"Well, I'm telling you now," said Will. "It is a second-hand one, and used to belong to the Chacalott Club, down the river. They bought a new one for racing purposes, and Allen heard of the chance to get this one. He told me, I told Frank, Frank told--told----" "Oh, spare us the horrible details!" protested Grace. "Where do we come in?" "In the ice boat, of course. Where else did you expect?" and Will grinned at her like a Cheshire cat. "Provoking!" murmured Grace. "Do go on." "Yes, do," urged Mollie. "We've got so much to do yet!" "Well, as I said, we have a big, roomy ice boat," went on Will. "It isn't as comfortable as your _Gem_, Betty, and has no cabin." "No cabin!" cried Amy. "I thought all boats had to have cabins." "An ice boat is like a pair of stilts, crossed," explained Will. "There's no room for a cabin, but there is a sort of cockpit on this one. It will hold ten when they aren't spilled out on the way." "Spilled out?" queried Mollie. "That sounds interesting." "It is--when you're not spilled," said Will. "You see in a stiff breeze the ice boat sort of rears up on its hind legs, like an auto going around a curve on two wheels, and there the spilling begins. "As I said, the cockpit of the _Spider_ will hold about ten comfortably, and if half spill out, why so much the more comfort for those who succeed in holding themselves in." "But what about us?" asked Grace. "Oh, we'll hold you in," volunteered Will, cheerfully. "No, I mean do you really intend for us to use it to go to camp?" insisted his sister. "I sure do. It's a dandy boat--the _Spider_, and----" "_Spider!_" exclaimed Betty with a little shiver. "What possessed you to take such a name?" "It looks like a water bug--the ice is not far removed from water. Hence _Spider_. Do you get me--or the spider?" "Oh, you boys!" sighed Grace. "Girls, shall we consider it--the ice boat?" "It will be just the proper caper," said Will. "We can take you all up in one load, and your suit cases, too. Trunks can go by express. Then we can stay a week or so with you in the cabin, and----" "You can stay--you boys--who said so?" demanded Grace a bit defiantly. "Dad. I asked him. There are several furnished cabins there, and we can use one, he said. Oh, don't worry, we won't bother you," and he glared at his sister. Grace and Will did not get along any better than the average brother and sister, it will be noted. "I think it would be nice," spoke gentle Amy, hastening to pour oil on troubled waters. "It wouldn't be quite so lonesome--with the boys there." "Bless you for saying that!" exclaimed Will, with mock heroics. "You shall be doubly repaid. We'll see that you are never alone, Amy." She blushed, but did not seem displeased. "And as we boys are going anyhow," went on Will, "you girls can come in the ice boat, or not, just as you choose. I only thought I'd offer it." "It's kind of you," declared Mollie. "I think ice boating would be lovely," vouchsafed Betty.