tipped half-way over. Mrs. Bobbsey and Nan screamed. Mr. Bobbsey called to
Bert to be careful, but it was too late. Bert had lost his hold of the
rudder and the sail rope.

The next second Bert shot out of the ice-boat, and slid along on his back.
A moment later his father and mother were also spilled out, followed by
Nan. Then the ice-boat, not having such a heavy load aboard, settled down
on the ice again, and started to run away, or, rather, blow away.

Right before the wind it flew, and Flossie and Freddie, being well tucked
in among the robes and blankets were not spilled out. They stayed on
board; and Mr. Bobbsey, sitting up after he had slid some distance across
the ice, saw the _Bird_ scooting down the lake, carrying his two smaller
twins with it.

"Oh, the ice-boat is running away with Flossie and Freddie!" cried Nan, as
she, too, saw what had happened.




CHAPTER IV

THE OLD WOODCHOPPER


While Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, Bert and Nan picked themselves up from where
they had fallen and slid along the ice, the ice-boat, with Flossie and
Freddie snugly tucked in among the blankets and robes, was skimming down
the lake, blown by a strong wind.