By this time the ice-boat was more than two miles down the lake, for the
wind was blowing hard and the _Bird_ sailed swiftly. The children could
not see their father, mother, Bert or Nan now. They would soon be at the
end of the lake, and before them Flossie and Freddie could see big drifts
of snow near the edge of the frozen lake and between it and the forest
beyond.

"I--I guess we'd better stop pretty soon," faltered Freddie. "If we don't
we'll run ashore."

With all his strength, he pulled on another rope, at the same time shoving
the tiller over as far from him as it would go. The result was a surprise
to him and to Flossie. The ice-boat turned quickly, and then, like a
frightened horse, it darted toward shore.

Over the ice it skimmed. Then it turned up on one side, buried the bow, or
front part, deep in a big snow drift and with another motion sent Flossie
and Freddie, together with the robes and blankets, flying into a pile of
soft snow. Down came the Bobbsey twins with a soft thud, not being in the
least hurt.

For a moment neither of the children spoke. Then Flossie, brushing the
snow from her face, looked around, and seeing Freddie near her, doing the
same thing, she asked:

"What--what happened?"

"I guess I steered right up on shore instead of away from it," replied
Freddie. "I must have turned the handle the wrong way. Are you hurt,
Flossie?"