Part 25 (1/2)

”Skate?--I should say so. Frank and I are going out this afternoon after the bank closes.”

”Oh, Marian, couldn't I go, too? Mother said I might learn if I only had some grown up person to go with.”

”But you haven't any skates, Jane.”

This was a poser, but Jane moved a way out. ”Maybe Grace Dart would let me have hers. May I ask Mother?”

Marian hesitated a moment, but the child's face was very pleading and she replied heartily:

”Come along if your mother will let you. We'll look after you--you may as well ask Katie and Gertie, too. Katy knows how to skate a little, I think.”

Mrs. Morton's consent was soon obtained as well as Mrs. Halford's. Grace Dart intended to use her own skates, but Mrs. Morton said Jane might as well buy a pair, if she were really going to learn. Marian volunteered to get them for her on the way down.

Chicken Little was gay as a robin redbreast when she ran to meet Marian at the side gate. She was in red from top to toe, red coat, red leggings and red hood. And she was so excited she acted like a much distracted robin, as Marian told her a little later.

”She does enter into things so heart and soul,” Marian confided to Frank, ”she fairly quivers with excitement sometimes. Katy and Gertie are so different. They enjoy themselves just as much but they don't tire themselves out as Chicken Little does.”

”Sis is too high strung, I guess--gets it from Father's people. Funny, too, she's a sober little puss a good deal of the time.”

The new skates were soon purchased and slung over her shoulder in exact imitation of the way she had seen the boys carry theirs. They looked delightfully sharp and glittering. Chicken Little felt immensely superior to Katy whose skates were two years old and not nearly so s.h.i.+ny.

It was a radiant afternoon, frosty and clear. The pond was covered with skaters of all ages. Some of the men were pulling women and children on sleds.

Frank strapped the little girls' skates on firmly. Katy struck off boldly for herself, while Marian helped Gertie. Frank undertook to keep Chicken Little from measuring her length on the ice--no small task for the child was ambitious and daring. Great was her joy when she finally succeeded in taking a few short strokes without having her feet shoot out from under her. Presently Frank left her to her own devices while he went to skate with Marian.

”My feet don't seem to want to go the same way I do,” she complained to Gertie after two hard b.u.mps.

Gertie was proceeding more cautiously and had fewer falls in consequence.

”I guess you'll learn pretty soon--my--just see Katy!”

Katy was circling around as gracefully and easily as if there were no such thing as falls to dread. Chicken Little began to lose faith in the superiority of her new skates.

”Katy skates most as well as the boys--I don't see how she does it,” she said enviously.

”Cousin Sim taught her last winter. Oh, see, those boys are making an eight on the ice and,--Carol's writing his name I do believe.”

”Yes, and there's Pat and Mike--dear me, it seems as if everybody can skate just as easy 'cept me.”

The little girls stood watching the boys wistfully as they glided along cutting marvellous figures on the ice. The boys were bent on showing off for Marian's benefit.

”Tired, little girls?” called the latter, skating gaily past, her cheeks rosy with exercise and the frosty air.

”No--o,” said Jane slowly, ”I'm not tired but my ankles hurt and the ice seems to get slipprier and slipprier.”

”I'll help you if you want me to,” said a voice at her elbow, and Chicken Little looked around to find Pat Casey standing shyly beside her, cap in hand.

”I think I could be after showing you how to do it.”

She hesitated a moment wondering what her mother would say to her skating with Pat, then deciding to take the chance, put out her hand with a little smile. Things went better after that for the Irish lad had a good deal of chivalry in his make-up and was very patient and careful.

”h.e.l.lo, Pat,” said Frank, skating up. ”That's good of you--I believe you're a better teacher than I was. You'll skate like a bird in no time, Sis, you're so light. Ice is tricky at first--throws you like a balky horse till you get the hang of it. Come on, I'll take you for another turn.”