elwright. "Fire! So it is. But there's no house
or stack out theer."

"Only old Dave's. Father said he thought it must be his place. Come
on, Dick."

"But how are we to get there?" cried Dick, forgetting the feud in the
excitement.

"How are we to get there! Why, skate."

"Will it be strong enough, Hicky?"

"Mebbe for you, lads; but it wouldn't bear me, and I couldn't get along
the boat nor yet a sled."

Tom had already seated himself, and was putting on his skates, while
Dick immediately began to follow suit, with the result that in five
minutes both were ready and all past troubles forgotten. The memory of
the terrible night when his father was shot did come for a moment to
Dick, but the trouble had grown dull, and the excitement of Dave's place
being on fire carried everything before it.

"Poor owd Dave!" said Hickathrift, as he gazed over the mere at the glow
in the black frosty night. "He's got off so far. Mebbe it'll be my
turn next. Come back and tell me, lads."

"Yes, yes," they shouted, as they walked clumsily to the ice edge, Dick
first, and as he glided on there was an ominous ringing crack which
seemed to run right out with a continuous splitting noise.

"Will it bear, Hicky?"

"Ay, she'll bear you, lad, only keep well out, and away from the reeds."

Tom dashed on, and as the wheelwright stood with the group of labourers,
who were just beginning to comprehend the new alarm, the two lads went
off stroke for stroke over the ringing ice, which cracked now and again
but did not yield, save to undulate beneath them, as they kept gathering
speed and glided away.

Far ahead there was the ruddy glow, showing like a golden patch upon the
dark sky, which overhead was almost black, and glittering with the
brilliant stars. The ice gleamed, little puffs of white powder rose at
every stroke of the skates, and on and on they went, gathering speed
till they were gliding over the ringing metallic surface like arrows
from a bow, while as soon as the first timidity had passed away they
began to feel their feet, and in a few minutes were skating nearly as
well as when the ice broke up last.

The feud was forgotten, and it had lasted long enough. With a buoyant
feeling of excitement, and a sensation of joy increased by the brisk
beat of the freezing wind upon their cheeks, the two lads joined hands
in a firm grip, kept time together, and sped on as Lincoln and Cambridge
boys alone can speed over the