"Hello, Grace!" Walter called to his sister, in response.
But his gaze went past the chubby figure of his shy sister to another girl who, with her chum, was in the lead of the four tugging at the rope of the gaily painted bobsled. This particular girl's bright and animated countenance smiled back at Walter cordially, and she waved a mittened hand.
"Hi, Walter!" she called.
"Hi, Nan!" was his reply.
The others he welcomed with a genial hail. Bess Harley, who toiled along beside her chum, said with a flashing smile and an imp-light of naughtiness in either black eye:
"You and Walter Mason are just as thick as leaves on a mulberry tree, Nan Sherwood! I saw you whispering together the other day when Walter came with his cutter to take Grace for a ride. Is he going to take you for a spin behind that jolly black horse of his?"
"No, honey," replied Nan, placidly. "And I wouldn't go without you, you know very well."
"Oh! wouldn't you, Nan? Not even with Walter?"
"Certainly not!" cried Nan Sherwood, big-eyed at the suggestion.
"Only because Dr. Beulah wouldn't hear of such an escapade, I guess," said the wicked Bess, laughing.