ten in the morning
By the end of the day everybody declared that never was known so perfect a first day of skating . Most of the party , except the more practised skaters , were not a little stiff and sore from the exertions and tumbles . Ellis could scarcely move a limb , and Frank declared that he felt as if he had been fighting away the whole day . They had , indeed , been on their feet from half-past ten in the morning till nearly dark . The next day much the same scenes were enacted . After luncheon , a jingling of bells was heard , and young Hotspur appeared , drawing an elegant American sleigh . John Bracebridge , who was driving , dashed fearlessly on to the ice .