felt all the bounding pulse of life.
This day was the twenty-fourth of December.

School had closed in order to give the Gridley youngsters a free hand on the last day before Christmas.
The river had been frozen in fine condition for more than a week.

Not more than four inches of snow had fallen, but all the boys knew that the season gave promise of more snow ere long.
As Dick & Co.

skated along the number of other skaters became fewer.

At last they reached a part of the river where they had the ice all to themselves.
"There's Payson's orchard, Greg," sang out Dave Darrin.