A little later the Bobbseys were safe at home. Tommy Todd went to his
grandmother's house, and Flossie and Freddie took turns giving their
mother an account of their escape from the ice-boat.

"Was there really any danger?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey of Bert.

"Well, maybe, just a little. But I guess Mr. Watson would have stopped in
time. He's a good ice-boat sailor."

"But don't let Flossie and Freddie get so far away from you another time.
They might have been hurt."

Bert promised to look well after his little sister and brother, and then,
having asked his mother if she wanted anything from the store, he said he
was going down to his father's lumberyard.

"What for?" asked Nan, as she saw him leaving. "Is it about the secret?"

"Partly," answered Bert with a laugh.

Two or three days later the Bobbseys were again out skating on the ice,
Nan and Bert keeping close to Freddie and Flossie. They had not been long
gliding about when Freddie suddenly called:

"Oh, here comes that ice-boat again!"

"Surely enough, it is!" added Nan. "Oh, we must skate toward shore! Come
on!"

"No need to do that," replied Bert. "It isn't coming fast, and Mr. Watson