By this time the man who had warned the other skaters away had found two planks.  He carried them as near to the edge of the hole through which Tommy had fallen as was safe.  Then Mr. Bobbsey came with the rope.  He walked out on the planks and called to Tommy.

“Catch hold of the rope, Tommy, and we’ll pull you out!” shouted Mr. Bobbsey.

He tossed one end of the rope to the boy in the water, but it fell short.  Pulling it back to him Mr. Bobbsey tossed it again.  This time a coil fell near Tommy’s hand.  He grasped it and then Mr. Bobbsey and the other man, who was Mr. Randall, pulled Tommy out on the solid ice.  Poor Tommy could hardly breathe.

“We must get him to a warm place at once!” cried Mr. Bobbsey.  “I’ll carry him to my office.  There’s a roaring hot fire there, and if we wrap him well in blankets we may keep him from getting cold.”

In his arms Mr. Bobbsey carried the dripping lad.  Luckily Tommy had kept his lips closed when he fell into the water, and he knew enough not to breathe when his head was under, so he had not swallowed too much water.  But he was wet through, and ice-cold.

Mr. Randall first warned the other boys and girls about going too near the hole, then he stuck one of the planks up near it, with a piece of rag on it as a danger signal.

Beside the warm fire in the lumber office Tommy was undressed and wrapped in warm blankets.  One of the men made some hot cocoa, and when Tommy drank this he felt much better.

“But you can’t put on your clothes for a long time—­not until they are well dried,” said Mr. Bobbsey.  “I guess Bert has an extra suit that will fit you.  I’ll telephone to my wife and have her send it here.”

Sam, who was Dinah’s husband, came a little later with an old suit of Bert’s, and Mrs. Bobbsey sent word that Tommy was to keep it, as Bert did not need it any longer.

“But it’s a fine suit for me,” said Tommy, when he was dressed in it.  “I guess it was lucky I fell in the water—­I got some nice clothes by it.”

“But don’t fall in again even for that,” said Mr. Bobbsey with a laugh.  “You may take cold yet.”

But Tommy did not.  One of Mr. Bobbsey’s friends happened to stop at the office on business, and, having a closed automobile, he offered to take Tommy home, so the boy would not have to go out in the cold air after his unexpected bath in the lake.

Bert and Harry, on coming back after their race to the lower end of the lake, were surprised to learn what had happened to Tommy.  And when he had had enough of skating Bert said he would go and see if Tommy had reached home safely, and if Mrs. Todd needed anything.

Bert and Harry, who went with him, found Tommy sitting near the fire in the humble home near the city dumps.

“I’m glad I don’t live here,” said Harry, as he looked around before entering the house.

“I am too,” added Bert.  “It isn’t very nice.  I suppose when Tommy’s father was alive they had things much nicer.”