"Don't yell so! We're all right, only it's awful cold. Just get us out as quick as you can." Relieved to learn that they hadn't gone under the water, Mr. Maynard soon found a fence-rail, and, with the boys' assistance, it was not long before the dripping girls were once more outside the lake, instead of inside. "No harm done, if you obey my orders," said Mr. Maynard, cheerily, for the two white faces looked more scared than they had at first. He hurriedly took off their skates, and then said, "Now, run for home, just as fast as you can go, and the one who gets there first shall have a prize." A little bewildered by this order, but quite ready to obey, Marjorie started at once and fairly flew over the hard ground. Molly followed, and in a moment had overtaken and passed Midget. But spurred by this, Midget ran faster, and at last, quite out of breath, and also quite warm, they reached the Maynard house at almost exactly the same time. Exhausted, they tumbled in at the door, and Mrs. Maynard met them in the hall. "What _is_ the matter?" she exclaimed. "Where _have_ you been?" "Skating," said Marjorie, hurriedly, "and we fell in, and Father said to run home quick and get dry shoes and things and he'd give us a prize." "A prize!" said Mrs. Maynard, laughing. "You deserve a prize, indeed! A hot bath is what you'll get, and a drink of hot milk." "All right," said Mopsy, cheerfully, "I don't mind; and, while we're about it, we may as well dress for afternoon." The programme was carried out as arranged, and not very long after two spick-and-span little girls were sitting by the library fire, sipping hot milk with nutmeg in it. "Well, upon my word!" said Mr. Maynard, coming in with King and Kitty. "I must have been mistaken! Only a short time ago I saw two children floundering in the lake, and I thought--I truly did--that they were Midge and Molly! How could I have made such a foolish mistake?" "It was strange, indeed!" said Molly, with twinkling eyes. "Have you been skating, Mr. Maynard?" "Part of the time. But the rest of the time I was organizing and assisting a rescue party to save those foolish children I was just telling you of." "We were foolish!" cried Marjorie, jumping up and running to her father's arms. "I'll never do it again, Daddy, dear." "Indeed you won't, my lady. I hereby issue a mandamus, a fiat, a writ,--and if you don't know what those things are, I'll say a plain every-day rule that is not to be broken,--that you are never to play 'Snap the Whip' again. This is a rule for Marjorie, and to you, Molly, it's a piece of advice." "I'll take it," said Molly, so meekly that Mr. Maynard smiled, and said: "Now that incident is closed, and we needn't mention it again. I don't believe you'll even take cold from your sudden plunge, for you both ran home like killdeer. And, by the way, who won the prize?"