in the midst of another fall."

"Oh, Uncle Dunston, don't say that!" cried Laura. "We want the moon to
shine this evening."

"Well, it will shine, Laura," returned the uncle, with a wink of the
eye. "It always does shine, even when we don't see it," and then he
dodged when she laughingly picked up a chunk of snow and threw it at
him.

Into the big sleigh piled the girls, and the boys quickly followed.
All the back seats had been removed, and they nestled down in the
thick straw and covered themselves with numerous robes.

"Look out that you don't jounce off when you go over a bump," cried
Dunston Porter to Phil and Belle, who sat at the back of the turnout.

"Oh, we'll hold on, don't worry!" cried Phil.

"I'm used to hanging on," came from the western girl, quickly. "Riding
in this sleigh won't be half as bad as hanging on to the back of a
half-broken broncho."

"I guess that's right, too," answered Dave's uncle. "Just the same,
you take care. I don't want you young folks to have any accidents on
this trip."

"I trust you all have a good time," came benevolently from old Caspar
Potts, as he gazed at them and rubbed his hands. "My, my! how I used
to enjoy sleighing when I was a young man! And how many years ago that
seems!" he added with a little sigh.

"Don't stay any later than midnight," warned Mrs. Wadsworth.

"We'll be back by that time unless something unusual turns up,"
returned Dave. He turned to the others in the sleigh. "Everybody
fixed and ready?"

"All ready!" came back the answering cry.

"Then we're off." Dave turned to the driver, a middle-aged colored
man. "Let her go, Wash."

"Yassir," responded Washington Bones, with a grin. "Giddap!" he called
to his horses. And with a crack of the whip and a grand flourish the
turnout left the front of the Wadsworth mansion and whirled out on to
the broad highway leading to Lamont.

The four horses were used to working together, and they trotted along
in fine style, causing many a passer-by to stop and gaze at the team
and the gay load of young people in admiration. The horses were well
equipped with bells, and each of the youths had provided himself with
a good-sized horn, so that noise was not lacking as they dashed along
past the stores and houses of Crumville. Then they came out on the
Lamont road, where the sleighing was almost perfect.

"I hope we don't have any such adventure as we had at Conover's Hill,"
remarked Jessie to Dave while they