erate struggle for life
was before him, he drew off his cumbersome overcoat with great deftness,
and then swam as only a strong swimmer can do in the very extremity of
peril.

He heard nothing more of the horse, which had doubtless perished after a
struggle as brief as it was fierce; but, unable to see anything at all,
Ben struck out toward the point whence came the cry of the mother, and
which was close at hand.

He had scarcely made three strokes when he came in violent collision with
a huge block of ice in his path. Without attempting to go around it, he
grasped the edge, and, by a determined effort, drew himself upon it.
Fragments of the bridge were all around, and he felt some of the timber
upon the support.

While crawling carefully toward the other side, he shouted:

"Helloa! where are you? Answer, and I'll help you."

A faint cry made itself heard amid the rushing waters and the
impenetrable darkness. It was just ahead, and the next instant Ben had
reached the other side of the ice raft, where, steadying himself with one
hand, he groped about with the other, uttering encouraging words as he
did so.

Suddenly he caught hold of a delicate arm, and with another cheery shout,
he began drawing with all his strength.

It was a hard task, under the circumstances, but he quickly succeeded,
and was not a little amazed to find that instead of a lady he had helped
out a small girl.

But it was the cry of a mother that had reached his ears, and he did his
utmost (which unfortunately was little) to help her. He called again and
again, but there was no answer. He asked of the child the whereabouts of
her parents, but the little one was almost senseless with bewilderment,
cold, and terror, and could give no intelligible answer.

"She must be drowned," was the sorrowful conclusion of Ben, who was
forced to cease his efforts; and I may as well add at this point, that he
was right; the mother's body being carried out to sea, where it was never
found.

For the time, Ben and the little girl were safe, but it will be seen that
their condition was pitiable. It was a wintry night, the water was of an
arctic temperature, and their clothing was saturated. The icy floor on
which they were supported would have added to their terrible discomfort,
had he not been able to gather together several of the planks within
reach, with which he made a partition between them and the freezing
surface.

Ben shouted at the top of his voic