sure of himself, darted with the swift
grace of a swallow through the throng. His absolute confidence and
splendid physique made him conspicuous. He executed elaborate figures
with such perfect ease and certainty of movement that many turned to look
at him in astonished admiration.

"Great Scott!" said a cracked voice at Scott's shoulder.

He turned sharply, and met the frank regard of a rosy-faced schoolboy a
little shorter than himself.

"Look at that bloomin' swell!" said the new-comer in tones of deep
disgust. "He seems to have sprouted in the night. I've no use for these
star skaters myself. They're all so beastly sidey."

He addressed Scott as an equal, and as an equal Scott made reply. "P'raps
when you're a star skater yourself, you'll change your mind about 'em."

The boy grinned. "Ah! P'raps! You're a new chum, aren't you?"

"Very new," said Scott.

"Can you skate?" asked the lad. "But of course you can. I suppose you're
another dark horse. It's too bad, you know; just as Dinah and I are
beginning to fancy ourselves at it. We began right at the beginning too."

"Consider yourself lucky!" said Scott rather briefly.

"What do you mean?" The boy's eyes flashed over him intelligently, green
eyes humorously alert.

Scott glanced downwards. "I mean my legs are not a pair, so I can't even
begin."

"Oh, bad luck, sir!" The equality vanished from the boy's voice. He
became suddenly almost deferential, and Scott realized that he was no
longer regarded as a comrade. "Still"--he hesitated--"you can luge, I
suppose?"

"I don't quite see myself," said Scott, looking across once more to the
merry group on the distant run.

"Any idiot can do that," the boy protested, then turned suddenly a deep
red. "Oh, lor, I didn't mean that! Hi, Dinah!" He turned to cover his
embarrassment and sent a deafening yell at the sun-bathed _facade_ of the
hotel. "Are you never coming, you cuckoo? Half the morning's gone
already!"

"Coming, Billy!" at once a clear gay voice made answer, and the merriest
face that Scott had ever seen made a sudden appearance at an open window.
"Darling Billy, do keep your hair on for just two minutes longer! Yvonne
has been trying on my fancy dress, but she's nearly done."

The neck and shoulders below the laughing face were bare and a bare arm
waved in a propitiatory fashion ere it vanished.

"Looks as if the fancy dress is a minus quantity," observed Billy to his
companion with a grin. "I did