“Don’t skate too fast,” begged Flossie.  “My skate might come off again, though Freddie fixed it pretty good.”

“If it comes off again I’ll skate and carry you on my back the rest of the way!” cried Bert.  “I want something hot to drink.  But mind you!” he cried, as he saw a mischievous look on his little sister’s face, “don’t dare make your skate come off on purpose!  I don’t want to carry you unless I have to.”

“All right, Bert.  I’ll skate as fast as I can,” promised Flossie.

The five started off, Tommy Todd skating beside Flossie to help her if she should need it.  Tommy was a sort of chum of both pairs of twins, sometimes going with the older ones, Nan and Bert, and again with Flossie and Freddie.  In fact, he played with these latter more often than with Nan and her twin, for Flossie and Freddie had played a large part in helping Tommy at one time, as I’ll explain a little later.

It was a fine Winter’s day, not too cold, and the sun was shining from a clear sky, but not warmly enough to melt the ice.  The steel skates of the five children rang out a merry tune as they clicked over the frozen surface of the lake.

“Hurrah!  Here we are!” cried Bert at last, as he skated on ahead and sat down on a bench in front of the “Chocolate Cabin,” as they called the place.  He began taking off his skates.

“Come on!” he called to the others.  “I’ll order the chocolate for you and have it cooling,” for there was more trouble with Flossie’s skate and Nan had stopped to help her fix it.

“Don’t order chocolate for me, Bert!” called Nan.  “I want malted milk.  The chocolate is too sweet.”

“Guess you’re afraid of your complexion, Sis!” laughed Bert, as he went inside the little wooden house.

“Oh, Flossie, take both your skates off and walk the rest of the way,” advised Nan, after she had tried, without much success, to fix the troublesome strap.  “We’ll get there sooner.”

“All right,” agreed Flossie.  “It’s a bother—­this skate.  I’m going to get a new pair.”

“Maybe a new strap is all you need,” said Tommy.  “You can get one in there,” and he nodded toward the little cabin.

A little later the five children were seated on stools in front of the counter, sipping the warm drinks which made their cheeks glow with brighter color and caused a deeper sparkle in their eyes.

“This is great!” cried Tommy Todd.

“That’s what!” murmured Freddie, his nose deep in his cup.

“Don’t forget about my strap,” came from Flossie.

“Oh, yes,” agreed Bert.  “We don’t want to have to drag you all the way home.”  The man who sold the chocolate and candy in the cabin also had skate straps for sale and one was soon found that would do for Flossie.

“Now my skate won’t come off!” she cried, as once more they were on the ice.  “I can skate as good as you, Freddie Bobbsey!”

“Let’s have a race!” proposed Freddie.  “Bert and Nan can give Flossie and me a head start, ’cause they’re bigger than us.  Will you?” he asked his brother.