The Bobbsey Twins at Snow Lodge

  CHAPTER XI

  MAKING PLANS

  "Are you sure this is so--is Danny Rugg really going up to the woodsnear Snow Lodge?" asked Bert of Charley, after a pause.

  "That's what Frank Smith told me," replied Charley, "and you know Frankand Danny are great chums."

  "That's so. Well, if Danny doesn't bother us we won't make any troublefor him," said Bert. "Still, I'd rather he would go somewhere else."

  "If Mr. Rugg is going up to see about having lumber cut," said Nan, "Iguess there won't be much fun for Danny. Maybe he won't bother us atall."

  "He will if he gets a chance," declared her brother. "Danny's just thatkind. But we'll wait and see."

  Bert, Nan and Charley talked for some time longer about the trip to SnowLodge, and then, as it was getting nearly time for dinner, they skateddown the lake toward their homes.

  "How are you folks going up to the lodge?" asked Charley, before partingfrom Bert and Nan.

  "Oh, I guess father will take one of his big lumber sleds and drive usall up," replied Bert. "We'll have to take along lots of things to eat,for it's a good ways to the store, and we might get snowed in."

  "That's right," said Charley. "But say, why don't you and Freddie go upin our ice-boat, the _Ice Bird_? It isn't much of a run to Snow Lodge, onthe lake, and it's good going now."

  "I never thought of that!" exclaimed Bert. "I wonder if father would letus?"

  "You can ask him," said Nan. "I'd like to skate up, if it wasn't so far.But I don't believe it would be safe to take Freddie on the ice-boat,Bert. He's so little, and so easily excited that he might tumble out."

  "That's right. And yet it will be no fun to sail it alone. I wish youcould go with me, Charley."

  "I wish I could, but I don't see how I can. My folks are going to mygrandmother's for a couple of weeks. Otherwise I'd be glad to go."

  "Well, maybe my father will sail in the ice-boat with me," spoke Bert."I guess I'll ask him."

  Bert and Nan had much to talk about as they skated on, having biddenCharley good-bye, and their conversation was mostly about the new idea ofgetting to Snow Lodge on the ice.

  "I don't want to skate alone, any more than you want to go in theice-boat alone," said Nan. "But maybe mamma and papa will let us invitesome of our friends to spend a week or so at Snow Lodge with us. Then itwould be all right."

  "It surely would," said Bert.

  The Christmas dinner at the Bobbsey home was a jolly affair, and whileit was being eaten Bert spoke to his father about the ice-boat.

  "Do you think it will carry you to the upper end of the lake?" asked Mr.Bobbsey with a smile, for Bert and Charley had made the boat themselves,with a little help. Though it was a home-made affair, Bert was as proudof it as though a large sum had been spent for it.

  "Of course it will carry us to Snow Lodge," he said. "There would beroom for four or five on it, if the wind was strong enough to carry usto the head of the lake. But I don't want to go alone, Father. Could youcome?"

  "I'm afraid not," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll have to go in the big sledwith your mother, and the provisions. We're going to take Dinah and Samalong, you know. Can't you ask some of your boy friends? I guess there'sroom enough at the Lodge."

  "That's just what I'll do!" exclaimed Bert "I'll see who of the boys cango."

  "And may I ask Grace Lavine or Nellie Parks?" inquired Nan. "We couldskate up, or go part way in the ice-boat with the boys."

  "I think so," said Mrs. Bobbsey.

  "I know who you could take on the ice-boat," said Freddie, passing hisplate for more turkey.

  "Who?" asked Bert.

  "Dinah!" cried the little fellow. "She would be so heavy that shecouldn't roll off, and if the ice-boat started to blow away she'd be asgood as an anchor."

  "That's right!" cried Nan. "Dinah, did you hear what Freddie is planningfor you?" she asked as the fat cook came in with the plum pudding.

  "I 'clar t' goodness I neber knows what dat ar' chile will be up tonext!" exclaimed Dinah with a laugh. "But if he am plannin' to squirtany mo' fire injun water on me I's gwine t' run away, dat's what I is!"

  They all laughed at this, Dinah joining in, and then Freddie explainedwhat he had said.

  "No, sah! Yo' don't cotch me on no ice-cream boat!" declared Dinah."I'll go in a sled, but I ain't gwine t' fall down no hole in de ice andbe bit by a fish! No, sah!"

  There was more laughter, and then the plum pudding was served. Freddiebegged that Snoop and Snap be given an extra good dinner, on account ofit being Christmas, and Dinah promised to see to this.

  Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey discussed the plans for going to Snow Lodge. Theyagreed that Bert and Nan, if they wished, might each ask a friend, forthe old farmhouse in the woods on the edge of the lake contained manyrooms. It was completely furnished, all that was needed being food.

  "So if you young folks want to skate or ice-boat up the lake I see noobjection," said Mr. Bobbsey. "The rest of us will go in a big sled."

  "Couldn't I go in the ice-boat?" asked Freddie. "I'm getting big. I'malmost in the first reader book."

  "We're going so fast your fire engine might be lost overboard," saidBert with a smile, and that was enough for his little brother. He didn'twant that to happen for the world, so he gave up the plan of going onthe _Ice Bird_.

  "I don't like the idea of that Danny Rugg going to be near us," saidMrs. Bobbsey to her husband, when Bert had told this news. "He's sure tomake trouble."

  "Perhaps not," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Bert generally manages to hold his ownwhen Danny bothers him."

  "Yes, I know. But it always makes hard feelings. I do wish Danny wasn'tgoing up there."

  "Well, the woods are open, and we can't stop him," said Mr. Bobbsey,with a smile. The children had gone out to play, and the house was quietonce more.

  "There is a great deal to do to get ready," went on Mrs. Bobbsey. "But Ithink the trip will do us all good. I only hope none of us take cold."

  "Don't worry," advised her husband. "I'll see Mr. Carford, and have thefires made up a couple of days before we arrive. That will make thehouse good and warm, and dry it out."

  They talked over the various things they had to do in order to maketheir stay at Snow Lodge pleasant, and then went out to call on somefriends.

  That afternoon Bert and Nan extended the invitation to Snow Lodge to anumber of their boy and girl friends, explaining how they were going tomake the trip on skates or on the ice-boat.

  But one after another declined. Either their parents had made otherplans for spending the Christmas holidays, or they did not think it wiseto let their children go off in the woods.

  Bert asked a number of boys he knew, but none of them could go, andGrace Lavine, Nellie Parks, and many other girls to whom Nan spoke, madeexcuses.

  "I guess we'll have to give up the ice-boat plan," said Bert,regretfully that night to Nan. "No one seems able to go. Will you riskit with me, Nan?"

  "I wouldn't be afraid," she answered. "If mamma and papa will let meI'll sail in the _Ice Bird_ with you."

  "Then we'll go that way!" cried Bert. But the next day somethingoccurred that made a change in the plans of the Bobbsey twins.