horrible if they'd been cut off! I think skating is
dangerous, and I'm not sorry the snow has come to spoil it; for us
girls, I mean; the older folks and the boys can take care of themselves,
I suppose."

"Oh I like it!" said Lulu. "I wanted papa to let me go back this
afternoon and try it again, and I think he would if the snow hadn't
come."

"You surprise me!" exclaimed Evelyn. "If I had come so near losing my
fingers, I'd never care to skate any more."

"I always did like boys' sports," remarked Lulu, laughing. "Aunt Beulah
used to call me a tom-boy, and even Max would sometimes say he believed
I was half boy; I was always so glad of a chance to slip off to the
woods with him where I could run and jump and climb without any body by
to scold me and tell me I'd tear my clothes. I don't have to do those
things without leave now, for papa lets me; he say it's good for my
health, and that that's of far more importance than my clothes. Oh, we
all do have such good times now, at home in our father's house, with him
to take care of us!"

"Yes, I'm sure you do, and I'm so glad for you. How happy you all seem!
and how brave you are about bearing pain, dear Lu! You are so bright and
cheerful, though I'm sure your fingers must ache. Don't they?"

"Yes, some; but I don't mind it very much and they'll soon be well."

Just then they were joined by several of the other little girls, all
anxious to see Lulu and learn whether she were really badly hurt.

They crowded round her with eager questions and many expressions of
sympathy first, then of delight in finding her so cheerful and suffering
so little.

The next thing was to plan indoor amusements for the afternoon and
evening, as evidently the storm had put outdoor pleasures out of the
question for that day.

The call to dinner interrupted them in the midst of their talk; a not
unwelcome summons, for exercise in the bracing winter air had given them
keen appetites.

Some of the younger ones, who had particularly enjoyed the skating, felt
a good deal disappointed that the storm had come to put a stop to it,
and were in consequence quite sober and subdued in their demeanor as
they took their seats at the table.

A moment of complete silence followed the asking of the blessing, then,
as Edward took up a carving-knife, and stuck the fork into a roast duck
in front of him, there was a loud "Quack, quack," that startled
everybody for an instant, followed by merry peals of l