It had been growing colder all the afternoon, and continued to do so very rapidly through the night.

The next morning at the breakfast table some of the lads announced, with great glee that the lakelet was frozen over; the ice so thick and solid that it was perfectly safe for skating in every part.
The news caused quite a flurry of pleasurable excitement among the younger ones of the company.
"I move that we spend the morning there," said Zoe.
"How many of us have skates, I wonder ?" "You have I think, have you not ?" said Edward.
"Yes; yours and mine are both in good order; I examined them only the other day." The captain asked how many knew how to use skates, and from the replies it seemed that all the lads had been more or less accustomed to their use, some of the girls also.

Zoe had had quite a good deal of practice before her marriage, a little since.
The winters were usually too mild in this part of the country to give much opportunity for that kind of exercise.

She was therefore the more eager to avail herself of this one; for she was very fond of the sport.
Edward, Harold, and Herbert were all in the mood to join her in it and were prepared to do so; and Rosie and Max too were equally fortunate; but most of the others had come without skates.
But that difficulty could be easily remedied; their homes were not far off, nor was the village, with its stores where such things could be bought.

It was decided to despatch messengers for the needed supplies.
"Papa," said Lulu, "may they get a pair for me?
I'd like to learn to skate." He turned to her with an indulgent smile.