e, the ice was firm and dry. The rain had run
down into cracks and hollows, or been absorbed by the ice itself. The
children saw only the sound ice.

Osa, the goose girl, and little Mats were on their way North, and they
could not help thinking of all the steps they would be saved if they
could cut straight across the lake instead of going around it. They
knew, to be sure, that spring ice is treacherous, but this looked
perfectly secure. They could see that it was several inches thick near
the shore. They saw a path which they might follow, and the opposite
shore appeared to be so near that they ought to be able to get there in
an hour.

"Come, let's try!" said little Mats. "If we only look before us, so that
we don't go down into some hole, we can do it."

So they went out on the lake. The ice was not very slippery, but rather
easy to walk upon. There was more water on it than they expected to see,
and here and there were cracks, where the water purled up. One had to
watch out for such places; but that was easy to do in broad daylight,
with the sun shining.

The children advanced rapidly, and talked only of how sensible they were
to have gone out on the ice instead of tramping the slushy road.

When they had been walking a while they came to Vin Island, where an old
woman had sighted them from her window. She rushed from her cabin, waved
them back, and shouted something which they could not hear. They
understood perfectly well that she was warning them not to come any
farther; but they thought there was no immediate danger. It would be
stupid for them to leave the ice when all was going so well!

Therefore they went on past Vin Island and had a stretch of seven miles
of ice ahead of them.

Out there was so much water that the children were obliged to take
roundabout ways; but that was sport to them. They vied with each other
as to which could find the soundest ice. They were neither tired nor
hungry. The whole day was before them, and they laughed at each obstacle
they met.

Now and then they cast a glance ahead at the farther shore. It still
appeared far away, although they had been walking a good hour. They were
rather surprised that the lake was so broad.

"The shore seems to be moving farther away from us," little Mats
observed.

Out there the children were not protected against the wind, which was
becoming stronger and stronger every minute, and was pressing their
clothing so close to their bodies tha