And Cousin Ronald added to the fun by causing them to hear again and again sounds as of jingling sleighbells and prancing horses in their rear.  So distinct and natural were these sounds that they could not help springing aside out of the track of the supposed steeds, and turning their heads to see how near they were.

Then shouts of laughter would follow from old and young of both sexes, mingled with little shrieks, half of affright and half of amusement from the girls.

While all this was going on, Capt.  Raymond was giving Lulu her first lesson in the use of skates, holding her hand in his, guarding her carefully from the danger of falling.

But for that she would have fallen several times, for it seemed almost impossible to keep her balance; however she gained skill and confidence; and at length asked to be allowed to try it for a little unaided.

He permitted her to do so, but kept very near to catch her in case she should slip or stagger.

She succeeded very well and after a time he ceased to watch her constantly, remaining near her, but taking his eyes off her now and then to see what others were doing; noting with fatherly pride in his son, how Max was emulating the older skaters, and returning a joyous look and smile given him by Gracie, as she swept past in the sleigh.

It presently stopped a few paces away, and he made a movement as if to go and lift her out, but at the sound of a thud on the ice behind him, turned quickly again to find Lulu down.

She had thrown out her hands in falling, and he felt a thrill of horror as he perceived that one of them lay directly in the path of a skater, Chester Dinsmore, who was moving with such velocity that he would not be able to check his speed in time to avoid running over her.

But even while he perceived her peril the captain had, with an almost lightning like movement, stooped over his child and dragged her backward.  Barely in time; Chester’s skate just grazed her fingers, cutting off the tip of her mitten.  There were drops of blood on the ice, and for a moment her father thought her fingers were off.

“Oh my child, my darling!” he groaned, holding her close in his arms and taking the bleeding hand tenderly in his.

“I’m not hurt, papa; at least only a very little,” she hastened to say, while the others crowded about them with agitated, anxious questioning.  “Is Lulu hurt?” “Did Chess run over her!” “Did the fall hurt her?”

“My fingers are bleeding a little, but they don’t hurt very much,” she answered.  “I think his skate went over my mitten, and I suppose my fingers would have been cut off if papa hadn’t jerked me back out of the way.”

Chester had just joined the group.  “I can never be sufficiently thankful for the escape,” he said with a slight tremble in his tones, “I could never have forgiven myself if I had maimed that pretty hand; though it was utterly impossible for me to stop myself in time, at the headlong rate of speed with which I was moving.”