it gently until it stood on the
edge of the hole. Giving one end of the muffler to Julia, Grace took the
other herself.

"Catch hold of the tail piece, Tom," she cried.

Fortunately the ice was very rough where the girls were standing, or they
would certainly have slipped and fallen. They pulled and tugged until
gradually the ice in front of them, with Tom's additional weight on it,
instead of breaking began to sink. But Tom Gray was out of the hole now;
helped by the wagon he slipped easily along the half-submerged ice, then
finally rolled over with a cry of relief upon the firm surface.

In the same way they pulled out the deaf and dumb man, who had certainly
been brave and patient during the ordeal, although he had uttered the most
fearful sounds.

As soon as his feet touched the solid ice, he seized his wagon and made
for the bank. Grace, remembering she had promised him her ring, hurried
after him, but she was chilled to the bone and could not run. By the time
she reached the bank he had rounded the corner of the ice house and was
out of sight.

"He evidently doesn't care to be thanked," said Tom Gray as Grace returned
to where he and Julia stood waiting.

"We had better get home as soon as possible or we'll all be laid up with
colds."

The three half-frozen young people made their way home as best they could.
Their clothes had frozen stiff, making it impossible for them to hurry.
Julia Crosby said not a word during the walk, but when she left them at
the corner where she turned into her own street, she said huskily: "Thank
you both for what you did for me to-day, I owe my life to you."

"That was a whole lot for her to say," said Grace.

"She ought to be grateful," growled Tom. "She was the cause of all this
mess," pointing to his wet clothes.

"I believe she will be," said Grace softly, "After all, 'It's an ill wind
that blows no one good.'"

Grace's mother was justly horrified when Grace, in her bedraggled
condition, walked into the living room. She insisted on putting her to
bed, wrapping her in blankets and giving her hot drinks. Grace fell into a
sound sleep from which she did not awaken until evening. Then she rose,
dressed and appeared at the supper table apparently none the worse for her
wetting.

Meanwhile Tom Gray had gone to his aunt's, given himself a brisk rubbing
down and changed his wet clothing for another suit he fortunately happened
to have with him. Thanks to his strong constituti