"I never learned, but probably a good way."

"Its breadth is not half of this."

"No; nothing like it."

"What has become of her?"

"Alas! alas! What shall I answer?"

"But, Fred, she is not without hope; she can skate faster than either
of us, and I am sure none of them was in front of her on the creek or
she would not have made the turn she did."

"If the creek extends for several miles, that is with enough width to
give her room, she will outspeed them; but how is she to get back?"

"What need that she should? When they are thrown behind she can take
off her skates and continue homeward through the woods, or she may
find her way back to the river and rejoin us."

"God grant that you are right; but some of the wolves may appear in
front of her, and then--"

"Don't speak of it! We would have heard their cries if any of them had
overtaken her."

No situation could be more trying than that of the two youths, who
felt that every rod toward home took them that distance farther from
the beloved one whose fate was involved in awful uncertainty.