next morning at the breakfast table
some of the lads announced, with great glee that the lakelet was frozen
over; the ice so thick and solid that it was perfectly safe for skating
in every part.

The news caused quite a flurry of pleasurable excitement among the
younger ones of the company.

"I move that we spend the morning there," said Zoe.

"How many of us have skates, I wonder?"

"You have I think, have you not?" said Edward.

"Yes; yours and mine are both in good order; I examined them only the
other day."

The captain asked how many knew how to use skates, and from the replies
it seemed that all the lads had been more or less accustomed to their
use, some of the girls also. Zoe had had quite a good deal of practice
before her marriage, a little since.

The winters were usually too mild in this part of the country to give
much opportunity for that kind of exercise. She was therefore the more
eager to avail herself of this one; for she was very fond of the sport.

Edward, Harold, and Herbert were all in the mood to join her in it and
were prepared to do so; and Rosie and Max too were equally fortunate;
but most of the others had come without skates.

But that difficulty could be easily remedied; their homes were not far
off, nor was the village, with its stores where such things could be
bought. It was decided to despatch messengers for the needed supplies.

"Papa," said Lulu, "may they get a pair for me? I'd like to learn to
skate."

He turned to her with an indulgent smile. "Would you? then you shall; I
will send for the skates and give you a lesson in the art myself. I used
to be reckoned a good skater in my boyhood. Would my little Grace like
to learn too?"

"No, thank you, papa, I'd rather walk on the ground, or ride."

"You shall ride on the ice if you will, little girlie," said Harold. "I
think I can find a conveyance that will suit your taste."

"You're kind to think of it, Uncle Harold," she said, with a dubious
look, "but I'm afraid the horses would slip and fall on the ice."

"I think not," he said; "but if they should they will only have to pick
themselves up again, and go on."

"But I'm afraid they might get hurt and maybe tip me over too."

Harold only smiled at that, as he rose and left the room to attend to
the despatching of the messengers.

Grace wondered what he meant, but as the older people all about her were
busily talking among themselves, she went on quietly with her br