It was snowing quite thickly now; but the shore of the island was not far away. The trio hugged it closely in encircling the wooded and hilly piece of land.
"Say!" Helen cried, "we're not the only girls out here to-day."
"Huh?" grunted Jennie, head down and skating doggedly.
"See there, Ruth!" called the black-eyed girl.
Ruth turned her face to one side and looked under the shade of her hand, which she held above her eyes. There was a figure moving along the shore of Bliss Island just abreast of them.
"It's a girl," she said. "But she's not skating."
"Who is it? A freshie?" asked Jennie, but little interested.
Ruth did not reply. She seemed wonderfully interested by the appearance of the girl on shore. She fell behind her mates while she watched the figure.
The snow was increasing; and that with the abruptly rising island, furnished a background for the strange girl which threw her into relief.
At first Ruth was attracted only by her figure. She could not see her face.