thing, only the other night, when you and he went on such a long
walk down the road, I thought perhaps you might have come to some
understanding----"

"Mollie Billette, if you don't stop----!" began Betty, and then the
approach of three young men on their ringing skates forced her to
conclude rather quickly.

"Hello, girls," greeted Will Ford, the brother of the willowy Grace,
"what's doing?" Will was just the opposite of his sister, being rather
short and chunky.

"We're going to have a race," said Betty quickly, perhaps to forestall
any resumption of the embarrassing conversation, now that the subject of
it was present.

"A race!" exclaimed Allen, a rising young lawyer. "May we join in?"

"This is strictly a ladies' relay race," explained Mollie. "You may be
judges, or starters and offer the prizes, though, if you like."

"And the prizes----?" suggested Frank, who was Will's special chum.

"Hot chocolates when we go back to town," said Betty quickly. "I know
Grace will agree."

"Indeed I will," the latter said. "I don't care how much fun you make of
me, but I am cold, and--and----"

"Us 'ikes tandy--don't us!" interrupted Will, mimicking the little twin
brother and sister of Mollie, whose penchant for sweets was only
equalled by the longing of Grace.

"Easy," said Betty softly. "Well, if we're going to race, let's do it.
Boys, you see fair play. It's to be down to the bend and back."

"No, not back!" declared Amy. "I can't do as much as that at top speed."

"Well, then, just to the bend," agreed Betty, indicating a spot where
the river made a turn, about a mile away.

"We'll skate along," suggested Allen. "It is a bit chilly, and the
exercise will be good for us. Get ready girls. I'm sorry we haven't a
pistol to fire."

"This will do!" exclaimed Will, producing a paper bag. "It _had_
chocolates in," he added with a sly look at his sister.

"Oh!" she cried.

"Nothing doing!" he added quickly if slangily. "Nothing but crumbs," and
he proceeded to empty them into his mouth, and then blew up the bag.
"When I burst it--go!" he called.

The sharp report of the exploding bag echoed on the keen, wintry air,
and the four girls glided off on their skates. Mollie and Betty, the two
best skaters, rather hung back, letting the more unskillful Amy and
Grace lead the way. The boys skated together in the rear.

"When are you going to spurt?" called Will, as he saw that the pace was
not increasing much.

"Time