"Away with dull care!" cried Hippy, as he circled gracefully over the ice;
for, with all his weight, Hippy was considered one of the best skaters in
Oakdale.

"Away with everything but fun," finished Grace who could think of nothing
save the joy of skating. "Come along, Anne. Don't be afraid. David and I
will keep you up until you learn to use those tiny little feet of yours."

Anne's small feet went almost higher than her head while Grace was
speaking, and she sat flat down on the ice.

"No harm done," she laughed, "only I didn't know it could possibly be so
slippery."

They pulled her up, David and Grace, and put her between them with Tom
Gray on the other side of Grace as additional support, and off they flew,
while Anne, keeping her feet together and holding on tightly, sailed along
like a small ice boat.

"This will give you confidence," explained David, "and later on you can
learn how to use your feet."

But Anne hardly heard him, so thrilled was she by the glorious sensation.
As they flew by, followed by Hippy and Nora, with Reddy and Jessica, she
caught glimpses of many people looking strangely unfamiliar on skates.
Miriam passed, gliding gracefully over the ice with a troop of sophomores
at her heels. There were many High School boys "cracking the whip" in long
rows of eight or more, while there were some older people comfortably
seated in sleigh chairs which were pushed from behind, generally by some