Daddy Takes Us Skating

, when Daddy talked so much about ice and freezing," said Hal.

He had managed, in the meanwhile, to get his bundle away from Roly-Poly.

Opening it, Hal found in the package a pair of shining ice skates, just like those Mab was trying on her shoes.

"Oh, thank you, Daddy!" Hal cried.

"And I thank you, too!" added Mab. I'd get up and kiss you, only my mouth is all jam. I'll kiss you twice as soon as I've washed."

"That will do," laughed her father. "Do you like your skates, children?"

"Oh, do we?" they cried, and by the way they said it you could easily tell that they did.

"And Daddy's going to take us skating; aren't you?" asked Hal as he measured his skates on his shoes to see if they would fit. They did. Oh! Daddy Blake knew just how to buy things to have them right, I tell you.

"Yes, I'll take you skating, and show you how to stand up on the ice--that is as soon as it is thick enough on the pond to make it safe, and hold us up," promised the children's father.

Just then Mamma Blake