Summary

School settles into a routine. Caddie’s biggest thrill is from the Saturday spelling bees, in which she usually remains one of the last standing. Outside of school, the children enjoy the treat of joining their father at the mill at Eau Galle. Tom is an expert skater, but Warren and Caddie make up in daring what they lack in skill. But Caddie pushes just a little too far and crashes through the thin ice. Tom speeds over to where she’s fallen, has Warren lay flat on the ice and grasp Caddie’s arms. Tom pulls, and out pops Caddie. There’s little fanfare regarding the incident, but it has one lasting effect: Caddie catches a cold that keeps her in bed for a week and confined to the house for weeks after that.

Her illness keeps her from doing any Christmas shopping. She had...