"I guess Freddie stopped to see if there wasn't a crack in the ice where
he could get some water to play fireman," remarked Bert with a smile, for
his small brother was very fond of this game, and his best-liked toy was a
small fire engine, which, when a spring was wound, could squirt real
water.

"No, I didn't stop at any cracks!" exclaimed Freddie earnestly. "Cracks in
the ice is dangerous--Daddy said so. It was Flossie's skate."

"That's right--it kept coming off," explained the blue-eyed girl. "But
Freddie fixed it, and he didn't have to use a postage stamp, either. Did
you, Freddie?"

"Nope."

"Well, I guess they know what it means, but we don't!" laughed Nan, taking
her small sister's hand. "Come on, now, you little twins. I We waited for
you, so we could all have hot chocolate together. You didn't get cold, I
hope, stopping to fix your skate, Flossie?"

"Nope! I'm as warm as butter!"

"What does she mean by that?" asked Tommy Todd. "I often hear my
grandmother say she's as warm as toast, but _butter_----"

"Well, when it's Winter, like it is now, you have to warm your butter so
you can spread it on your bread," explained Flossie. "So I'm as warm as
butter now."