Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/161

Rh that way to check their mad speed; but it was too firmly lashed to its place. Must she see them drown? There was the one chance for them, and, straining her voice to the utmost, she  shouted: “Rob! Phil! Jump for your lives!” and then turned away her head, not daring to  look.

But the answering “All right” came ringing back to her, and, turning, she saw five prostrate figures on the ice, and the sleds, blanket and  all, just sinking into the strip of dark water. Skating to the spot as quickly as she could, she found four of the heroes ruefully picking themselves up: Rob with a black eye, Phil with a  cut lip, and Sam with a bloody nose, while Ted  was uninjured. But Bert still lay motionless, stunned by his fall.

“What is it? Is he hurt? Is he killed?” exclaimed the frightened boys, crowding around  their companion.

“No, I think he has only fainted,” said Bess, reassuring them as best she could. She sent Ted for some water, and soon had the boy on  his feet, apparently none the worse for his  escapade.