Hill Grace Brooks - The Corner House Girls Snowbound стр 15.

These bigger boats, furnished with square sails rather than the leg-o-muttons they now flaunted, were commonly used to transfer merchandise, or even logs up and down the lake. They were lumbering and slow.

Well, if Mr. Howbridge says you can, the oldest Corner House girl agreed, still somewhat doubtful.

Neale had already begged permission of Mr. Howbridge. The lawyer was quite as ignorant regarding ice-boating as Ruth herself. Neither of them considered that any real harm could come to Neale and Agnes in the smaller craft.

The crews of the larger ice-boats were experienced boatmen. They got their lumbering craft under way just as soon as the passengers were settled with their light baggage in the cockpits. There were bear robes and blankets in profusion. Although the wind was keen, the party did not expect that Jack Frost would trouble them.

Isnt this great? cried Cecile, who was in one of the boats with Ruth, her brother, and Sammy Pinkney. My! we always manage to have such very nice times when we are with you Corner House girls, Ruthie.

This is all new to me, admitted her friend. I hope nothing will happen to wreck us.

Wreck us! Fancy! laughed Cecile.

This wind is very strong, just the same, said Ruth.

Hold hard! cried Luke, laughing. Low bridge!

The boom swung over, and they all stooped quickly to avoid it. The next moment the big sail filled, bulging with the force of the wind. The heavy runners began to whine over the powdered ice, and they went swiftly onward toward the middle of the lake.

On the wings of the wind! How delightful! cried Cecile. Then she said again: Isnt this great?

CHAPTER VII THE SCOOTER

In the other large boat Mr. Howbridge, Mrs. MacCall and the two smallest Corner House girls, as well as Tom Jonah, were very cozily ensconced. Dot clutched the Alice-doll very tightly and Tom Jonah barked loudly when the barge slithered out upon the lake and began to gather speed as the fresh wind filled the big sail.

Mrs. MacCall continued to have her doubts regarding the safety of this strange means of locomotion.

Theres one good thing about it, she chattered, as the sledge jarred over a few hummocks. Theres nae so far to fall if we do fall out.

Its perfectly safe, they tell me, Mr. Howbridge assured her.

Aye. It may look so, the good woman admitted. But tis like Tam Taggart goin to London.

How was that? the lawyer asked, smiling.

Tam was one o these canny Highlanders, and he made up his mind after muckle thought to spend a week in London. He went to broaden his mind, as they call it. Truly, to prove to himself that London and the English were quite as bad as hed believed all his life.

So he goes to London, and he comes home again very solemn like. Nobody could get a word out of him at first, pursued Mrs. MacCall. Finally the folks, they gathered around him at the post-office and one says:

What ails ye, Tam? Yeve no told us anything aboot Lunnon. Is it nae the fine place theyd have us believe?

Oo, aye, tis nae so bad, says Tam. But they are nae honest up there.

Whit way air they no honest, Tam? asks his friends.

Weel, says Tam, I aye had my doots all the time; but I made sure the day I bought

me a penny-packet of needles. On the outside o it, it said there was one thousand needles inside.

Oh, aye?

I coonted em, says Tam, an wad ye believe it? there was only nine hundred and ninety-three! And this boat-sliding may look all right, concluded the Corner House housekeeper, but, like Tam, I have me doots!

As the boat gathered speed, following the one on which Ruth and her companions sailed out into the open lake, the little girls squealed their delight. Even Dot forgot her fears. And Tom Jonah smiled just as broadly as he could.

Oh, Tessie! Dot gasped. It is like flying! My breaths too big for my mouth just like I was in a swing.

I guess you must feel like poor Sandyface did when Sammy sent her with her kittens from our house to his in the fly-a-majig. You remember? said Tess.

I should say I did! agreed Dot in her old-fashioned way. What an awful time that was, wasnt it? And Sammy got spanked.

Sammys always getting spanked, Tess said coolly.

Ye-as. He is. But I guess hes never got used to it yet, responded the smallest Corner House girl thoughtfully.

The wind, when they faced forward, almost took their breath. The little girls cowered down under the warm robes, looking astern. So their bright eyes were the first to catch sight of the scooter shooting out into the lake behind them.

The wharves and dun-colored houses of Culberton were already far astern. And how fast the town was receding!

The smaller ice-boat, however, overtook the big boats almost as though the latter were standing still! The others caught sight of the careening ice-racer soon after Dot and Tess first shouted. But neither of the little girls nor the other members of the party realized that Neale and Agnes were aboard the craft that came, meteor-like, up the lake.

They had started sedately enough, Neale ONeil at the stern with the tiller ropes in his mittened hands and Agnes strapped into the seat on the outrigger, with the bight of the running sheet in her charge.