enough," replied Betty, narrowly watching her rival, Mollie.

"That isn't skating!" declared Frank with a laugh. "You girls are only
creeping."

But at that instant Grace, at a signal from Mollie, darted ahead, and
then the race began in earnest, for Amy, at a nod from the Little
Captain did likewise, and then Mollie and Betty, holding themselves in
readiness for the burst of speed that would take place at the finish,
came after.

"Now they're off!" cried Will. "A pound of chocolates to the winner!"

Three-quarters of the way to the bend Amy showed signs of fatigue.
Betty, noting it, called to her:

"I'll take it now."

"So will I!" agreed Mollie, and Grace, gliding to one side, allowed her
partner to take the lead.

"Now they're off!" cried Will again.

"Thank goodness, I'm warm, anyhow!" remarked Grace, a rosy glow
replacing the former paleness of her cheeks.

Leaving Amy and Grace to follow on more leisurely, the youths rushed up
to see the finish of the race. It was close, but by unanimous decision
they awarded the contest to Betty.

"Oh, I'm so glad you won, anyhow!" declared Mollie with fine spirit.
"You earned it, Betty dear, but I thought I was going to beat you, until
the very end."

"Yes, and you might have, only your left skate was loose," said Betty.
"I noticed it. Suppose we try it over?"

"Indeed not! My skate did loosen," spoke Mollie, "but I wasn't going to
say anything about it. You won fairly Betty, and I'm too exhausted to
try again. Now if the boys will----"

"Oh, we'll fulfill our part of the program!" declared Will promptly.
"Come on back to the village whenever you like, and order what you wish.
Or we can go on to the store of the poetical Mr. Lagg if you prefer."

"It's too far," protested Grace, who, with Amy, had come up now.
"Besides he doesn't serve hot chocolate."

"Then thou shalt have thy hot chocolate, sister mine!" cried Will,
rubbing her ears.

"Oh, stop it!" she begged. "You hurt dreadfully, Will!"

"That's the way to make them warm," and he got back out of the way in
time to avoid having his own ears soundly boxed.

Slowly the young people skated back. There were a number of others on
the ice now, and soon our friends were in the midst of quite a throng.

"Here come Alice Jallow and Kittie Rossmore," murmured Mollie. "I hope
they don't tag along after us."

"They're likely to," said Grace. "Though since that last little trouble
they haven't been as unpleasan