to the top of the chute needn't expect to ride to the bottom."

They all hurried off, laughing and shouting. It was a most beautiful
moonlight night. Save their own voices, only the distant barking of a
fox broke the great silence that wrapped the snow-clad country about.
None of the grown folk followed them. The party had the hill to
themselves.

It being a race to the hill-top, with the first two girls to take
their places on the toboggan of the first boy, naturally Heavy was
out of the running, and bound to be last. She came panting to the
starting platform, and found Ruth waiting to share Isadore's sled
with her.

Tom, with Madge and Belle, had already shot down the icy chute. Bob
Steele, with Lluella and Helen before him, dropped over the verge of
the platform and their toboggan began to whiz down the pathway, as
Jennie plumped down upon the remaining toboggan.

"Come on, Ruthie! You're a good little thing to wait for me--and I
guess Tom Cameron didn't like it much, either? He wanted you."

"Nonsense, Jennie," returned Ruth, with a laugh. "What does it
matter? As long as we all get a slide--"

"Hurry up, now," cried Busy Izzy, troubled because he was behind his
comrades, if the girls were not. "Sit tight."

He pushed the toboggan over the edge of the drop almost before Ruth
was settled behind Jennie. He flung himself upon the sled, sitting