s. Bobbsey. "But don't stand
here talking, Freddie. Cousin Harry will excuse you until you change
your clothes."

"Of course," answered Harry. "Where's Bert?" he asked of Nan.

"Coming along with Charley Mason. They're just down the street. I
hurried on with Freddie."

"I guess I'll go to meet him," said Harry. "I'll see you when I come
back, Freddie, and be sure you're good and dry."

"I will," promised the little chap, as his mother led him upstairs. "How
long can Cousin Harry stay, Mother?" Freddie asked.

"Oh, about a week I guess."

"I hope he can stay until there's more snow."

Uncle Daniel, with Aunt Sarah and Harry, had come from Meadow Brook to
pay a visit in Lakeport, just as Cousin Dorothy had come from the
seashore some time before.

A little later, when Freddie had on dry clothes, he and Bert, with Harry
and Charley, went out in the barn to play. Nan had to go to the store
for her mother.

Freddie's hope that snow would come soon was not to be gratified--at
least right away. The weather remained warm for nearly a week, and what
little snow was left melted. Bert and Charley had no chance to show
Harry how they could walk on the barrel-stave shoes. But Harry noticed
how they were made, and said when he went back to Meadow Brook he was
going to make a pair for himself.

Then one night the weather suddenly turned cold. It was a cold "snap,"
as Mr. Bobbsey said, and certainly there was "snap" to it, for the cold
made the boards of the house crack and snap like a toy pistol.

"My, but it's cold!" exclaimed Nan, as she came down to breakfast.

"Just what we want!" cried Bert. "Eh, Harry?"

"Sure. This will make skating all right. Do you think the lake will be
frozen over?"

"We can soon find out," Bert said. "I'll telephone down to dad's office
and ask. One of the men can look out of the window and tell. If it is
frozen we'll take our skates down and have some fun."

"I didn't bring any skates," Harry said.

"I've some extra pairs," said Bert "I guess one of 'em will fit you."

He called up his father's bookkeeper on the telephone, and word came
back over the wire that Lake Metoka was frozen solidly, and that already
some boys were out on it, gliding along.

"Hurrah!" cried Bert, when he heard this. "Talk about good luck! And
to-day's Saturday, too!"

A pair of skates was found to fit Harry and the two larger boys, with
Freddie trailing along behind, soon went down to the lake. They were
w