"I'd love to go!" cried Patty, her eyes sparkling. "I haven't had a sleigh ride in ages——"
"And no telling when you will again," said Roger. "But it's blowing great guns, and snowing fast. You're sure you want to go?"
"Course we do," insisted Elise. "Shall we get our things now?"
"Not quite yet. I'll have to telephone Mr. Livery Man for a rig. This otherwise well-stocked outfit that we're inhabiting doesn't have such a thing on the premises as a sleigh. I'll go and see about it."
"Can't we stop and pick up Alla?" suggested Elise.
"No," and Sam Blaney shook his head decidedly. "My sister wouldn't think of putting her nose out-of-doors on a day like this. I'm surprised that you will, Miss Fairfield."
"Oh, I'm a tough pine knot. I may not look the part, but I assure you wind and weather have no terrors for me."
"That's so," put in Elise. "Patty looks like a chaff which the wind driveth away, but it would be a pretty strong old wind that could do it."
"You can't tell by looks; my sister looks like a strong, hearty girl, but she's as fragile as a spring crocus."
"There's nothing fragiler than that," Patty remarked; "I've often tried to keep the flimsy little things for a few hours, and even in water they droop and peak and pine all to pieces."