The girls rushed upstairs to change back to skating outfits, while the boys ran across to the gymnasium for their extra equipment. The girls were full of fun and further anticipations, but had little time to talk about it.
“Wasn’t the dinner good?” asked Lilian. “I was so glad that the boys had lots to eat! They say that their meals aren’t as good as ours, but then this was extra even for us. How did you like John Appleton, Hilary?”
“He’s a fine young man,” replied Hilary, “looks so much like Dorothy and has some of her ways, too. I like him ever so much.”
“Don’t like him better than Campbell, Hilary,” called Cathalina, to Hilary’s amusement.
“Did you have a good time, Cathalina?” Hilary called back.
“O, yes, though our crowd was older. Lieutenant Maxwell is real joy and very polite, too. He asked to take me down to the river and skate first with me.”
“So did Donald,” said Betty. “I guess all of them would do that.”
“How old do you think Donald Hilton is?” asked Cathalina.
“He told me, when he was telling about his sisters and how old they were, or rather how much older he is than they are. He is not quite nineteen.”
It did not take as long to get ready for the skating as it had to dress up in all their glory for dinner. Betty slipped down the stairs, looked carefully around to be sure to avoid Captain Holley, and brightened when she saw Donald Hilton waiting not far from the stairway. He, too, was running no chances! Out they hurried, Betty’s skates over Donald’s arm. They were among the first to arrive at the river, where a line of great bonfires lit up the place, and Mickey was in charge. Certain limits were placed, beyond which the skaters were supposed not to go, but there was distance enough for a long skate between the banks of the beautiful, ice-clad river, on into the misty white curves over-hung with pine tree branches. A guardian moon was coming up now, and looked through a few drifting clouds.