It was still snowing, and the ground was now quite white, when the automobile drew up at the Opera House, which was where all sorts of shows and entertainments were given in Bellemere, the home of the Brown family.

“We can have a lot more fun in the snow to-morrow!” whispered Sue, as she and her brother passed in, Uncle Tad handing the tickets to Mrs. Gordon, who smiled at them.  She was one of the committee of ladies who, like Mrs. Brown, were helping with the entertainment.  There were to be speeches by some of the men of Bellemere, but what would be more enjoyable to the young folks was the performance of a number of vaudeville actors and actresses, said to come all the way from New York.

“There’s a jiggler who holds a cannon ball on his neck,” whispered Charlie Star to Bunny, when the Brown children had found their seats, which were near those of some of their friends.

“He means a juggler,” said George Watson.

“Yes, that’s it—­a juggler,” agreed Charlie.

“And there are a little boy and girl who do tricks and sing,” added Mary Watson.  “I saw their pictures.”

“Oh, it’ll be lovely!” sighed Sue.  “I wish it would begin!”

The boys, girls and grown folks were still coming in and taking their seats.  The curtain hid the stage.  And how the children did wonder what was going on behind that piece of painted canvas!  The musicians were just beginning to “tune up,” as Uncle Tad said.  The ushers were hurrying to and fro, seating the late-comers.  One of the men who worked in the Opera House, sweeping it out, attending to the fires in winter, and sometimes selling tickets, got a long pole to open a skylight ventilator, to let in some fresh air.

Just how it happened no one seemed to know, but suddenly the long pole slipped and there was a crash and tinkle of glass.  Nearly every one jumped in his or her seat, and some one cried: 

“Look at the skylight!  It’s going to fall!”

Bunny Brown, his sister Sue, and every one else looked up.  True enough, something had gone wrong with the skylight the man had tried to open.  It seemed to have slipped from its place in the frame where it was fastened in the roof, and the big window of metal and glass looked as though about to fall on the heads of the audience directly under it.

“Oh, Bunny, let’s run!” cried Sue.  “It’s going to drop right on us!”

And truly it did seem so.  Slowly the big skylight was slipping from its fastenings, and several in the audience screamed.

CHAPTER II

“Let’s give A show!”

Just when it seemed as if a bad accident would happen and that some one would be hurt by the fall of the roof-window, the man who had been using the long pole thrust it under the edge of the sliding skylight and held it there.  Then he called: 

“I have it!  I can keep it from falling until somebody gets up on the roof and fixes it.  Hurry up, though!”