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 amusements 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 appetites.