The Outdoor Girls in a Winter Camp | Page 2

always
willing to oblige, and she did not often consult her own personal
feelings.
Something like a look of disappointment passed over the countenance
of Grace. Seeing it Mollie laughed.
"Grace was hoping Amy would say no, so she could get out of it!" cried
vivacious Mollie. "That's the time you didn't say the right thing, Amy."
"Oh, well, if nothing but a race will satisfy you, I suppose I must," and
Grace gave in "gracefully." "I'm nearly perished standing still, anyhow,
and skating can't make me much worse."
"It will be all the better," insisted Betty. "Now we'll race in this
fashion--team work to count. Amy and I in one team, you and Grace in
the other, Mollie. Whichever member of the team gets to the bend first
will win. You see," Betty explained, "one of a team might fall, or turn
her ankle, or get tired, and then the other could keep on. It's like a relay
race."
"Oh, well, if I have to--I suppose I have to," and Grace said this with
such a doleful sigh that the others laughed heartily, even quiet Amy
joining.
"On your marks!" cried Betty. "Let's show that we are worthy of our
names--true Outdoor Girls."
"Show who?" asked Grace looking around.
"Well, here comes your brother Will, for one, and I think Allen
Washburn and Frank Haley are with him," spoke Betty, shading her
eyes with her hands, and gazing off across the sparkling surface of the

frozen Argono River.
"Can't you see Percy Falconer?" asked Mollie mischievously, referring
to a certain foppish lad, who seemed to have a great fondness for the
Little Captain.
"If there was any snow here I'd wash your face!" cried Betty, her
cheeks flaming more than before--for, be it known, she did not
reciprocate the feeling that "burned in Percy's manly bosom," to quote
the rather jeering remarks of Grace.
"I'd rather Allen would do it," murmured Mollie. "That is, if you will
let him, Betty."
"Let him? Why shouldn't I?" demanded Betty rather sharply, but she
turned her head away, and bit her lips.
"Oh, nothing, only the other night, when you and he went on such a
long walk down the road, I thought perhaps you might have come to
some understanding----"
"Mollie Billette, if you don't stop----!" began Betty, and then the
approach of three young men on their ringing skates forced her to
conclude rather quickly.
"Hello, girls," greeted Will Ford, the brother of the willowy Grace,
"what's doing?" Will was just the opposite of his sister, being rather
short and chunky.
"We're going to have a race," said Betty quickly, perhaps to forestall
any resumption of the embarrassing conversation, now that the subject
of it was present.
"A race!" exclaimed Allen, a rising young lawyer. "May we join in?"
"This is strictly a ladies' relay race," explained Mollie. "You may be
judges, or starters and offer the prizes, though, if you like."
"And the prizes----?" suggested Frank, who was Will's special chum.

"Hot chocolates when we go back to town," said Betty quickly. "I know
Grace will agree."
"Indeed I will," the latter said. "I don't care how much fun you make of
me, but I am cold, and--and----"
"Us 'ikes tandy--don't us!" interrupted Will, mimicking the little twin
brother and sister of Mollie, whose penchant for sweets was only
equalled by the longing of Grace.
"Easy," said Betty softly. "Well, if we're going to race, let's do it. Boys,
you see fair play. It's to be down to the bend and back."
"No, not back!" declared Amy. "I can't do as much as that at top
speed."
"Well, then, just to the bend," agreed Betty, indicating a spot where the
river made a turn, about a mile away.
"We'll skate along," suggested Allen. "It is a bit chilly, and the exercise
will be good for us. Get ready girls. I'm sorry we haven't a pistol to
fire."
"This will do!" exclaimed Will, producing a paper bag. "It had
chocolates in," he added with a sly look at his sister.
"Oh!" she cried.
"Nothing doing!" he added quickly if slangily. "Nothing but crumbs,"
and he proceeded to empty them into his mouth, and then blew up the
bag. "When I burst it--go!" he called.
The sharp report of the exploding bag echoed on the keen, wintry air,
and the four girls glided off on their skates. Mollie and Betty, the two
best skaters, rather hung back, letting the more unskillful Amy and
Grace lead the way. The boys skated together in the rear.
"When are you going to spurt?" called Will, as he saw that the pace was
not increasing much.

"Time enough," replied Betty, narrowly watching her rival, Mollie.
"That isn't skating!" declared Frank with a laugh. "You girls are only
creeping."