“I—­I guess we’d better stop pretty soon,” faltered Freddie.  “If we don’t we’ll run ashore.”

With all his strength, he pulled on another rope, at the same time shoving the tiller over as far from him as it would go.  The result was a surprise to him and to Flossie.  The ice-boat turned quickly, and then, like a frightened horse, it darted toward shore.

Over the ice it skimmed.  Then it turned up on one side, buried the bow, or front part, deep in a big snow drift and with another motion sent Flossie and Freddie, together with the robes and blankets, flying into a pile of soft snow.  Down came the Bobbsey twins with a soft thud, not being in the least hurt.

For a moment neither of the children spoke.  Then Flossie, brushing the snow from her face, looked around, and seeing Freddie near her, doing the same thing, she asked: 

“What—­what happened?”

“I guess I steered right up on shore instead of away from it,” replied Freddie.  “I must have turned the handle the wrong way.  Are you hurt, Flossie?”

“Nope.  Are you?”

“Nope.  I hope the ice-boat isn’t broken.  Bert wouldn’t like that.  Let’s go and look.”

As the children floundered out of the snow, which had been left from a storm that had swept over the country before the lake had frozen, they heard a voice calling to them.  Looking in the direction of the woods, they saw coming toward them an old man, wearing a big, ragged overcoat, a fur cap and mittens, while over his shoulder was an axe.

“Oh! oh!” said Flossie in a low voice.  “Who—­who’s that, Freddie?”

“Oh, I know him.  That’s Uncle Jack, the woodchopper.  He’ll help us get the boat on the ice again, and I can sail it back home.”

“Nope!” cried Flossie, shaking her flaxen curly head.  “I’m never going to ride in an ice-boat with you any more.  Never!  You go too fast, and stop too quick.  I’m going to walk home!”

“What’s the matter, children?” asked Uncle Jack, and he came plowing his way through the snow.  “Ah, your ice-boat is upset, I see!  Well, you two are pretty small potatoes to be out sailing alone.  ’Most froze, too, I’ll warrant ye!  Come on to my cabin.  It’s warm there, whatever else it is!” and he helped Flossie and Freddie from the snowdrift.

“Thank you,” said Flossie.  “But we’re not potatoes, Uncle Jack.”

“Well, little peaches, then.  Anyhow, your cheeks look like red apples,” said the man, laughing.

CHAPTER V

GLORIOUS NEWS

“How did it all happen?” asked Uncle Jack, a little later, as he led Flossie and Freddie along a path through the snow to his cabin in the woods.  “Why are you two out ice-boating alone?”

“The rest of ’em spilled out,” answered Freddie; “and I upset Flossie and me when I pulled on the wrong rope.  But we’re not hurt a bit.  It was fun.  Wasn’t it, Flossie?”