CHAPTER XVIII
THE AUTO ICE BOAT
Grace strode ahead so rapidly through the snow that Mollie was forced toask her to moderate her pace.
"This isn't a race!" was the objection.
"But I want to stop them fighting!" insisted Grace. "Will gets so angry,sometimes, that he doesn't know what he is doing. Papa often said he'ddo something desperate in his fits of temper some day. I'm reallyafraid."
"He's like me," laughed Mollie, frankly. "Only I just flare up for asecond, and then I'm sorry for it."
"Oh, well, Will is too," admitted his sister, "but I don't want to givehim a chance to be sorry. Come on!"
"If I come any faster you'll have to carry me," panted Mollie. "Rememberthat I am not a Gibson girl like you."
"Oh, do come!" begged Grace. "They may be rolling and tumbling about inthe snow, biting each other----"
"Boys don't fight that way, and you ought to know it," said Mollie. "Idetest fighting myself, but I know that when it is done right--if everthere is such a time--there is no biting and scratching."
"Well, I've seen some football games," spoke Grace, and she wondered whyMollie laughed.
The girls were rather surprised, on coming to a point where they couldlook down on the boys, to see merely a snow battle in progress. The airseemed filled with the flying white missiles, and the four rivals wererunning back and forth, looking for vantage points. Allen hovered about,seeing that no unfair tactics were used.
Finally, as the girls started forward again, Grace much relieved inmind, Sam Batty pulled out his handkerchief and waved it.
"What's that for?" asked Grace.
"Flag of truce, probably. Very likely he's had enough."
"Oh, Will is down!" cried Grace a moment later, as her brother slippedand fell. Jake rushed forward to deliver a ball at close range, butAllen held up his hand.
"No hitting when one is down!" he decided, and Jake drew back. Then, asWill scrambled to his feet again, the battle was renewed, only two beingengaged, however.
As Will vainly dodged a ball aimed at him, which struck him in the face,Grace screamed. Her brother turned quickly.
"What is it?" cried Will, in some alarm.
"Stop that right away!" demanded Grace, "or I'll tell papa, and make himtake you home."
"One more shot!" Will exclaimed, and he delivered a large snowball withsuch good aim that it nearly covered the whole of Jake's face. Kittie'sbrother staggered about, and when he could get his breath he cried:
"I'm through--I've had enough!"
"Battle's over--cease firing!" laughed Allen. "Well, girls, what's thetrouble?" he asked as he and his two friends advanced to meet Grace andMollie, while Jake and Sam moved off in the direction of their cabin.
"Oh, Will, there's a big express package for you at the cabin!" Graceexclaimed. "You owe me three dollars on it."
"Good!" cried the lad. "I'll give you the money out of my nextallowance. It's the motor boat, fellows," he added.
"A motor boat!" cried Betty. "What good is a motor boat up here, withthe river frozen?"
"Oh, it's something new--a little idea of my own," said Will. "It's aconverted motor-cycle gasoline engine, that can be attached to our iceboat. We're tired of having to depend on the wind. Now fellows, we'llhave some fun. Hurry home, and we'll see if we can get it workingto-day."
"First you ought to do something to that eye," said Grace. "It will beblack and blue; and you'll look disgraceful."
"No one will see it up here," said Will calmly. "It doesn't matter."
"Don't we girls matter?" demanded Mollie.
"Oh, well, I'll put some raw beefsteak on it when I get to the cabin.I've heard that's good. Jake caught me a hard one in the eye."
"Fighting! Disgraceful!" murmured Will's sister.
"It was the best way out--snowballs," said Allen in a low voice, whileWill and Frank were comparing notes. "It might have been more seriousonly for that. It was because they set the trap that Amy was caught in."
"Oh, well then, I'm glad they did fight--with snowballs," returned Gracein a different tone.
The big box had been unloaded in front of the cabin when the boysarrived, and while Grace and Mollie went in to talk to Betty and Amy,the boys proceeded to get out the motor.
As Will had said this was one taken from a motorcycle. It was of twocylinders, and powerful. The boys planned to set it in the after partof the cockpit of the ice boat, and take off the sail. The motor wouldrevolve a wheel at the stern, the wheel having spikes all around therim. These spikes would dig into the ice and thus send the boat ahead. Alever was provided so that the spiked wheel could be pushed down lightlyor hard on the ice, thus regulating the speed of the queer lookingcraft. The _Spider_ could be steered as before, by moving the rearrunner.
"Now we'll show you some sport!" cried Will, when he had seen that allthe parts of the motor were there. "We'll go some, now!"
But if the boys had hoped to try their new craft that day they weredisappointed, for there was more work about installing the motor thanthey had calculated on. The girls grew tired of waiting, and strolledover to the village, the day being pleasant. They met Mr. Blackfordcoming from the depot, he having returned to complete his visit with theboys.
He looked rather tired and discouraged, which prompted Betty to ask in alow voice:
"Have you had any trace of your sister?"
"None at all," he said despondently. "I seem to be up against a stonewall, and so do the lawyers and searchers I have engaged. We get to acertain point, and there we stick. After that, all traces of her arelost."
"Poor little sister! I wonder what she will look like, and what she willbe like?"
"Then you never saw her?"
"Only when she was a baby, and I a small chap. I do not remember her.But I have not given up hope yet. Now, how are you all, and what hashappened since I went away?"
Betty told him, including the news about the new auto ice boat.
"That sounds interesting," declared Mr. Blackford. "I want a ride inthat."
"That's more than I do," spoke Mollie. "I'd rather go in an airship."
"So would I," agreed Grace.
But when the next day, after several false starts, and a breakdown, themotor was finally set in motion on the _Spider_, the girls wereinterested enough to come down to look at it.
"All aboard!" cried Will, who was quite proud of his apparatus. "Comeon, girls!"
"Wait until we see you try it," suggested Betty.
"Well, then, get in, fellows!"
Allen, Frank and Mr. Blackford took their places, Allen to steer whileWill looked after the motor. Looking to see that all was runningsmoothly, the big notched wheel at the stern revolving swiftly, Willcautiously lowered it. There was a shower of icy particles as the teethchipped into the frozen surface of the river, and then the _Spider_slowly forged ahead, under the influence of the motor instead of a sail.
"Oh, they're actually moving!" cried Grace.
"And how fast!" agreed Mollie.
"That's fine!" declared Betty.
"I--I'm going to ask them to give me a ride!" exclaimed Amy. "Oh, itmust be glorious!"
"Well, if she's brave enough to risk it, I am!" said Grace positively."Shall we go, girls?"
"Wait a bit and see what happens," suggested Mollie. But nothing seemedto be going to happen. On up the river went the auto ice boat atever-increasing speed.