Violet had soon tired of the sport, and beside feared her baby was wanting her. She went on up to the nursery while the captain entered the parlor where his little girls were waiting for his coming.
"Waiting patiently, my darlings?" he said, with an affectionate smile. "I know it is rather hard sometimes for little folks to wait. But you may bundle up now, and I will take you out to enjoy the sport with the rest. It will be a nice walk for you, Gracie, and when you get there you will have a pleasant time I think."
"How papa?"
"My little girl will see when she gets there," he said. "Ah, here is Agnes with your hood and coat. Now, while she puts them on you, I will see if Lulu's skates are quite right."
They proved to be a good fit and in few minutes the captain was on his way to the lakelet with a little girl clinging to each hand.
A pretty boat house stood at the water's edge—on the hither side, under the trees, and now close beside it, on the ice, the children spied a small, light sleigh well supplied with robes of wolf and bear skins.
"There, Gracie, how would you like to ride in that?" asked her father.
"It looks nice, but—how can it go?" she asked dubiously. "I don't see any horses papa."
"No, but you will find that it can move without."
Harold had seen them approaching, and now came gliding very rapidly towards them, on his skates.