198 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICAN.S 



of the hot porridge with their spoons, as eagerly as 

 Dominique and Phonse. 



" Isn't it good ? " said Rap, as he neared the bottom 

 of the howl. "Scrape, scrape, scrape," said Nat's 

 spoon for answer. 



» * « * * 



The boys were ver}- much disappointed at the con- 

 dition of tlie snow that morning. The wind had blown 

 all night and drifted it so badly that the hills Avere 

 quite bare, and coasting was impossible, while some of 

 the little liollows were full. 



" In my day coasting never amounted to anything 

 before Christmas," said the Doctor ; "these early snow 

 flurries seldom lie evenly. One thing, Nat, if Nez will 

 lend you a pair of snow-shoes and show you how to use 

 tliem, you can practise nicely down there at the foot of 

 the slope." 



" I should think I could walk on them without being 

 taught liow," said Nat. "The snow-shoes Toinette 

 showed nie yesterday looked something like tennis 

 rackets with tue loops and ankle-ties to keep them on. 

 Sliding along with them would be just as easy as any- 

 thing." 



" So you think. If you succeed in walking ten steps 

 on them to-day, you shall have a pair of your own. We 

 seldom have snow, down at the farm, deep enough to 

 make such tilings necessar}-, though you might find 

 them useful in going to school some morning after a 

 storm before the roads are broken," said jNIr. Blake, 

 looking at the Doctor with a twinkle in his eye, which 

 however Nat did not notice. 



Soon they went out to the shed to have a more par- 



