wish you'd come again and bring me nonner engine, Uncle Archie."

Over Allyn's head, Archie made a gesture of defiance at Theodora.

"That's your work, Miss Ted. I owe you one for that."

"This one?" she asked, holding up the pin. "It's beautiful, Uncle
Archie, and I am in love with it already."

For the next month a spirit of revelry appeared to fill the McAlister
household. It was an ideal New England winter, and plenty of snow and
cold weather kept the young people out of doors. The McAlisters taught
Archie to skate; he taught them to run on snowshoes; they had merry
coasting parties and long sleigh-rides by day. In the evenings, the
Farringtons usually joined them for games, chafing-dish suppers,
impromptu theatricals, and the thousand and one other amusements of a
winter evening. Strange to say, the closest intimacy sprang up between
the invalid and the energetic young engineer, and Billy, who at first
had jealously regretted Archie's coming, found that his own range of
sports was broadened by the strength and care of the young man's arm and
eye.

They were all down on the ice, one moonlight evening, Archie and the
McAlisters taking turns in pushing the skating-chair in which Billy sat,
wrapped in furs. Hubert was at the back of the chair, leaning on the
bar, while the others stood gathered about, resting from a network of
figure eights.

"To-morrow night, the moon will be full," Theodora said, as she rubbed
her nose with the back of her mitten. "I do so hope it will be good
skating, for it will be about our last chance. Next night, we have to go
to that stupid old party, and, the night after, we give our play."

"I'm getting to the end of my nights," Archie said regretfully. "I had a
letter from the chief, to-day, and he wants me to report to him, the
first."

"So soon as that?" Hope's tone was remonstrant, as she looked at him
with startled eyes. "You didn't mean to go so early."

"No; I meant to stay till the fifteenth; but this will take me off, next
week."

"Does mamma know?" Theodora asked.

"Not yet. Don't tell her, please, till to-morrow. She always hates to
have me start off again, when I've been home."

"No wonder," Theodora said impulsively. "You aren't half so bad as you
might be, Uncle Archie."

He bowed low.

"Thanks awfully. But I am freezing. I'll race you two girls to the dead
pine and back."

"All right. You be umpire, Billy. What's the prize?"

"A mate to your nugget. Come on