known no more of them had not the whole party suddenly come to a
standstill and, grouping themselves out of the way of the
passersby, all talked at once to a pretty little maiden, whom
they had drawn from the tide of people flowing toward the town.

"Oh, Katrinka!" they cried in one breath, "have you heard of it?
The race--we want you to join!"

"What race?" asked Katrinka, laughing. "Don't all talk at once,
please, I can't understand."

Everyone panted and looked at Rychie Korbes, who was their
acknowledged spokeswoman.

"Why," said Rychie, "we are to have a grand skating match on the
twentieth, on Mevrouw van Gleck's birthday. It's all Hilda's
work. They are going to give a splendid prize to the best
skater."

"Yes," chimed in half a dozen voices," a beautiful pair of silver
skates--perfectly magnificent--with, oh! such straps and silver
bells and buckles!"

"WHO said they had bells?" put in a small voice of the boy with
the big name.

"I say so, Master Voost," replied Rychie.

"So they have"; "No, I'm sure they haven't"; "OH, how can you
say so?"; "It's an arrow"; "And Mynheer van Korbes told MY