"Mother, de-ar, can we go out to play in the back yard? I c'n put on my
overshoes an' leggins, an' I c'n help Doris too, if you're busy."
Elizabeth looked up from her task of cutting out rompers for her baby
with a preoccupied sigh. "You have a little cold now, Carroll," she said
doubtfully, "and if you should get wet in the snow----"
"We won't get wet, mother. I pr-romise!"
"Very well, dear; now remember!"
It was cold and clear and there seemed very little danger of dampness as
the two children ran out with a whoop of joy into the side yard where
the snow-laden evergreens partially screened the Stanford's house from
view. Robbie Stanford's round, solemn face was staring at them wistfully
from a second-story window as they dashed ecstatically into a snow bank,
to emerge white with the sparkling drift.
"Hello, Rob; come on out!" called Carroll.
"I can't," replied Master Stanford, raising the window cautiously.
"Why?"
"Oh, nothin' much; but I guess I'd better stay up here till mother comes
home."
"Who said so?"
"That horrid ol' Annie. I was down in the kitchen an' I fired only one
clothespin at her, jus' for fun, an' it hit her in the eye; she got mad
an' chased me up here an' locked the door."
"Where's your mother?"
"She's gone down town. She said she'd bring me some candy if I was good.
Bu' 'f I ain't good she'll take the paddle to me. Say, Carroll!"
"What?"
"Why don't you an' Doris make a skatin' rink?"
"A--what?"
"A skatin' rink. It's great. I know how; I saw a boy makin' one in his
back yard. It's awful easy. You just run the hose----"
Master Stanford paused in the course of his exposition to cast a
cautious glance behind him. "I guess I'm takin' cold all right," he went
on feelingly. "I hope I am. Then maybe I'll have the croup an' be awful
sick. I guess they'd all be sorry, then. Say, Carroll, do you see Annie
anywheres?"
Carroll reconnoitred cautiously. "She's hangin' up clo'es in the back
yard," he informed the young person aloft.
"If I c'd get out of here, I'd show you how to make that skatin' rink.
We c'd make it easy, an' have it ready to skate on b' to-morrow."
"We haven't any skates," objected Doris. "B'sides," with a toss of her
scarlet hood, "I don't believe you know how to make a skatin' rink."
"I don't know how? Well, I just bet I do!" exclaimed the prisoner
dangling his small person far over the window-sill, while Doris screamed
an excited protest. "Pooh! I ain't afraid of fallin' out--ain't afraid
of nothin'; I'll bet I c'd jump out this window. I guess I'd have to if
the house took on fire. Say, if this house should ketch on fire,
Carroll, your house would burn up too. I've got some matches in my
pocket," he added darkly; "if I should take a notion I c'd burn up
everythin' on this block, an' maybe the whole town. I'll bet I c'd do
it."
"How do you make a skatin' rink?" inquired Carroll, with an anxious
glance at his own cosy home, which suddenly appeared very dear to him in
view of a general conflagration.