“Where do you suppose he is?” asked Socker, after they had discovered Harry’s absence.
“Probably afraid to show his head,” commented Misery. “I don’t think I’d care to exhibit myself to my school-fellows under such conditions.”
“But Jerry and Paul aren’t here, either,” asserted another boy.
“The three of them are off together somewhere, I suppose,” suggested Pud.
“Or else they’re waiting until school begins, to sneak in,” commented Elmer.
But in ignorance of all the cruel things that were being said about him, Harry was at the river with his chums, busily helping Paul rig up his iceboat.
Being new, there was no end of fussing and readjusting to be done before the Lightning was ready for her initial spin; and the three lads were in the act of making a final test of her ropes, when a crowd of the boys and girls rushed down to the river for their daily frolic on the ice after school—and among them were Elmer and Pud.
“Who’s iceboat is that?” demanded the bully, as he caught sight of the rangy looking craft, some half mile up the river.
“Must belong to some one from Lumberport or Cardell,” returned Elmer. “It’s a new one, that’s easy to see. Let’s skate out and look her over. If she’s any good, I’ll rig up the Glider and we’ll have some races.”
Readily the other boys agreed to the suggestion, and as soon as they had adjusted their skates, they dashed out over the smooth, clear ice.