wo days after this a carriage drove up to the door, and out of it
stepped Buttar and Ellis. Ernest knew nothing of their coming. It was
a surprise his father wished to give him. The boys were delighted to
meet each other, and kept shaking hands till they nearly dislocated each
other's wrists. Buttar, who had come from a distance, had picked up
Ellis on the way. The parents of the latter were glad to have him with
a companion like Ernest, from whom, from his account, they believed he
could reap so much benefit.

Not long after another carriage arrived, and great was the delight of
all parties when Lemon and Tom Bouldon's faces were seen looking out of
the window.

"This is jolly!--how delightful!--how capital!--what fun!" were some of
the exclamations which escaped the boys' lips as they shook hands with
each other.

"And the frost has begun here, as I suppose it had with you," added
Ernest. "And the gardener says he is certain that the ponds will bear
to-morrow, and if they do, we shall have some magnificent skating.
There is not a particle of snow on the ice, and when it set there was a
perfect calm, so that it is as smooth--as smooth--what shall I say?--as
ice can be. Oh, we shall have some first-rate skating, and hockey,
perhaps, and sleighing also, such as people have in Canada. John has
had a sleigh built, such as he saw when he went over there in the last
long vacation. He proposes to drive young Hotspur in it. We shall fly
over the ground at a tremendous rate if he does. There isn't a horse in
the country like young Hotspur for going. My pony, whom we call
Larkspur, is first-rate of his sort; but when I am riding out with any
one mounted on young Hotspur I feel just as if I was on board a small
yacht with the `Alarm' or one of those large fast racing cutters in
company. You have all brought your skates I hope. If you have not, I
dare say we have some spare ones which will fit you. We have had them
given to us at different times, and most of my brothers have outgrown
theirs, so that I have no doubt we shall find enough. Oh, Ellis, do you
say that you cannot skate? Never mind, you will soon learn. You have
learned many things more difficult. I'll undertake that you will be
quite at home on your skates in the course of a week."

So Ernest ran on, as he conducted his friends round the house, to
exhibit to them its numberless attractions, and to show them their
rooms. They could not fail to be