"I want you, my little daughter, to be particularly on the watch against your besetting sin—an inclination to sudden outbursts of passion. It is not to be expected that everything will move on as smoothly, with so many children and young people together, every day, as they have to-day, and I fear you will be strongly tempted at times to give way to your naturally quick temper."
"Oh I am afraid so too papa; and it would be perfectly dreadful if I should!" she said with a half shudder, twining her arm round his neck and hiding her face on his shoulder. "Oh won't you ask God to help me to keep from it?"
"Yes, I shall, I do every night and morning, and we will ask him together now."
CHAPTER VII.
It had been growing colder all the afternoon, and continued to do so very rapidly through the night. The next morning at the breakfast table some of the lads announced, with great glee that the lakelet was frozen over; the ice so thick and solid that it was perfectly safe for skating in every part.
The news caused quite a flurry of pleasurable excitement among the younger ones of the company.
"I move that we spend the morning there," said Zoe.
"How many of us have skates, I wonder?"
"You have I think, have you not?" said Edward.
"Yes; yours and mine are both in good order; I examined them only the other day."