Chapter I. The Catastrophe

“Clearthelulla!”wasthegeneralcryonabrightDecemberafternoon,whenalltheboysandgirlsofHarmonyVillagewereoutenjoyingthefirstgoodsnowoftheseason.Upanddownthreelongcoaststheywentasfastaslegsandsledscouldcarrythem.Onesmoothpathledintothemeadow,andherethelittlefolkcongregatedonesweptacrossthepond,whereskatersweredartingaboutlikewater-bugsandthethird,fromtheverytopofthesteephill,endedabruptlyatarailfenceonthehighbankabovetheroad.Therewasagroupofladsandlassessittingorleaningonthisfencetorestafteranexcitingrace,and,astheyreposed,theyamusedthemselveswithcriticisingtheirmates,stillabsorbedinthismostdelightfulofout-doorsports. “HerecomesFrankMinot,lookingassolemnasajudge,”criedone,asatallfellowofsixteenspunby,withasetlookaboutthemouthandakeensparkleoftheeyes,fixedonthedistantgoalwithado-or-dieexpression. “Here'sMollyLoo AndlittleBoo!” sangoutanotheranddowncameagirlwithflyinghair,carryingasmallboybehindher,sofatthathisshortlegsstuckoutfromthesides,andhisroundfacelookedoverhershoulderlikeafullmoon. “There'sGusBurtondoesn'thegoit?”andsuchaverylongboywhizzedby,thatitlookedalmostasifhisheelswereatthetopofthehillwhenhisheadwasatthebottom! “HurrahforEdDevlin!”andageneralshoutgreetedasweet-facedlad,withalaughonhislips,afinecoloronhisbrowncheek,andagaywordforeverygirlhepassed. “LauraandLottykeeptothesafecoastintothemeadow,andMollyLooistheonlygirlthatdarestotrythislongonetothepond.Iwouldn'tfortheworldtheicecan'tbestrongyet,thoughitiscoldenoughtofreezeone'snoseoff,”saidatimiddamsel,whosathuggingapostandscreamingwheneveramischievousladshookthefence. “No,sheisn'there'sJackandJillgoinglikefury.” “Clearthetrack ForjollyJack!” sangtheboys,whohadrhymesandnicknamesfornearlyeveryone. Downcameagayredsled,bearingaboywhoseemedallsmileandsunshine,sowhitewerehisteeth,sogoldenwashishair,sobrightandhappyhiswholeair.Behindhimclungalittlegypsyofagirl,withblackeyesandhair,cheeksasredasherhood,andafacefulloffunandsparkle,asshewavedJack'sbluetippetlikeabannerwithonehand,andheldonwiththeother. “JillgoeswhereverJackdoes,andheletsher.He'ssuchagood-naturedchap,hecan'tsay'No.'” “Toagirl,”slylyaddedoneoftheboys,whohadwishedtoborrowtheredsled,andhadbeenpolitelyrefusedbecauseJillwantedit. “He'sthenicestboyintheworld,forhenevergetsmad,”saidthetimidyounglady,recallingthemanytimesJackhadshieldedherfromtheterrorswhichbesetherpathtoschool,intheshapeofcows,dogs,andboyswhomadefacesandcalledher“'Fraid-cat.” “Hedoesn'tdaretogetmadwithJill,forshe'dtakehisheadoffintwominutesifhedid,”growledJoeFlint,stillsmartingfromtherebukeJillhadgive