Book Two
The Winter Carnival

Chapter 1

THE WINTER CARNIVAL

“Oh, I’m just so excited about the winter carnival next month! I can’t wait!” Six year old, Betty Holt said, grinning.

“It’ll be here before long, honey,” her eleven year old sister, Pam said, tussling her hair.

Joe, who was twelve, finished tying his tennis shoes on. “Sure will,” he said, smiling. “You two ready?”

“Yes. Where’s Ronnie?” Pam asked.

“Oh, he can’t go. He’s got a stomach ache.”

“Oh. Poor Ronnie,” Betty said.

“Well, we can say bye to him before we leave to ice-skate, though,” Pam said.

They walked out the door. Pam tapped on Ronnie's door. Opening it she poked her head in. “You alright, Ronnie?” She asked.

The eight year old nodded. “I hope I can go ice-skating next time,” he said ruefully.

“It’s alright. I’m sure you will be able to.” With that she walked out, shutting the door behind her. “All ready,” she said to Joe and Betty. The three sibling trooped down the stairs, with Joe in the lead. “Oh, dear, I forgot my mittens!” Pam said, turing around and racing up the stairs. When she came back they walked outside and into the garage. They took their bicycles out and got onto them. With Pam in the lead, they rode down the road several blocks until they came to a lake, frozen to ice from the cold.

“Wahoo!” Betty said, jumping off her bike. Quickly she put her ice-skates
She stepped on the ice warily at first, but before long she was ice-skating as though she had been doing it all her life. Pam and Joe followed her. This wasn’t their first time of ice-skating.

It wasn’t long before Dan Meer, a boy Joes age, walked over, carrying his ice-skates with him.

“Hi, Dan!” Joe and Pam called out in unison. Dan grinned and waved, sitting down to put his ice-skates on. As he walked up, he said, “I stopped by your house before coming here, looking for you, Joe. Your mom said you were here, so I decided to come. But first she said that she wants Betty."

“Aww,” she said disappointedly. She stepped off of the ice and pulled her skates off. “I’ll be seeing you,” she said, riding off on her bike.

Dan stepped onto the ice. The three skated for a while. Suddenly Pam heard someone coming up from behind her. She saw a mischievous smile on her brothers and Dans face. She had a feeling that something was up. She was just turning around when she felt an unexpected tap on her shoulder. In surprise she screamed and lost her balance. Joe, who was closest to her, grabbed her around the waist before she could hit the ice. When she had her balance, she turned around to see Betty, grinning widely. “So, it was you,” she said reproachfully. “I might have guessed, you little imp!”

Suddenly Dan and Joe burst out laughing. “It isn’t funny!” Pam said indignantly, her hands on her hips, though her face showed her play. Stepping a few feet backwards to the end of the ice, she turned around and grabbed a handful of snow. “But this is!” She said, throwing the snowball straight at her brother. Joe tried to duck it, but too late. The snowball hit him smack! In the face.

“Why you little!” He said, grabbing a snowball and throwing it at his sister. It hit her in the leg, and before long a fierce snowball fight had begun. When it was finally over, the sun was setting and it was becoming dark outside. Joe glanced down at his watch. “I guess we need to leave if we want to eat supper.” He sighed.

Dan said the he needed to get home too. They jumped onto their bikes. They waved goodby to Dan as they parted ways.

After putting their bicycles in the garage, they walked inside. Walking into the dining room, they found Ronnie and their parents just about to begin eating. “There you are,” Mr. Holt said, smiling. “How about you praying your heads? We already did.”

After supper, the children walked upstairs to get ready for bed. Betty walked into Pams room with her pajamas on. “How do my teeth look, Pam?” She asked.

“They’re so clean it hurts just to look at them,” Pam replied chuckling.

“Can I sleep with you tonight?”

Pam smiled as she climbed into her bed. “Of course, Betty,” she said.

Betty grinned and jumped on the bed. Betty laid down and pulled the covers over herself.

When the big annual winter carnival which was to happen in the Holts town, Shoreham New York, finally came, Betty jumped out of bed and ran into Pams room. “Pam! Pam! Wake up, Pam!”

Pam turned over sleepily in bed. “What is it?” She asked.

“It’s the winter carnival today!” She said shaking her sister enthusiastically.

“Alright, alright, I’ll wake up if you’ll just stop shaking me!” Pam begged.

Betty grinned. “It’s a deal, Pam.”

Pam climbed out of her bed and dressed. Quickly she walked downstairs. She found her father sitting on the couch reading the morning newspaper. She hugged him good morning and walked into the kitchen. Not finding her mother there, she walked back upstairs. Joe and Ronnie were coming out of their rooms. Betty followed behind. “Did she wake you up, too?” Pam asked.

Joe and Ronnie nodded.

“Oh, and just before lunch time we’ll go!” Betty said clapping her hands together. That morning passed quickly, and before she knew it, everyone was getting ready to leave. As they walked along the road, Betty asked, “daddy, are we going to the winter carnival tomorrow?” The winter carnival lasted for two weeks. There were lots of games, and all of the children n Shoreham came.

Mr. Holt squeezed his youngest childs hand and smiled. “I will tomorrow,” he said, “but you children can go be yourselves the rest of the two weeks. I’d rather not. I have things to do.”

“Oh,” Betty said just as they walked into the playground where the carnival was held every year. Her face brightened when she saw her little playmate, Caroline Gladden, who was six as well as herself. She ran up to her. “Are you excited?” She asked, her cheeks glowing.

“Oh, yes! I just can’t wait!” Her friend replied.

Pam and Joe walked on ahead. “Oh, it’s Juanita Clare!” She said.

After lunch games such as hide-and-seek were played and then by four o’clock everyone left.

“That was such fun.” Betty sighed to Pam as she brushed her hair out that night.

Pam smiled. “It sure was, Betty,” she said. “You looking forward to tomorrow?”

“I sure am! Just think, two whole weeks of all this fun! Oh, Pam, may I sleep with you tonight? Please?”

Pam grinned. “Tell you what. I’ll let you, but first you have to promise not to wake me up like you did this morning. And that goes for Joe and Ronnie, too.”

Betty placed her right hand over her heart, saying at the same time, “I promise, Pamela.”

Pam smiled in a satisfied way, and then the two sister climbed into bed.
“Pam?” Betty asked after the lights had been turned off.

“Yes, Betty?”

“Will you hold my hand?” She asked.

“Why, Betty?”

“Because Im scared,” was the reply.

“Scared?” Pam asked in surprise.

“Um-hm. I’m scared of the gollywoggles.”

“Gollywoggles?”

“Yes, gollywoggles.”

“Are you kidding me?”

Pam heard her little sister chuckle. “Of course I am, Pam.”

“You’re silly.”

“Pam?”

“Hm?”

“Will you say my prayers out loud for me tonight? I’m too tired to pray.”

Pam smiled. “Sure, honey."