“Surely!” came back the steady answer.

The coil flew out across the thin ice.  One end splashed in the water.  Guiding the all but helpless Fred, Dick swam to the rope’s end.

Further back the two men who held to the rope connecting with Dave had seated themselves across the second raft.  If the ice broke at that point they would have little difficulty in making themselves safe.

“Ripley, stir yourself!” ordered Dick.  “Can you take hold of this rope, and keep hold of it” Can you climb across the thin ice, holding onto the rope and being towed if the ice breaks?”

“I—–­I—–­I’m afraid,” chattered Ripley.  “You come with me!”

“It’ll be a good deal easier if you can go first, and alone,” spoke the freshman, rather sternly.  “I think I can keep myself afloat until you get over to solid ice.  Then the rope can be thrown back to me.”

“I’m afraid, I tell you,” insisted Fred, his teeth clicking against each other.  “Can’t you see that I’m all in?”

“You’ll have us both all in, if you don’t get some courage together,” young Prescott insisted.  “Come, be a man, Ripley!”

“I’m freezing to death here,” moaned Ripley, closing his eyes.

Somehow—–­he could never tell just how, afterwards, Dick managed to slip the rope under Fred’s shoulders.  With infinite effort—–­for he had to keep them both afloat, the freshman double-knotted the rope.

“Come, now, you’ve got to help yourself across the ice, while Dave hauls on the line,” urged Dick.

Fred made a motion as though to bestir himself but he did it so feebly that Prescott gave him a sharp pinch.

“Ouch!” flared Fred, now seeming to be wide awake.  “Prescott, you have the upper hand here.  Don’t be a bully!”

“I don’t want to,” spoke Dick, quietly, trying to keep his own teeth from rattling.  “But you’ve got to stir yourself, or else I must do it for you.  Now, get started over the thin ice.  Dave will haul.  Never mind if the ice breaks under you; the rope is tied around you.  You’re sure to be hauled to safety if you help yourself.  Now, then, Dave!  Begin to haul in!”

It needed another pinch to make Fred Ripley bestir himself properly.  He half whimpered in protest, but Prescott was past minding that.

Hardly had Ripley gotten his full weight upon the ice than it broke under him.  He splashed into the water with a great howl, but alert Dave Darrin hauled in just enough of the rope.  Ripley was safe, and could make the next attempt to get out on the ice.

Meanwhile, Prescott swam to another part of the ice edge.  He rested his hands on that edge, not heavily, but just enough for some support.  At the same time he kept his tired, aching, almost frozen legs in motion just to keep himself from growing any more numb.

Four times Fred Ripley broke through the thin ice, but each time Dave Darrin, astride the first raft, pulled in on the rope just in time.