that you don't get upon weak
ice."

Lumley waved his hand as he spoke, and I shot swiftly away over the
glassy lake.

Oh! it was a glorious burst, that first dash over an apparently
illimitable sheet of water, for, although small for an American lake,
the opposite shore of Wichikagan was so far-off as to appear dim and
low, while, in one direction, the sky and water met at the horizon, so
that I enjoyed the romantic feeling of, as it were, skating out to sea!
The strength of youth thrilled in every nerve and muscle; the vigour of
health and life coursed in every vein. I felt, just then, as if
exhaustion were impossible. The ice was so smooth that there was no
sensation of roughness under foot to tell of a solid support. The swift
gliding motion was more like the skimming of the swallow than the
skating of a man. The smallest impulse sent me shooting ahead with an
ease that almost surprised me. In sensation, as well as in appearance,
I was rushing over a surface of water in which the sun was reflected
with a brilliancy that quite dazzled me. I became almost wild with
delight. Indeed I grew reckless, and gave a sort of leap--with what
intent I know not--which caused the back of my head to smite the ice and
my body to proceed fifty yards or more on its back, with the legs in the
air and a starry constellation corruscating in the brain!

Considerably sobered by this, I arose and cut the figure of eight
thoughtfully for five minutes. After this I resumed my rapid pace,
which I kept up until the necessity of pausing to recover breath
impressed me. Making a wide circle outwards with my left leg in the air
and my right hand pointed to the sky in the most approved manner, I
gradually caused the circle to diminish until I came to a stand.

Looking back, I saw Fort Wichikagan like a mere speck on the horizon.
In the opposite direction the lake still presented a limitless horizon.
On either side the distant shores marked, but could hardly be said to
bound, the view, while, closer at hand, the islets were reflected in the
ice as clearly as if it had been water. I felt as if standing on a
liquid ocean. Once more a bounding sense of joyous freedom and strength
filled me. The starry corruscations had vanished. The bump on the back
of my head had ceased to grieve me. Away I went again like--but words
fail me. Imagery and description avail nothing when the indescribable
is reached!

After an hour of this enjoyment I