CHAPTER II

BUILDING THE "BIRD"


Flossie and Freddie, anxious to win the skating race, were bending over
with heads down, as all skaters do who wish to go fast and keep the wind
from blowing on them too hard. So they did not see the ice-boat coming
toward them, for the craft, blown by the wind, made hardly any noise, and
what little it did make was taken up by the clicking of the skates of the
smaller twins.

"Oh, Bert! Do something!" cried Nan.

"Yes, yes! I will--of course!"

Bert shook off Nan's hand, for it was still on his arm, and started to
skate toward the twins as fast as he could. He hoped to reach them in time
to stop them from skating right into the path of the oncoming ice-boat.

But he soon saw that he was not going to be able to do this. The ice-boat
was coming toward the small twins faster than Bert could ever hope to
skate and reach them.

"Yell at them!" shouted Nan. "That's the only way to stop them! Yell and
tell them to look out!"