"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.

"Yes, I guess so. A race will get us home quicker, and we're a little
late."

"We'll let Flossie and Freddie start ahead of me," suggested Tommy, who,
being a little elder than the two smaller twins, was a little better
skater.

"All right," agreed Bert. "Any way you like. Go ahead, Floss and Fred.
Skate on until I tell you to wait. Then I'll give Tommy a starting place
and, when we're all ready, I'll give the word to begin."

Flossie and Freddie, hand in hand, skated ahead a little way. But