"Bill's an ass!" said the Gardener, and put his heavy foot cautiously on the ice. Just then there was seen jumping across it a creature which certainly had never been seen on ice before. It made the most extraordinary bounds on its long hind legs, with its little fore legs tucked up in front of it as if it wanted to carry a muff; and its long, stiff tail sticking out straight behind, to balance it itself with apparently. The children at first started with surprise, and then burst out laughing, for it was the funniest creature, and had the funniest way of getting along, that they had ever seen in their lives. "It's the kangaroo!" said Gardener, in great excitement. "It has got loose--and it's sure to be lost--and what a way Mr. Giles will be in! I must go and tell him. Or stop, I'll try and catch it." But in vain--it darted once or twice across the ice, dodging him, as it were; and once coming so close that he nearly caught it by the tail--to the children's great delight--then it vanished entirely. "I must go and tell Mr. Giles directly," said Gardener, and then stopped. For he had promised not to leave the children; and it was such a wild-goose chase, after an escaped kangaroo. But he might get half a crown as a reward, and he was sure of another glass of cider. "You just stop quiet here, and I'll be back in five minutes," said he to the children. "You may go a little way on the ice--I think it's sound enough; only mind you don't tumble in, for there'll be nobody to pull you out." "Oh no," said the children, clapping their hands. They did not care for tumbling in, and were quite glad there was nobody there to pull them out. They hoped Gardener would stop a very long time away--only, as some one suggested when he was seen hurrying across the snowy field, he had taken away their lunch in his pocket, too. Off they darted, the three elder boys, with a good run; the biggest of the girls followed after them; and soon the whole four were skimming one after the other, as fast as a railway train, across the slippery ice. And, like a railway train, they had a collision, and all came tumbling one over the other, with great screaming and laughing, to the high bank on the other side. The two younger ones stood mournfully watching the others from the opposite bank--when there stood beside them a small brown man. "Ho-ho! little people," said he, coming between them and taking hold of a hand of each. His was so warm and theirs so cold, that it was quite comfortable. And then, somehow, they found in their mouths a nice lozenge--I think it was peppermint, but am not sure; which comforted them still more. "Did you want me to play with you?" cried the Brownie; "then here I am. What shall we do? Have a turn on the ice together?"