CHAPTER III 

OUT OF PERIL 

"Oh look! May and Fred have both gone down!" cried Ruth. 

"Yes, and there go Andy and Randy over them!" exclaimed Jack. 

"And look, Jack, the ice is cracking everywhere!" continued the frightened girl. She clutched his arm and looked appealingly into his face. "Oh! what shall we do?" 

"Spread out, you fellows! Spread out!" yelled the oldest Rover boy. "Spread out! Don't keep together!" 

His cry was heard, and an instant later Andy commenced to roll over on the ice in one direction while his twin rolled in another. In the meantime, Fred had managed to scramble to his feet, and now he pulled up May. 

"Come on, we'll soon be out of danger," encouraged the youngest Rover; and, striking out, he pulled May behind him, the girl being too excited to skate. 

In less than a minute the danger, so far as it concerned the Rovers and the two girls from Clearwater Hall, was past. All reached a point where the ice was perfectly firm. Here Ruth speedily gained her self-possession, but May continued to cling closely to Fred's arm. 

"I'm going to see how they are making out in front of the boathouse!" cried Randy. "Some of the skaters must have gotten in." 

"I'm with you," returned his twin. He looked back at his cousins. "I suppose you will look after the girls?" 

"Sure!" answered Jack quickly. "Go ahead." 

"I don't suppose we can be of any assistance down there?" came from Fred. 
Who was she near?
Fred