They got an early start, and took some food with them, intending to stay until afternoon. Though they did not plan to sail far, it was so glorious, once they started to glide along, that there was a temptation to continue, and when, by consulting her watch, Mollie discovered it to be some minutes after noon, they were many miles from camp. "Oh, we must stop!" she exclaimed. "The wind may die out and we can't get back!" "All right--let's have the eats then," proposed Will. A halt was made, and on the bank, under the shelter of some big trees, they built a fire, made chocolate and partook of the sandwiches they had brought. "This is all right!" exclaimed Frank, munching on some bread and chicken, a sentiment with which they all agreed. Betty was nervously glancing at the sky now and then. "Do hurry!" she urged her chums. "Oh, don't fuss so," advised Mollie. "You won't enjoy your food if you do." "But I'm sure it's going to storm." "Let it!" said Will recklessly. Five minutes later the first flakes began falling. This brought even Will to a sense of possible danger. The things were hurriedly collected, the young people got into the _Spider_ and the sail was hoisted. Off they glided down the river toward their camp. "We'll beat the storm there!" boasted Will. "I don't know about that," said Allen slowly, as he cast a glance aloft. "It looks to me as though it was going to come down hard soon. And the wind is freshening." The white flakes did increase in volume a little later and the wind sighed mournfully through the pine trees on shore, and through the rigging of the ice boat. Then, with a suddenness that was almost terrifying, the storm broke over them in a fury so often witnessed in wintry outbursts. The snow was blinding, and was whipped into their faces by an ever-increasing wind. "Why--why, we can't see ten feet ahead!" cried Frank. "Oh, slow down--don't run into anything!" begged Betty. "I guess I had better lay to a while, until we see what it's going to do," decided Allen, as he lowered the sail. "It's too much of a risk. There may be open water, or an air hole, or another boat on the river." And then, as the craft came slowly to a stop, they gazed out at the big storm which enveloped them, hiding the shores from sight. CHAPTER XIII THE MISSING PIECE "Say, this is no fun!" exclaimed Will, when ten minutes had passed, with no cessation of the fury of the wind and whirling white flakes. "It is keeping up," spoke Mollie in a low tone. "Can we ever get back to camp?" "Of course!" cried Betty quickly. It was no time now to have anyone's nerves go to pieces. "Certainly we can get back, if we have to walk; can't we, boys?" and she gave Allen a look that made his eyes sparkle as he answered: "Certainly. It will be more fun walking, anyhow." "Spoken like a true hero," said Will in his ear. "The boat can't go if the snow gets very deep," observed Frank.