"And I do think your Mamma Vi is almost as thankful as either of you,"

Violet said, coming to his side and softly smoothing Lulu's hair.

They were in the dressing-room, no one else present but Grace and Max.

"I'm pretty thankful myself," observed the latter jocosely, but with a telltale moisture about the eyes; "I shouldn't like to have a sister with a fingerless hand."

"Oh don't, Max! don't talk so!" sobbed Grace, "I just can't bear to think of such dreadful things!"

Her father turned toward her and held out his hand. She sprang to his side and he put his arm about her.

"The danger is happily past, my pet," he said, touching his lips to her cheek; "so dry your eyes and think of something else, something pleasanter."

"You've got enough of skating, I suppose, Lu? you won't want to try it again, will you?" asked Max.

"Yes; if papa will let me. I'd like to go back this afternoon. But I'd want to keep fast hold of him so that I'd be in no danger of falling,"

she added, looking lovingly into his eyes.

"I'll not let you try it in any other way for some time to come," he said, stroking her hair; "you must become a good deal more proficient in the use of skates before I can again trust you to go alone; especially where there are so many other and more skilful skaters."

"I don't care for that, papa, but will you take me there again this afternoon?"

"We'll see about it when the time comes," he said smiling at her eager tone, and not ill-pleased at this proof of a persevering disposition.

"Oh!" cried Max, glancing toward the window, "it's snowing fast! Dear, dear, it will spoil the skating for all of us!"

"But a good fall of snow will provide other pleasures, my son," remarked the captain in a cheery tone.

"Yes, sir, so it will," returned Max, echoing the tone.

"And beside plenty of indoor amus.e.m.e.nts have been provided," said Violet. "I think we can all enjoy ourselves vastly, let the weather outside be what it will."

"I am sure of it," said her husband. "Gracie, how did you enjoy your ride?"

"Oh it was just lovely, papa!" answered the little girl, "the sleigh skimmed along so nicely without a bit of jolting; and then too, it was such fun to watch the skaters."

A tap at the door, and Rosie's voice asking, "How is Lulu? Mamma sent me to inquire."

"Come in, Rosie," said the captain. "Mother is very kind, and I am glad to be able to report to her that Lulu is only very slightly hurt; so slightly that doubtless she will be ready to join her mates in any sport that may be going on this afternoon."

Rosie drew near with a look of commiseration on her face, but exclaimed in surprise, "Why, your hand isn't even bound up!"

"No; I have just a patch of court plaster on each of three finger tips,"

returned Lulu, laughingly displaying them.

"But oh what a narrow escape!" cried Rosie half breathlessly. "It fairly frightens me to think of it!"

"They'd all have been cut off if it hadn't been for papa," Lulu said with a shudder, hiding her face on his shoulder.

"O Lu, I'm so glad they weren't!" said Rosie. "Eva has been crying fit to break her heart because she was sure that at least the tips of your fingers had been taken off; and in fact I couldn't help crying myself,"

she added, turning away to wipe her eyes.

"How good in you both!" exclaimed Lulu, lifting her head and showing flushed cheeks and shining eyes. "Papa, shan't I go and find Eva and comfort her by letting her see how little I am hurt, after all?"

"Yes, do, my child," he said, releasing her.

The two little girls went from the room together, each with her arm about the other's waist.

"Eva's in my room taking her cry out by herself," said Rosie. "I'd like to go there with you, but I must carry your father's answer to mamma first. Then I'll join you."

The door of Rosie's room stood open; Evelyn sat with her back toward it, and Lulu, entering softly, had an arm round her friend's neck before she was aware of her presence.

"O Lu!" cried Evelyn, with a start, "are you much hurt?"

"No, you poor dear; you've been breaking your heart about almost nothing. I hurt my knees a little in falling, and Chester's skate took a tiny slice out of my middle finger, and scratched the one each side of it, but that's all. See, they don't even need to be wrapped up."

"Oh, I'm so glad!" exclaimed Eva with a sigh of relief, and smiling through tears; then with a shudder and hugging Lulu close, "It would have been too 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 amus.e.m.e.nts 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 appet.i.tes.

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 laughter from old and young.

A loud squeal came next from a young pig in a dish placed before Mr.

Dinsmore, and the song of the blackbird from a pie Grandma Elsie was beginning to help.

"'Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie,'" remarked Mr. Lilburn gravely.

"'When the pie was opened the birds began to sing, Wasn't that a dainty dish to set before a king?'

"Ah ha! um h'm! ah ha! history repeats itself. But, Cousin Elsie, I didna expect to be treated to a meal o' livin' creatures in your house."