"We did not dream it!" declared Sammy.
"And can shadows holler at you?" Bob wanted to know.
"No, but maybe you heard an echo," suggested Jed.
"There couldn't be any echo unless somebody said something," spoke Frank, "and we heard that hermit speak as plain as anything, and we weren't saying a word."
"Well, it's queer we didn't see him," returned Jed.
Several days passed—days filled with many winter joys. Sammy and his two chums made themselves skate-sails. They took some sticks, and stretched cloth over them, something between the sail of a boat and a kite in shape. Then, holding these sails in their hands, they would let the wind blow them over the ice. Thus they could skate without getting tired out.
Then there were sleighing parties, and coasting races on the big hill back of the schoolhouse. Sammy and his chums made themselves a bob, by fastening two low clipper sleds together with a long plank. It had a steering wheel, and a bell that sounded, as the bob went down hill, to warn everyone to get out of the way.
More snowball battles, and the building of snow houses and snow-men made up other fun for the boys and girls.
"I'm going to make the biggest snow house that ever was put up in Fairview!" exclaimed Sammy, one day. Like everything else he did, or had a part in, Sammy wanted his undertakings to be out of the ordinary.
"All right, we'll help you," said Bob and Frank.