A weak reply came from Holly Y yes A weak reply came from Holly Y yes A weak reply came from Holly Y she stammered All at once a grin covered Pete’s face He bent down and whispered in his younger brother’s ear Ricky grinned too Th en hunching low he tiptoed in a wide circle around behind the snowman Come out of there Gramp We know you he called Hearing this the other three dashed to the back of the snowman to see Ricky pulling a chuckling man in storm coat and fur cap from a hiding place scooped out of the big ball Grandfather Hollister was lean and rugged He had a straight nose and a humorous smile As he hugged his grandchildren he said Hope you didn’t mind my fi n ishing your snowman and playing a joke on you We loved it said Pam Oh I’m so glad you came When did you get here Th is morning just after you left for school How long are you staying Holly asked For a few days Gram and I are on our way to Quebec to see the Winter Carnival Th ought we’d come fi rst to see you Where’s Gram Holly asked looking around As she spoke Mrs Hollister dressed in a heavy coat stepped onto the porch She was followed by Sue looking middle and a young-looking middle aged woman with a round looking face and happy smile Gram Gram the children shouted in unison as they ran toward her She was nearly knocked over by the enthusiastic hugs and kisses of her grandchildren 11
Mr Hollister’s parents now retired lived in Froston Canada where they owned a group of cottages they rented to winter sportsmen Th ey had left their place in charge of an assistant so they could take the trip What’s Kee-beck asked Sue A famous city said Gramp We want to visit it now to see the Mardi Gras Gramp and the children took off their boots on the porch and entered the house Tell us more about the Quebec carnival Ricky begged Gramp Hollister sat down in an easy chair At once Holly and Ricky climbed onto his lap Well Gramp began the carnival has a mascot named Bonhomme Carnaval He’s a giant snowman who walks about the streets greeting people A talking snowman Pete chuckled Is that how you got the idea for our talking snowman Th at was it Gramp admitted laughing But there’s much more to the Quebec carnival Gram Hollister spoke up Th e parade of fl oats on the fi nal night is beautiful and the carnival queen with her duchesses rides through the snowy streets Don’t forget the canoe race across the St Lawrence River Gramp continued Th is intrigued the girls as well as the boys When questioned about it Gramp said that long canoes manned by fi ve contestants raced across the ice-fi lled St Lawrence from Quebec to Levis on the other side 12
asked noes up and over the ice into clear water But what if the chunks of ice get in the way Ricky Gramp said that the expert rivermen pulled the ca Oh boy I’d love to see that Pete remarked After the children’s mother served hot cocoa and cookies tom-boy Holly spoke up Let’s have a snow boy Holly spoke up Let’s have a snow boy ball war Okay Gramp said and hurried outside with all his grandchildren except Sue Gramp took a position behind a tall oak tree with Ricky and Holly at his side Pete and Pam chose the shelter of a low bush and all began to make light fl uff y snowballs as fast as they could When the two piles had been completed Ricky cried out Ready aim fi re Th e air was fi lled with snowballs whizzing back and forth A piece of snow went down Holly’s neck but she merely giggled and tossed the ammunition even faster At the height of the battle a station wagon came into the driveway directly in the line of fi re It’s Daddy it’s Daddy Pam cried out Cease fi re everybody At the wheel of the car sat an athletic-looking man looking man looking with a friendly smile Mr Hollister ran Th e Trading Post in Shoreham It was a combination hardware toy and sporting goods shop Th e children’s father stopped the car and got out As he did Pam cried Look out Dad A large hard snowball whizzed through the air and knocked off Mr Hollister’s hat 13
