next his strokes grew shorter, ending oftimes with a jerk, and
finally, he lay sprawling upon the ice, kicking against the air
with many a fantastic flourish.

"Ha! ha!" laughed Gretel. "That was a fine tumble!" But a
tender heart was beating under her coarse blue jacket, and even
as she laughed, she came, with a graceful sweep, close to her
prostrate brother.

"Are you hurt, Hans? Oh, you are laughing! Catch me now!" And
she darted away, shivering no longer, but with cheeks all aglow
and eyes sparkling with fun.

Hans sprang to his feet and started in brisk pursuit, but it was
no easy thing to catch Gretel. Before she had traveled very far,
her skates, too, began to squeak.

Believing that discretion was the better part of valor, she
turned suddenly and skated into her pursuer's arms.

"Ha! ha! I've caught you!" cried Hans.

"Ha! ha! I caught YOU," she retorted, struggling to free
herself.

Just then a clear, quick voice was heard calling, "Hans!
Gretel!"

"It's the mother," said Hans, looking solemn in an instant.