If Ruth Fielding’s eyes were
a bit red when the wagonette finally came to the landing,
nobody would have suspected her of crying. Least
of all Tom Cameron, for she jumped down with a glad
cry when she saw him, and dropped her skates and shook
both his hands in a most cordial greeting.
“Helen hinted that you might
be here, Tom, but I could hardly believe it,”
she said.
“We want to hurry and catch
up with them,” he said. Some of the girls
were already on the ice. “We’d better
go.”
But the other girls had alighted,
and following them came Miss Reynolds. Now,
Ruth liked Miss Reynolds very much, but the teacher
came towards them, looking rather grave.
“This is Helen Cameron’s
brother Tom, Miss Reynolds,” said Ruth.
“He attends the Seven Oaks Military Academy.”
“I see,” said the teacher,
quietly. “And where is Miss Cameron?”
“She has gone on with Bob Steele
and his sister,” explained Tom, seeing instantly
that all was not right. “You see, some
of us fellows got permission to come over here to
Triton Lake to-day. Mr. Hargreaves, one of our
tutors, is with us.”
“I know Mr. Hargreaves,”
said Miss Reynolds. “But I had no warning nor
had Mrs. Tellingham, I believe that any
of the young gentlemen from Major Parradel’s
school were to be here.”
“Well, it will make it all the
nicer, I am sure,” Tom suggested, with his winning
smile. “We’ll all all
us fellows, I mean try to behave our prettiest,
Miss Reynolds.”
“Undoubtedly you will be on
your good behavior,” said the teacher, drily.
But Tom and Ruth could not hurry on
ahead now. Miss Reynolds walked sedately with
them down to the landing. By that time Mary Cox
and most of the Upedes were on the ice and
they were joined by all the boys but Tom. The
Fox had laid her plans well.
Mr. Hargreaves skated back to shake
hands with Miss Reynolds. “This is a surprise,”
he said. “I am sure I did not expect to
find you and your young ladies here, Miss Reynolds.”
“Are you sure that the meeting
is quite unexpected by both parties?”
she returned, with a grave smile. “If we
are surprised, Mr. Hargreaves, I fancy that our young
charges may have been rather better informed in advance
than we were.”
The gentleman shrugged his shoulders.
“I give that up!” he said. “It
may be. I see you have your hands full here.
Shall I take my er my remaining
young man away with me?” he asked, looking aside
at Tom, who was already fastening Ruth’s skates.
“Oh, no,” said Miss Reynolds,
grimly. “I’ll make use of him!”
And she most certainly did.
Tom was anxious to get Ruth away at once so that they
could catch up with the foremost skaters; but he could
not refuse to aid her teacher. And then there
were others of the girls to help. They were
all on the ice before Master Tom could get his own
skates on.
Then there was a basket to carry,
and of course Tom could not see the teacher or one
of the girls carry it. He took it manfully.
Then Miss Reynolds gave Ruth her hand and skated
with her, and Master Tom was fain to skate upon Ruth’s
other hand. And so they went on slowly, while
the lively crowd ahead drew farther and farther away.
It was not an unpleasant journey out across the smooth
lake, however, and perhaps the party who had but one
boy for escort had just as pleasant a time in many
respects as those in advance.
Ruth made her friend acquainted with
all the Sweetbriars who were present and whispered
to him how he had really named the new Briarwood society.
That vastly tickled Tom and he made himself just as
agreeable to the girls as he knew how. Miss
Reynolds was no wet blanket on the fun, either, and
she was as good a skater as Tom himself. Ruth
had improved greatly, and before they reached the
frost-bound Minnetonka the teacher relieved
Tom of his basket and told him to give the girl from
the Red Mill a lesson in skating with a partner practice
which she sorely needed.
It was spirited indeed to fly over
the ice, guided by Tom’s sure foot and hand.
They described a great curve and came back to Miss
Reynolds and the other girls, who progressed more
sedately. Then Tom gave his hands to two of
the older girls and with their arms stretched at full
length the trio went careening over the ice on the
“long roll” in a way that made Ruth, looking
on with shining eyes, fairly hold her breath.
“It’s wonderful!”
she cried, when the three came back, glowing with the
exercise. “Do you suppose I can ever learn
that, Tom?”
“Why, Ruthie, you’re so
sure of yourself on the skates that I believe I could
teach you to roll very easily. If Miss Reynolds
will allow me?”
“Go on, Master Tom,” the
teacher said, laughing. “But don’t
go too far away. We are nearing the boat now.”
The first party that had struck out
from the shore had all arrived at the ice-bound Minnetonka
now, and many of them were skating in couples thereabout.
At the stern of the steamboat was an open place in
the ice, for Ruth and Tom could see the water sparkling.
There was little wind, but it was keen; the sun was
quite warm and the exercise kept the skaters from
feeling the cold.
“Hullo!” exclaimed Tom
to Ruth, as they began to get into good stroke for
the girl was an apt pupil “who is
that old Bobbins has got under his wing?”
“Who is Bobbins?” asked Ruth, with a laugh.
“My bunkie that’s what we call
our chums at Seven Oaks. Bob Steele.”
“Madge Steele’s brother?”
“Yes. And no end of a
good fellow,” declared Tom. “But,
my aunt! don’t his sister rig him, though?
Asked old Bobbins if he had the croup?” and
Tom went off into a burst of laughter.
“Do you mean the tall, light-haired boy?”
Ruth queried.
“Yes. They’re skating
back toward the steamboat now see, towards
the stern.”
“That is Mary Cox with your friend,” said
Ruth, a little gravely.
“Hullo!” ejaculated Tom, again.
He started ahead at full clip, bearing
Ruth on with him. Something had happened to
the couple Tom and Ruth had noticed. They swerved
to one side and suddenly Bob Steele went down.
“His skate’s broke!”
erred Tom. “Hope old Bobbins isn’t
hurt. Great Scott! the girl’s with him!”
Mary Cox had indeed fallen.
For a moment the two figures, flung by the momentum
of their pace, slid over the ice. There came
a wild shout from those nearer the boat then
a splash!
“They’re in the water!” cried Ruth,
in horror.
She retarded Tom very little, but
dashed forward, keeping in stroke with him.
She heard Tom whisper:
“Poor old Bobbins! he’ll be drowned!”
“No, no, Tom! We can get to them,”
gasped Ruth.
Indeed, she and her escort were the
nearest to the open place in the lake into which Bob
Steele and Mary Cox had fallen. If anybody in
sight could help the victims of the accident Tom and
Ruth could!