"Oh, he wouldn't do _that!_" declared Bert "That was Mr. Watson. He buys
lumber from my father. I guess he meant that next time he'd give us a
ride."

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Nan. "Would you ride in one of those dangerous things,
Bert Bobbsey?"

"Would I? Well, just give me the chance! How about you, Tommy?"

"I should say so! They're great!"

"Oh, I can't bear them!" went on Nan. "Please let's stop and rest. My
heart is beating so fast I can't skate for a while."

"All right--we'll call the race off," agreed Bert. Flossie and Freddie
were a little startled by the closeness of the ice-boat, and they skated
back to join their brother and sister.

And while they are taking a little rest on the ice I shall have a chance
to let my new readers know something of the past history of the children
about whom I am writing.

There were two pairs of Bobbsey twins. They were the children of Mr.
Richard Bobbsey and his wife Mary, and the family lived in an Eastern city
called Lakeport, which was at the head of Lake Metoka. Mr. Bobbsey was in
the lumber business, having a yard and docks on the shore of the lake
about a quarter of a mile from his house.

The older Bobbsey twins were Nan and Bert. They had dark hair and eyes,
and were rather tall and slim. Flossie and Freddie, the younger twins,