houted Mr. Griggs, the toll-gatherer, appearing at the
door of his small house with both arms above his head. "Children,
children, stop! Don't you come anigh the bridge for your lives!"

"Oh, it's going off! its going off!" cried the five Lymans in concert.

They forgot to admire any longer the magnificent sight. The ice might be
glorious in its beauty; but, alas, it was terrible in its strength!

How could they get home? That was the question. They could see their
father's house in the distance; but how and when were they to reach it?
It might as well have been up in the moon.

"They can't come after us," wailed Mary, wringing her hands; "'twill be
days and days before they can put a boat into this river."

"What shall we do?" groaned Moses; "we can't sleep on the ground."

"With nothing to eat," added George, who remembered the brick-red Indian
pudding they were to have had for dinner.

"Don't be scared, children; go ahead," said Dr. Hilton, from the bank.

"What! Would you have 'em risk their lives?" said the timid
toll-gatherer. "Look at them blocks crowding up against the piers! Hear
what a thunder they make! And the logs swimming down in booms! You step
into our house, children, and my wife and the neighbors, we'll contrive
to stow you away somewheres."

Crowds of people were collecting on the bank watching the ice go out.

"Well, you are in a pretty fix, children," said one of the men. "How
did your folks happen to let you come?"

The Lymans stood dumb and transfixed.

"Hurry! Why don't you step lively?" said Dr. Hilton, and two or three
other men.

"Stay where you are, children," cried Mr. Chase and Dr. Potter from the
other bank.

"If we could only see father!" said one of the twins. Brave as they both
thought themselves, the roaring torrent appalled them.

Suddenly there was a shout from the other end of the bridge as loud and
shrill as a fog-bell:--

"Children, come home! George! Silas! Mary? Be quick?"

It was Squire Lyman's voice.

"What shall we do?" cried Mary, running round and round.

"'Twon't do to risk it, neighbor Lyman," screamed the toll-gatherer.

"Children, run! there is time," answered the father, hoarsely.

It was Mary who called back again, "Yes, father, we'll come."

For the twins did not seem to feel clear what to do. "He knows," thought
she. "What father tells us to do must be right."

She stepped firmly upon the shaking bridge. For an instant Moses
hesitated, the