“Ruth—Ruth is in the water!” gasped Phil, for he too saw now that his sister was missing.
“And Miss Tyler!” added Frank.
Then, without another word, the four boys skated on as they had never skated before, not even when a race was to be won—or lost. Tom gave a glance back, and saw Shambler heading for the shore. A fierce wave of anger swept over him, but he said nothing to his chums of the apparent act of cowardice.
“Is she there? Holding on to the ice? Are they both there, girls?” gasped Phil, as he covered the intervening distance between himself and the two frightened girls.
“Oh, boys, hurry!” called Mabel. “They are both holding on to the ice, but they can’t last much longer. It’s cracking all the while. We tried to go near, but it bends with us!”
“Keep back! Keep back!” shouted Tom. “Don’t you two go in. Fence rails, fellows! Fence rails are what we need!”
He and the others skated near enough to see the two girlish figures in the water, clinging to the ragged edges of the icy hole.
“Ruth! Ruth! Can you hold on a little longer?” gasped Phil.
“Ye-e-e-s!” was the shivering answer.