or, The Silver Skates 273

“ Why — don’t you see? ‘That dark -thing over there by
the idiot’s cottage.”

“J don’t see anything,” said one.

“T do,” shouted another. “It’s a dog!”

“ Where’s any dog?” put in a squeaky voice that we have
heard before. ‘It’s no such thing: it’s a heap of rags.”

“¢ Pooh, Voost!” retorted another, gruffly. ‘That ’s about
as near the fact as you ever get. It’s the goose-girl, Gretel,
looking for rats.”

“Well, what of it?’’ squeaked Voost. ‘“ Isn’t she a bundle
of rags, Id like to know ?”

“Ha, ha! Pretty good for you, Voost! ‘You'll get a
medal for wit yet, if you keep on.”

“ ‘You ’d get something else, if her brother Hans were here.
Ill warrant you would!” said a muffled-up little fellow, with
a cold in his head.

As Hans was not there, Voost could afford to scout the
insinuation.

“Who cares for him, little sneezer? Id fight a dozen like
him, any day, and you in the bargain.”

“ You would! would you? I’d like to catch you at it.”
And, by way of proving his words, the sneezer skated off at
the top of his speed.

Just then a general chase after three of the biggest boys of
the school was proposed; and friend and foe, frolicsome as
ever, were soon united in a common cause.

Only one of all that happy throng remembered the dark
little form by the idiot’s cottage. Poor frightened Gretel !
She was not thinking of them, though their merry laughter
floated lightly toward her, making her feel .like one in a

dream.
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