Finding nothing in any of these localities to meet his need, his eye suddenly brightened, as, with the air of a fellow who knew what he was about, he took off his cap, and, removing the tattered lining, adjusted it in a smooth pad over the top of Gretel's worn-out shoe.
"Now," he cried triumphantly, at the same time arranging the strings as briskly as his benumbed fingers would allow, "can you bear some pulling?"
Gretel drew up her lips as if to say, "Hurt away," but made no further response.
In another moment they were laughing together, as, hand in hand, they flew along the canal, never thinking whether the ice would bear or not; for in Holland ice is generally an all-winter affair. It settles itself upon the water in a determined kind of way; and, so far from growing thin and uncertain every time the sun is a little severe upon it, it gathers its forces day by day, and flashes defiance to every beam.
Presently squeak, squeak! sounded something beneath Hans' feet. Next his strokes grew shorter, ending ofttimes with a jerk, and, finally, he lay sprawling upon the ice, kicking against the air with many a fantastic flourish.
"Ha, ha!" laughed Gretel, "that was a fine tumble!" But a tender heart was beating under her coarse blue jacket; and, even as she laughed, she came, with a graceful sweep, close to her prostrate brother.
"Are you hurt, Hans? Oh, you are laughing! catch me now!" And she darted away, shivering no longer, but with cheeks all aglow, and eyes sparkling with fun.
Hans sprang to his feet, and started in brisk pursuit; but it was no easy thing to catch Gretel. Before she had travelled very far, her skates, too, began to squeak.
Believing that discretion was the better part of valor, she turned suddenly, and skated into her pursuer's arms.
