"That's good advice," agreed Allen, and with the help of the lumberman the _Spider_ was hauled ashore, not in the least damaged. The girls were beginning to recover their nerves now, though they were a trifle shaky. "Let's get back to the cabin!" cried Grace. "Oh, I'll never go ice boating again." "Not when the ice is like it was to-day," commented her brother. "Franklin says he warned you." "Oh, well, we didn't think we'd go so far," said Mollie. "We must thank that man. Where is he?" The lumberman, having replaced the queer punt where he had found it, was walking away, when Betty, running after him, cried: "Oh, won't you let us know who you are? We want to thank you, and----" "Oh that's all right," he said, with rough good-nature. "It was all in the day's work. I've done the same thing before." "But won't--won't you tell us who you are?" asked Allen. "It doesn't matter. I'm a stranger around here, and I don't expect to stay. I'll be getting along," and he took off his fur cap and bowed. It was so evident that he did not want to disclose this identity that the boys did not press him. "But we can't thank you enough," said Mollie. "The sight of your pretty faces is enough," he replied gallantly, and with just the trace of a brogue. He smiled genially, bowed again and tramped off through the snow. "How odd!" exclaimed Grace. "Maybe he's one of the Jallow lumbermen, and didn't want it known that he had done the Ford family a favor," suggested Will. "Silly!" remarked his sister. "Well, there's something queer about him anyhow," insisted Will. "Say, but you girls were in a pickle, all right." "It was a whole jar full--with some olives thrown in," remarked Betty. "Oh, I was so frightened!" "You didn't show it, my dear," spoke Amy. "You were very brave!" "Well, some one had to be. Not that you all weren't!" said Betty quickly. "When we got back, and Franklin said you'd gone off in the boat, and we saw the ice breaking up, we were wild about you," spoke Will. "We started out to trace you, keeping on the high ground to see you quicker. But the lumberman beat us to it." "Oh, I don't know what we should have done without him," declared Mollie. "Well, let's get back to the cabin," voiced Will. "My feet are wet." "And we'll all feel better for a cup of tea," added Mollie. Behold them then, a little later, seated about a cosy fire, sipping tea, coffee or chocolate, according to their fancies, Mrs. Franklin having insisted on serving them. Soon the danger was but a poignant memory. Days passed. The thaw spent itself and a freeze set in. Again there was excellent skating and ice boating, though the girls were a bit timid of the latter. Then came several winter affairs--parties in country-homes to which the girls were invited through the courtesy of Mrs. Franklin.