CHAPTER VIII
A SPILL
Straight up the Argono River flew the _Spider_. Crawled would perhaps bea more appropriate term, considering the insect, but the ice boat didnot crawl--it literally flew.
"Oh, this is just glorious!" cried Mollie, with shining eyes, as shecrouched down amid the rugs near Will, and looked ahead at the white,icy stretch.
"It's the most comfortable form of motion I ever imagined could be,"said Betty. "I'm so glad you thought of it, Will. I wouldn't have missedit for worlds."
"It's a little too swift for me," confessed Amy.
"Swift! I wish we could go faster!" exclaimed Mollie.
"We'll go faster soon, when we get around the bend," spoke Allen. "Thenwe'll get the full force of the wind, and then----"
"Yes, and then will be the time you girls will have to hang on, even byyour eyelids," declared Will. "You'll see!"
"Oh, is it as scary as all that?" asked Grace.
"You won't mind," declared Frank, soothingly. "He's only trying to scareyou."
Amy looked a bit timid, but a reassuring glance from Betty put her ather ease once more.
Truly the ice boat was all that the boys had claimed for it. Roomy, asice boats go, comfortable and speedy, it was really a prize.
"You deserve a vote of thanks, boys," said Mollie, as the sharp windbrightened the roses in her cheeks.
"Leave it to your Uncle Dudley," declared Will. "I told you that you'dlike it."
"Here!" cried Grace, tossing him a chocolate.
"Oh!" he cried, as it hit him in the face, "whence this sudden flow ofsisterly kindness."
"As a reward for your thoughtfulness in providing the boat," said Grace.
"That means I'll have to look out, or she'll be wanting me to dosomething more before night," spoke Will.
"I hope Mr. Franklin has fires lighted in our cabin," remarked Graceafter a bit. "It will be real chilly, I'm afraid," and she drew her verybecoming furs closer about her. Her face was framed in them, and shelooked, as Allen said, "like a picture on a magazine cover."
"I don't know whether to feel complimented or not," she confessed with alaugh. "I only know I'm cold-d-d-d-d! Burrrrr!" and she shivered.
"It isn't as warm as skating," said Allen. "But perhaps this may help,"and with one hand he took from a box a long, round object. "It's avacuum bottle of hot coffee," he explained. "I didn't think, until thelast minute, or I'd have brought chocolate, Grace."
"Oh, coffee will do just as well!" she hastened to assure him. "It isjust what I want to drive the shivers away."
"There are some cups there in that other box," said Allen to Frank. "Ifyou'll get them out, and pass the refreshments around."
"Happy to oblige!" exclaimed Frank.
"There is sugar and milk already in the coffee," explained the younglawyer. "I hope none of you object."
They did not, as it developed, and soon they were sipping the hotbeverage while gliding along, the wind having died out somewhat.
As they made the turn around the bend, a little later, they got the fullforce of the breeze, which, increasing in power, sent them along sosuddenly that the ice boat tilted on two runners.
"Oh, dear!" screamed Grace, clutching Mollie, and causing her to spillwhat remained of the cup of coffee.
"There, look what you did!" snapped the French girl, quickly.
"I--I didn't mean to," said Grace, contritely. "I thought we were goingto spill."
"This was the only 'spill' there was," laughed Betty, as she helpedGrace wipe up the trickling beverage.
"Oh, well, it doesn't matter," said Mollie--"mollified Mollie," as Willexpressed it later. The little flash of temper died out almost as soonas it showed.
"Steady all!" called Allen, for the girls were moving about, and heneeded less motion in order to handle the boat easily.
They were proceeding along at a fast pace when, from behind one of theboathouses along the shore of the frozen river, there shot out a smallice craft, containing two persons. It was so sudden, and cut so sharplyacross the path of the _Spider_, that Allen narrowly avoided acollision.
"Why don't you look before you come out?" he called sharply to thesteersman of the smaller craft.
"Why don't you keep more to the middle of the river?" was the retort,and then the boat shot around and took the same direction as the one inwhich the _Spider_ was going.
"Why, there's Alice Jallow in that boat!" exclaimed Betty. "Did you see,girls?"
"Sure enough! So it was!" agreed Mollie. "But who is that fellow withher?"
"Harry Brook," answered Will.
"Do you know him?" demanded Grace, quickly.
"A little. He's a new lad in town."
"Has he been going with--her--long?" asked Betty.
"I don't know. First time I ever saw him with her. Mind that chunk ofwood just ahead, Allen."
"I see it, thanks. That fellow gave me a scare, though. I never saw himuntil I was almost into him."
"That's right," assented Frank. "I guess he doesn't know much aboutrunning one of these things. How are you coming on with your----" headded, looking at Will.
"Do you think it will rain?" asked Will, promptly, looking up into thecloudless sky, and nudging Frank sharply. "Keep still," he whispered.
"What is it?" demanded Grace. "Do you know his secret, Frank?"
"If he tells--I'll have revenge!" cried Will in theatrical fashion."Mum's the word, old man," and he glanced significantly at Frank.
"All right--don't worry," was the retort.
"They seem to think they are having a race with us," remarked Allen,nodding in the direction of the other boat. It was a little distanceahead, but off to one side, a considerable space of glittering iceseparating the two craft.
"Maybe he saw us coming, and shot out that way to make Alice think hewas some ice yachtsman," suggested Will. "I'll tell him what I think thenext time I see him."
"Oh, don't make any more trouble, Will," begged his sister. "We seem tobe on the outs enough with the Jallow family. I only hope we don't meetMr. Jallow up in the woods."
"He wouldn't dare annoy you," spoke Allen. "I know something about yourfather's case, and I think, when it is next tried, that Jallow willlose. He deserves to, I think, and I have gone over most of theevidence."
"If we could only get that missing lumberman to testify," said Grace,"it would end it all in papa's favor. But I suppose that is too much tohope for."
They were moving swiftly along now, and were a little more than aquarter of the way to the lumber camp. They intended to stop at noon,which would see them three-quarters there, and eat the lunch they hadbrought along.
It did seem that Alice and the young fellow with her invited the_Spider_ to a race, but Allen knew better than to accept. The other boatwas a light craft, built purposely for racing, whereas the larger boatwas not.
Gradually the boat containing the two occupants drew away up the river.Our friends gave it little thought until, when they were discussing theadvisability of eating lunch, Frank called out:
"Here he comes back, tacking against the wind."
"Yes, and he doesn't know how to do it," said Allen in a low voice."He'll have trouble if he doesn't watch out."
The small boat came nearer and nearer, gliding from side to side of thefrozen river to make distance against a quartering wind.
"Look out where you're going!" suddenly cried Allen, as he saw the craftheaded directly for the Spider. "Luff there! Luff!"
Evidently in the emergency the other boy lost his head. He came straighton, but Allen was not minded to suffer a collision. Quickly he shiftedhis helm, and so quickly that the next moment the _Spider_ overturned,spilling them all out.
There were hoarse shouts from the boys, and shrill screams from thegirls as Allen, who had managed to jump clear, raced after the stillmoving boat to prevent it becoming damaged.
And, as he looked back to see the figures of his friends more or lessentangled in luggage and fur robes, sca
ttered over the ice, he saw theboat, the action of which had made it necessary for him to spill,herself turn over, throwing out Alice and her friend.
"Anybody hurt?" asked Will, as he sat up, a robe around his shoulders.
"Guess not," answered Frank, taking a quick survey of the girls. Theywere laughing now, and getting up.