"Saved my life! Saved your own, you mean. You are an elephant, not I; and if you would only relieve the ice of the weight of your huge bulk, everything would be all right. But you are so grossly selfish that you hate the idea of anyone engaging in a pleasure which you cannot share--and better still, go home; and let me amuse myself exactly as I choose." "Molly! you are not going on again!" "I am going on again!--I am! And you dare to try and stop me--you dare! I imagine that the expression of my countenance startled him. He had planted himself directly in front of me. But when he saw me looking like black murder he moved aside. In an instant I had passed him, and was off towards the centre of the lake. Whether the double burden which the ice had had to bear had been too severe a strain for its, as yet, still delicate constitution, I cannot say. I only know that, as soon as I was clear off the shore, in spite of my blind fury, I realised that I really was an idiot, and one, too, who was badly in need of a keeper. It groaned and creaked, and heaved in every direction; seeming to emit an increasingly loud crack with every forward stride I took. Mr Sanford shouted. "Molly, for God's sake, come back!" I recognised--too late--the reason that was on his side. But the very vigour of his appeal served as a climax. I lost my head. I did not know what to do, where to go; turning this way and that, only to find the threats of danger greater. The question was settled for me. For the second time something went; the ice disappeared from beneath my feet--and I went in. I felt--when I felt anything--almost as much surprise as consternation. Fortunately, I did not appear to have hit on a spot where the depth was twenty feet--or anything like it. For, instead of being drowned, the water did not come up to my armpits. "Can you feel the bottom?" The agony of fear which was in Philip Sanford's voice as he asked the question calmed me as if by magic. "I think so; I seem to be standing in what feels like mud." "Can you get your arms on to the ice and raise yourself? If you do it carefully it will probably bear you." "I am afraid not. I seem to be too deep in to get a proper purchase." "Where can I get a rope? "Jennings' farm is the nearest house; and that's the other side of the stile." "Do you very much mind waiting there? I'll be back inside five minutes." My heart sank at the prospect of being left alone, even for an instant. "I'd rather--I'd rather you did something now. I'm afraid--I'm afraid I'm sinking deeper. And it's so cold. Can't you do anything at all?" "I'll do my best." He did his best; while I watched--how I watched! He selected a part where the ice had not as yet been subjected to any strain, and carefully advanced towards me. It bore him better than I--and perhaps he--had expected. "It's all right," he cried. "I shall get to you! Cheer up! And keep as still as you can!"