even if Dot had not had a
cold, the walk would have been much too long for them. Aunt Polly
promised to help them make molasses candy that afternoon, and that
cheered them up somewhat.

"Now if it snows between now and the time school is out, come home
without going to Mrs. Anson's," said Mother Blossom, following Meg and
Bobby to the door. "It gets dark early you know, and you mustn't be
out alone in that deserted section in a storm or after dark. Remember,
won't you, Bobby?"

"Yes'm," answered Bobby, squinting knowingly at the sky as he had seen
Sam do. "It isn't going to snow, Mother. Make Dot and Twaddles save
us some candy, will you?"

"Course we will," called the twins, who had followed Mother Blossom.
"A whole plateful, Bobby."

"I hope it doesn't snow," said Meg, trotting along beside Bobby, her
hands deep in Mother's soft, furry muff. "Got the hand-stove, Bobby?"

"Yes. But it isn't lit," her brother said. "I'm not going to burn it
for this little walk. Hurry, or we'll be late."

They reached the school house just as the first bell rang, and all that
afternoon first Meg, then Bobby, would glance at the windows, fearful
lest they see the whirling white flakes that would mean they could not
go after the eggs. But three o'clock came and still no snow.

"I said it wouldn't!" announced Bobby triumphantly, meeting Meg at the
door, for he had had to go down to the cellar and borrow a match from
the janitor to light the little charcoal stove Mother Blossom had given
him to carry in his pocket.

"Feel how warm." Bobby held out the stove for Meg to hold in her hand.
"John had to light it for me, 'cause he was afraid I'd set myself on
fire. Silly! I guess I've lit matches before!"

As a matter of fact, Bobby had had very little to do with matches
unless an older person was about, but he did not like the janitor to
think he never had matches in his pocket.

Bobby had their skates over his arm, and the two children hurried down
to the pond. Already a number of skaters were out, and the ice was in
perfect condition. Bobby helped Meg buckle on her skates and then in a
few minutes he had adjusted his own, and they set off.

"Next year, maybe, we can have real hockey skates," said Meg. "The
twins are going to have double runners. But we've had fun on these,
haven't we?"

Bobby looked at his sister. She wore a bright red tam-o'-shanter cap
on her yellow hair, and her blue eyes sparkled like sapp