"I don't believe I want to coast," said Ruth. "I'm not exactly afraid,
but I don't like it. Let's stay down here and watch them, Nelson."

"You can stay," Nelson answered. "But I want to coast. Sit down on
your sled by this stone and you can watch me coast."

But this didn't please Ruth. She didn't want to be left alone with
only her sled for company. She wanted the boys to stay with her.

"You'll like it when you are used to it," urged Sunny Boy. "Come on,
Ruth, there are ever so many girls coasting. You can steer as well as
that girl in the green coat."

He pointed to a little freckle-faced girl who came down the hill on a
shabby old sled and steered it neatly out of the way of every sled she
met.

"No, I couldn't do that," said Ruth. "But I'll coast with you, Sunny.
I can hang on to you."

Sunny Boy had meant to coast down the hill a few times by himself, for
he had not had a sled last year and he was not sure he knew how to
steer. But, of course, if Ruth had made up her mind to coast with him
on his sled, Sunny Boy felt that there was nothing to do but take her.

"I'll go first! Watch me!" cried Nelson, scrambling up the hill ahead
of them. He plumped himself on his sled, pushed with one foot, and
away he flew down the hill.

"That looks just as easy," said Sunny Boy to himself.