"Of course, mother," said Ralph confidently, "I'll take care of Dolly; all the boys will be there, and heaps of people we know."
"You won't skate beyond the point?" said mother; "never mind if the others do or not; remember you are both on your honor."
Full of delight, the children bounded off, skates in hand, and soon arrived at the gay scene by the frozen lake. The ice was already crowded with skaters, big and little, and Ralph and Dolly espied two or three of their friends as busy as themselves fastening on skates.
The band played, the sun shone, and merry voices and laughter echoed through the frosty air.
"Let's have races!" cried Frank, one of Ralph's schoolfellows. "You take your sister, I'll take mine."
They all four flew across the ice, backwards and forwards again and again, Frank and his sister winning at every turn.
"Now change partners," said Frank, pairing off with Dolly, "perhaps that will be fairer."
"I'm rather tired of going over the same road," said Dolly presently, as she and Frank stood resting, while the other two ran a short race by themselves. "It looks so lovely out there. A broad sheet of ice without any one on it, and all the trees at the foot of the terrace bending over the lake. See, Frank, icicles are hanging from every twig; wouldn't you like to go close to them?"
Ring Happy Bells Across the Snow