42 FOUB-FOOTED AMERICANS 



Nattie? I am, and all dressed." Bang. ''My boots 

 laced to the veiy top, and my teeth cleaned with 

 powder.'' Bang, bang, bang ! Lacing her boots and 

 cleaning her teeth were nsually two w^eak spots in 

 Dodo's toilet, and the fact that she had done both so 

 early in the morning made Nat feel sure that some- 

 thing unusual was afoot. 



" Yes, Tm up," said Nat, " and FU be ready in a 

 minute." 



" Fatlier says, put on your thick very old clothes, 

 and the old boots with the scraped skin." 



" Where are Ave going ? Was there a big frost ? " 

 spluttered Nat, straggling with his sponge full of water. 



"Uncle Roy said he would tell when we are all 

 dressed. I can't seem to make Olive hurry one bit, 

 and breakfast will be at seven, and it's a quarter to, 

 now. Only look out, and you'll see what kind of a 

 frost there was," — and Nat could hear the squeak and 

 flop that she made as she slid down the bannisters and 

 landed on the rug at the foot of the stairs. 



He Aviped off the frost Avith his towel and looked 

 out. Near the house everything Avas glittering Avith 

 diamonds, for Jack Frost had only fingered tlie nearby 

 things, but doAvn in the Ioav pasture by the spring the 

 blackened ferns showed Avhere he had Avalked Avith his 

 heaviest boots. There Avas quite a commotion and 

 bustle over by the barns. The long market wagon 

 Avith all three seats scrcAved in place Avas pulled out of 

 its shed, and Rod Avas putting bundles of straAV in the 

 bottom. ^Mysterious baskets stood about, and in one 

 Nat thought he saAv a tea-kettle. Who Avas that man 

 in a queer furry-looking cap, thick short coat, and leg- 



