Mr.
Bobbsey had, before this, been given a ride with Bert and Tommy, so he
knew the two boys could manage the boat fairly well. Tommy and Bert had
had several rides by themselves. Now they had company.
"Are you all ready?" asked Bert, after he had seen his father and mother,
his sisters and brother, get on board the _Bird_.
"All ready," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "Don't go too fast at first, and take
your mother's breath away."
"I won't!" promised Bert. "Are those two little ones covered up all
right?" he asked, nodding toward Flossie and Freddie.
"Yep! We're as warm as--as popcorn!" cried Flossie.
"With butter on!" added Freddie.
"Well, you certainly ought to be good and warm," laughed Mrs. Bobbsey, as
she tucked the robes closer around the two smaller twins.
"All aboard!" called Bert, and then, moving slowly at first, the ice-boat
glided away from the lumber wharf, skimming over the lake with the entire
Bobbsey family, not counting, of course, fat Dinah and her husband, who
stayed at home. Nor was Snoop, the black cat, along. Snap, the dog, ran a
little way, but when he found the ice-boat was going too fast for him, and
when he noticed that he was slipping too much, he gave a sort of good-bye
howl and went slowly back to shore.
"Isn't this great?" cried Bert, as he steered the ice-boat out into the
middle of the lake.
"Wonderful!" cried Nan, her hair flying in the wind and her cheeks almost
as red as roses.
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