others have gone, but Jennie's
up in dry-dock for repairs. No wonder she wouldn't promise to be one
of the skating party. The pleasures of the table must be paid for----
How do you feel now, Heavy?" she added, putting her head in at the door.

"No better. Oh!" came back the complaining voice. "I _do_ have such
dreadful ill-fortune. I can't eat _just a little bit_ without its
distressing me abominably!"

The chums ran down to the wagonettes and found most of the girls who
were going already there. Ruth, seeing that there was more room in the
second carriage, whisked into it, and Helen was following her when Mary
Cox came up.

"Going to get in here, Cameron?" she said. "Well, I'll get in with
you--no, I won't!" she suddenly exclaimed, seeing Ruth peering out.
"Come on to the other wagonette; Belle and Lluella are there."

For a moment Helen hesitated. Then Mary said, jerking at her sleeve:

"Come on! We want to start in a minute. I've heard from the boys and
I want to tell you. They've sent a whole sleighload of things out to
the _Minnetonka_--the boat that's frozen in, you know--and music, and
we'll have great fun. Sh! Miss Reynolds don't know. She's such a
fuss-budget! If she knew the boys were coming--well!"

"Oh, Tom, too!" gasped Helen, delighted. Then she turned and said, in
a whisper: "Ruth!"

"Come on and let that tattle-tale alone!" exclaimed Mary Cox. "Tell
her, and she'll run to Miss Reynolds with it."

Helen went with her.

Had Ruth Fielding possessed the power of movement just then, she would
have gotten out of the wagon and run away to the dormitory. But she
was stricken motionless as well as speechless by her chum's defection,
and before she could recover her poise the wagons had begun to move,
rattling over the frozen road toward Triton Lake.

Ah! how it hurt! For weeks Ruth had endured slights, and haughty
looks, and innuendoes from Mary Cox and her Upedes--and the girl from
the Red Mill had accepted all uncomplainingly. She had heretofore
believed Helen only thoughtless. But this was more than Ruth Fielding
could bear. She was the last girl to get into the wagonette, and she
turned her head away, that her companions might not see her tears.

The other girls chattered, and laughed, and sang, and enjoyed
themselves. Ruth Fielding passed the few minutes which elapsed during
the drive to the boathouse in trying to stifle her sobs and remove the
traces of her emotion. She