number of their boy and girl friends, explaining how they were going
to make the trip on skates or on the ice-boat.

But one after another declined. Either their parents had made other
plans for spending the Christmas holidays, or they did not think it
wise to let their children go off in the woods.

Bert asked a number of boys he knew, but none of them could go, and
Grace Lavine, Nellie Parks, and many other girls to whom Nan spoke,
made excuses.

"I guess we'll have to give up the ice-boat plan," said Bert,
regretfully that night to Nan. "No one seems able to go. Will you risk
it with me, Nan?"

"I wouldn't be afraid," she answered. "If mamma and papa will let me
I'll sail in the _Ice Bird_ with you."

"Then we'll go that way!" cried Bert. But the next day something
occurred that made a change in the plans of the Bobbsey twins.




CHAPTER XII

THE LETTERS


The day after Christmas, when Bert and Nan came home from having been