was at hand to be introduced,
too. His sister jumped out of the wagon and said: "Hullo, Bobbie!
How's your poor croup?" Madge was a year and a half older than her
brother and always treated him as though he were a very small boy in
knickerbockers--if not actually in pinafores.

The girls giggled over this, and Bob Steele blushed. But he took his
sister's chaffing good-naturedly. Tom Cameron, however, was very much
disturbed over the absence of Ruth Fielding.

"We'd better hurry out on the ice. We've got an awful strict teacher
with us," said Mary Cox, hastily.

"You take care of my sister, too; will you, Bob?" said Tom, bluntly.
"I shall wait and bring Miss Fielding down."

"Oh, she'll look out for herself," said Mary Cox, slightingly. "We
must hurry if we want any fun."

"Helen and I wouldn't have much fun if Ruth were left behind," declared
Master Tom, firmly. "Go on, Bob; we'll catch up with you."

"Hadn't you better come, too, Tom?" whispered Helen, doubtfully.

"Why, we want Ruth with us; don't we?" demanded the puzzled Tom,
looking at her in wonder. "Go on, Nell. We'll be with you shortly."

"Why, I want to introduce you to the other girls," said Helen, pouting.
"And I haven't seen you myself for so long."

"It's too bad you got separated from your spoon, Nell," said her
brother, calmly. "But I shall wait and bring her."

The others--even Madge Steele--were already trooping down to the
landing, where there were settees for the girls to sit on while their
skates were being adjusted. Helen had to run after them, and Tom
waited alone the arrival of the second wagonette from Briarwood Hall.

CHAPTER XXI

ON THE ICE

If Ruth Fielding's eyes were a bit red when the wagonette finally came
to the landing, nobody would have suspected her of crying. Least of
all Tom Cameron, for she jumped down with a glad cry when she saw him,
and dropped her skates and shook both his hands in a most cordial
greeting.

"Helen hinted that you might be here, Tom, but I could hardly believe
it," she said.

"We want to hurry and catch up with them," he said. Some of the girls
were already on the ice. "We'd better go."

But the other girls had alighted, and following them came Miss
Reynolds. Now, Ruth liked Miss Reynolds very much, but the teacher
came towards them, looking rather grave.

"This is Helen Cameron's brother Tom, Miss Reynolds," said Ruth. "He
attends the Seven Oaks Military Academy."