The Junior Classics, vol 6 | Page 7

not possibly win. The race lies between Master
Schummel and yourself."
"You are a noble fellow, Hans!" cried Peter, yielding at last. He sprang
to his post just as the white handkerchief fell to the ground. The bugle
sends forth its blast, loud, clear, and ringing.
Off go the boys.
"Mein Gott!" cries a tough old fellow from Delft. "They beat every
thing,--these Amsterdam youngsters. See them!"
See them, indeed! They are winged Mercuries, every one of them.
What mad errand are they on?
Ah, I know: they are hunting Peter van Holp. He is some fleet-footed
runaway from Olympus. Mercury and his troop of winged cousins are
in full chase. They will catch him! Now Carl is the runaway. The
pursuit grows furious. Ben is foremost.
The chase turns in a cloud of mist. It is coming this way. Who is hunted
now? Mercury himself. It is Peter, Peter van Holp! Fly, Peter! Hans is
watching you. He is sending all his fleetness, all his strength, into your
feet. Your mother and sister are pale with eagerness. Hilda is trembling,
and dare not look up. Fly, Peter! The crowd has not gone deranged: it is
only cheering. The pursuers are close upon you. Touch the white
column! It beckons; it is reeling before you--it--
"Huzza! Huzza! Peter has won the silver skates!"
"PETER VAN HOLP!" shouted the crier. But who heard him? "Peter

van Holp!" shouted a hundred voices; for he was the favorite boy of the
place. "Huzza! Huzza!"
Now the music was resolved to be heard. It struck up a lively air, then a
tremendous march. The spectators, thinking something new was about
to happen, deigned to listen and to look.
The racers formed in single file. Peter, being tallest, stood first. Gretel,
the smallest of all, took her place at the end. Hans, who had borrowed a
strap from the cake-boy, was near the head.
Three gayly-twined arches were placed at intervals upon the river,
facing the Van Gleck pavilion.
Skating slowly, and in perfect time to the music, the boys and girls
moved forward, led on by Peter. It was beautiful to see the bright
procession glide along like a living creature. It curved and doubled, and
drew its graceful length in and out among the arches: whichever way
Peter, the head, went, the body was sure to follow. Sometimes it steered
direct for the centre arch; then, as if seized with a new impulse, turned
away and curled itself about the first one; then unwound slowly, and
bending low, with quick, snake-like curvings, crossed the river, passing
at length through the farthest arch.
When the music was slow, the procession seemed to crawl like a thing
afraid: it grew livelier, and the creature darted forward with a spring,
gliding rapidly among the arches, in and out, curling, twisting, turning,
never losing form, until at the shrill call of the bugle rising above the
music, it suddenly resolved itself into boys and girls standing in double
semicircle before Madame van Gleck's pavilion.
Peter and Gretel stand in the centre, in advance of the others. Madame
van Gleck rises majestically. Gretel trembles, but feels that she must
look at the beautiful lady. She cannot hear what is said, there is such a
buzzing all around her. She is thinking that she ought to try and make a
courtesy, such as her mother makes to the meester, when suddenly
something so dazzling is placed in her hand that she gives a cry of joy.

Then she ventures to look about her. Peter, too, has something in his
hands. "Oh, Oh! how splendid!" she cries; and "Oh! how splendid!" is
echoed as far as people can see.
Meantime the silver skates flash in the sunshine, throwing dashes of
light upon those two happy faces.
Mevrouw van Gend sends a little messenger with her bouquets,--one
for Hilda, one for Carl, and others for Peter and Gretel.
At sight of the flowers, the Queen of the Skaters becomes
uncontrollable. With a bright stare of gratitude, she gathers skates and
bouquet in her apron, hugs them to her bosom, and darts off to search
for her father and mother in the scattering crowd.

NELLY'S HOSPITAL
By Louisa M. Alcott
Nelly sat beside her mother picking lint; but while her fingers flew, her
eyes often looked wistfully out into the meadow, golden with
buttercups, and bright with sunshine. Presently she said, rather
bashfully, but very earnestly, "Mamma, I want to tell you a little plan
I've made, if you'll please not laugh."
"I think I can safely promise that, my dear," said her mother, putting
down her work that she might listen quite respectfully.
Nelly looked pleased, and went on confidingly.
"Since brother Will came home with his lame foot, and I've helped