as he said, "I'm in earnest. We
must get home sometime this year."

"Now, boys," cried Peter, springing up as he fastened the last buckle.
"There's a clear way before us! We will imagine it's the grand race.
Ready! One, two, three, start!"

I assure you that very little was said for the first half hour. They
were six Mercuries skimming the ice. In plain English, they were
lightning. No--that is imaginary too. The fact is, one cannot decide
what to say when half a dozen boys are whizzing past at such a rate.
I can only tell you that each did his best, flying, with bent body and
eager eyes, in and out among the placid skates on the canal, until the
very guard shouted to them to "Hold up!" This only served to send them
onward with a two-boy power that startled all beholders.

But the laws of inertia are stronger even than canal guards.

After a while Jacob slackened his speed, then Ludwig, then Lambert, then
Carl.

They soon halted to take a long breath and finally found themselves
standing in a group gazing after Peter and Ben, who were still racing in
the distance as if their lives were at stake.

"It is very evident," said Lambert at he and his three companions
started up again, "that neither of them will give up until he can't help
it."

"What foolishness," growled Carl, "to tire themselves at the beginning
of the journey! But they're racing in earnest--that's certain. Halloo!
Peter's flagging!"

"Not so!" cried Ludwig. "Catch him being beaten!"

"Ha! ha!" sneered Carl. "I tell you, boy, Benjamin is ahead."

Now, if Ludwig disliked anything in this world, it was to be