I feel so nervous I could scream."

John Gardiner spun past with a nod and a flourish, but a moment later
wheeled about and came skimming up to where they were standing, saying
briskly:

"Jolly day, isn't it? Ice in first-rate shape, too. Too many people,
but after a few of them get tired out it will be all right. Don't
suppose they'd care to stand aside and let us show them what skating
is, eh, Nan?"

Nan laughed. "Perhaps they wouldn't like the figures we'd cut. I'm
not sure I would myself. Pride goes before a fall, and I'd rather be a
bit humble and keep on my feet."

"As though you'd ever take a tumble," cried the young fellow with great
scorn. "Oh, I say, come along and let's do a turn or two, as we did on
the Steamer last year. Don't you remember what a rousing cheer we got?
Let's try it again."

For an instant Nan's blood leaped. She liked to do daring things, and
she loved applause. John Gardiner was as much at home on his skates as
she was on hers, and they were singularly at ease together. Moreover,
way down in her heart was a sort of lurking pride at being especially
chosen by this favorite among the "fellows" and being seen with him in
his attractive suit and his graceful "Norwegians" that were the envy
and admiration of all the other fellows in town. It certainly was a
temptation, and for a moment Nan yielded to it. Then she looked at
Louie's anxious face and shook her head.

"I'm heaps obliged," she said. "But I guess I'd better not to-day. It
wasn't much harm at the Steamer, for there was no crowd there to speak
of; but here it's so public, I'm afraid it wouldn't look well."

John threw back his head and laughed.

"As if you cared how things look!" he cried, frankly.

Nan's cheeks reddened furiously. She looked down and drew a figure on
the ice with the tip of her skate. Her confusion could not escape him,
and he caught himself up instantly. "I mean, you've always been so
sensible, you know. You haven't cared for tattle or nonsense. That's
what's made us like you so. A fellow hasn't had to be on the continual
jump for fear your hat wasn't on straight or your hair was coming down.
You're as plucky as a boy, and it's like having another jolly, good
fellow about when you're around. You're not going back on all that?
You aren't going to turn girly-girly? You aren't going to be a Nancy,
are you?"

She lifted her head with a jerk. "No; I'm going to stay plain Nan,"
she retor