After tea, Oliver and Rollo went out into the yard to feel the air, and judge of the impression the night would probably make upon “Iceberg Castle” and its inhabitants.

It was clear and cold.  The stars twinkled brightly.  The moon was not up.

“See there!” said Oliver; “I do believe they are building a fire down on the pond already.  There’ll be a skating party to-night, no doubt.”

The boys returned to a cheerful room with a good fire, and were seated round the table, to amuse themselves for the evening.  They passed the time pleasantly until Jonas returned from the pond.

“O Jonas, Jonas,” they all said, as he came in, “what made you stay so long?”

Jonas gave them an account of his adventures, and of his meeting a party of skaters, who were already on the pond, expecting to be joined, in the course of the evening, by a much larger number from the village.

After Jonas had taken his supper, the boys gathered around him to talk about their fort, every now and then running to the door or window, to see the fire on the pond.

Long before it went out, Oliver, Rollo, and Nathan, were in a sound sleep.

The next morning, early, they appeared as impatient to run down to the “Castle,” as if they had dreamed of it all night long; and before the fire was well burning in the great room, they all three came running back to Jonas, out of breath, and with sad faces, exclaiming,—­

“O Jonas!  Jonas! our fort is all torn to pieces!”

True enough, some of the boys of the skating party had completely demolished the Castle.

Oliver and Rollo were greatly excited; they were grieved, and they were angry, and could scarcely refrain from expressing wishes of vengeance which it was not in their power to execute.

Jonas sympathized with them in their severe disappointment.

“’Tis too bad,” said Rollo.

“’Tis too bad,” repeated Oliver.  “How shall we pay them for it?  Jonas, tell us how?”

“Pay them for it?” said Jonas; “that isn’t the way I should do.”

“Well, I think they deserve it,” said Rollo.

“So do I,” said Oliver.

“What do you mean by paying them for it?” said Jonas; “giving them as much injury and pain as they have given you?  Don’t you remember the lesson that Franco taught us, that to return good for evil was good policy as well as good morals?”

“Well, what would you do, Jonas?” they both asked together.

“I don’t know now,” said Jonas, “what I would do.  I will think of it.  But this I know,—­that we ought never to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good.”

Oliver and Rollo wondered what Jonas would do.