ess I don't know so much about ice craft as I
thought I did. It was easy enough going before the wind, but when I
turned to tack I had trouble. I'll just run her up on shore and see what
I can do to-morrow about getting a new mast. Any of your crowd hurt?"

"No, only their--feelings."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, well, accidents will happen." Will looked narrowly at Alice, but
she averted her gaze. Then, when Harry had assured him there was nothing
more to do, Will set out to rejoin his friends, while Harry, after
sliding the ice boat to shore, set off down the frozen stream with
Alice.

"I wouldn't like to be in his shoes," remarked Frank when the situation
had been explained to him. "Alice will have it in for him, all right."

"Well, perhaps after her show of uncalled-for temper he'll not want to
have anything more to do with her," said Mollie. "I wouldn't--if I were
in his place."

Allen found that their ice boat had not been in the least damaged, and
when the spilled-out possessions had been gathered up and replaced, they
resumed their way with the hoisting of the sail.

"I hope the lunch isn't spoiled," remarked Grace. "I'm hungry."

"So am I," was the general admission.

A few miles farther on they came to a sheltered cove where they stopped
and ate dinner. They made hot chocolate over a little fire of driftwood
on shore.

Then they kept on up the river, the wind holding good, and about three
o'clock reached the lumber camp. Allen sent the ice boat up to the
little dock in proper style, and one after another the young people
leaped out.

"Whoop!" yelled Will. "Here we are! Whoop!"

"Be still, you--Indian!" begged Grace.

"Indians always whoop," he said. "I want to let Franklin know we're
here!"

From one of the cabins, clustered in the wood, a short distance back
from the shore of the frozen river, came a grizzled but pleasant-faced
man. In the doorway stood a short, stout woman, smiling a welcome.

"Well, you got here, I see," remarked Mr. Franklin, genially, as he took
two suitcases. "Mother and I've been expecting you, and we've got a hot
supper all ready but putting on the table."

"Oh, that was too much work, though it's lovely of you!" protested
Grace.

"We expected to cook our own meal," added Mollie. "You will get us into
bad habits."

[Illustration: "THEY MADE HOT CHOCOLATE OVER A LITTLE FIRE OF
DRIFTWOOD."--_Page 78._

_The Outdoor Girls in a Winter Camp._]

"Eatin's the best habit I k