terror.

His greatest danger was from the smaller cakes of ice. When it became
necessary for him to step upon one of these, his weight was sufficient
to make it tilt, and his footing was very insecure. After awhile as
he was nearing the island, he came into a large collection of these
smaller ice-cakes. For awhile he waited, hoping that a larger field
would drift near him; but after a minute's delay he saw that he
was rapidly floating past the island, and that he must either trust
himself to the treacherous broken ice, or fail in his attempt to save
the woman and child.

[Illustration: Joe Saves Mrs. Martin and Baby Martin.]

Choosing the best of the floes, he laid his plank and passed across
successfully. In the next passage, however, the cake tilted up, and
Joe Lambert went down into the water! A shudder passed through the
crowd on shore.

"Poor fellow!" exclaimed some tender-hearted spectator; "it is all
over with him now."

"No; look, look!" shouted another. "He's trying to climb upon the
ice. Hurrah! he's on his feet again!" With that the whole company of
spectators shouted for joy.

Joe had managed to regain his plank as well as to climb upon a cake
of ice before the fields around could crush him, and now moving
cautiously, he made his way, little by little toward the island.