At Snow Lodge
“Are we all here?”
“Have we got everything?”
“Here, Snap! If you jump out again you can’t go!”
“Dinah, you hold Snap, will you?”
“Good land, child! I’se got about all I can do to hold my own self!”
These were some of the cries and exclamations as the Bobbsey family prepared to start on the trip to Snow Lodge. With the exception of Nan and Bert, and Dorothy and Harry, they were all in a big sled, drawn by four horses that were prancing about in the snow, anxious to get started. At every step the bells jingled. Sam was driving. With him on the front seat sat fat Freddie.
“I’m going to drive, as soon as we get out on the country road!” cried Freddie.
“He is not; is he, Sam?” demanded Flossie, who was taking one of her dolls on the trip, and with the doll, and her big muff, little Flossie had about all she could manage.
“Yes, I am too,” declared Freddie. “You said I could, Sam; you know you did!”
“Well, I guess you can drive, where the roads are easy,” promised Sam, with a scratch of his head.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey were now on their seat, with Flossie between them. Dinah was on the seat behind, while in back of her were piled the packages of food.
Snap, the trick dog, was to be taken along, but it had been decided to leave Downy the duck, and Snoop, the fat, black cat at home. A neighbor had promised to look after them and feed them.
“Well, I guess we’re all ready,” said Mr. Bobbsey, as he looked back at the well-loaded sled. “Now be careful,” he called to Nan and Bert, who with their cousins were to go to Snow Lodge on the icy lake. The girls would skate part of the way and ride on the ice-boat the remainder of the distance.
“We’ll be careful,” said Bert.
The day was cold, and clouds overhead seemed to tell that it was going to snow. But the young folks hoped the storm would hold off until night, when they would be safe in the big, old-fashioned farmhouse.
Everyone was well wrapped up, and Flossie and Freddie were almost lost in big rugs that had been tucked around them, for their mother did not want them to get cold.
Piles of rugs and blankets had been put on the ice-boat so those aboard would be comfortable.
“Well, let’s start!” called Mr. Bobbsey finally. “We’ll see who will get there first, Bert, or us.”
“All right–a race then!” cried Nan.
Down to the glittering, icy lake went the boys and girls, down to where the ice-boat awaited them. It had been put in good shape for the trip, but before starting Bert and Harry looked over all the ropes to make sure none were frayed, or had been cut. Nothing had been seen of Danny Rugg, and Charley Mason told Bert he thought the bully had gone to the wood camp with his father.
“Don’t you girls want to come on the iceboat for a ways first?” asked Bert of his sister and Dorothy. “Then, when you get tired of riding, you can skate.”
“Shall we?” inquired Nan.
“I guess so,” answered Dorothy, and so they did. The wind was not as strong as it had been the day before, but it was enough of a breeze to send the Ice Bird along at a good speed. Well wrapped in the robes and blankets, the young people enjoyed the trip very much.
“I’m sure we’ll be there before papa and mamma are,” said Nan as they glided along. “See how fast we are going.”
“Yes, but this wind may not keep up all the way,” spoke her brother. “And it’s a good ways to Snow Lodge.”
“Oh, well, we’ll have a good time, anyhow,” said Dorothy.
“And we’ll stop and build a fire and have lunch when we’re hungry,” added Harry, for they had brought some food with them, and could make chocolate over a little fire.
(Continued in Chapter 14 – second half)