Little Perrine smiled. “That’s what you say! Doesn’t match the stories other people tell--and I guess they’re nearer the real truth. Everybody declares you did a star job. Funny, isn’t it, that I don’t remember anything about your part of it? One instant Tom Orkney was grabbing for me, and trying to drag me back, and the next--crash! There I was in the water, and Tom had jumped in after me, and was holding me up. Then everything was blurred, and there was a queer singing in my ears--and the next I knew, here I was, in bed. And then things got to whirling round, and I was going through it all again and again. Jiminy! but I bet I yelled like a good fellow!” “Pretty close call for a kid like you,” said Sam. “Poof! I’m tough!” insisted the boy. “I’d have been all right--crawled out myself, I would, if it hadn’t been for that sleepy feeling that came over me. But it was all right, anyway. There was old Orkney to hold my head out of water, and you were coming on the run. But, as it is, Orkney’ll have a good laugh on me, I tell you.” Sam grasped the fact that Perrine had not been informed of Tom’s disappearance. “Oh, so he--he’ll have the laugh on you?” he asked uncertainly. “Sure! You see, he’d been telling me to keep away from the thin places. When he came along I was doing stunts--seeing how close to a blow-hole I could skate, you know; and he made a fuss about it. Why, he grabbed me, and lugged me back to shore, and tried to make me promise to quit the funny business. But I got away from him, and beat it for the dam. I didn’t think he’d dare chase me, he weighs so much more than I do. But he pelted after me, and he’d have got me if I hadn’t kept dodging. And then--well, then the thing happened. But old Orkney was a brick, wasn’t he?” Sam strove to make fitting reply, but achieved only a choking sound. “Why, what’s the matter?” demanded Little Perrine. “And what makes you look so queer?” Sam wiped his forehead with his handkerchief; he had a sense of fighting for time. “Oh, looking--looking queer, was I?” Little Perrine grinned. “Say! It was as if I’d hit you between the eyes and dazed you.” Sam laughed, but it was a forced laugh and unconvincing. “I guess this room’s pretty warm,” said he, and got upon his feet. “I’ll have to be going. You’ll be out, I suppose, in a day or two?” “Yes. But if you meet Orkney, tell him to come to see me. You wouldn’t mind taking the message, would you? Of course, I know he hasn’t been pals with your crowd, but after all that’s happened----” “If I should see Tom Orkney I’d be only too glad to deliver your message,” said Sam heavily. Another link in that famous chain had been fractured. By the testimony of the best possible witness Orkney had not imperiled Little Perrine’s life by driving him upon the thin ice; but, on the contrary, had risked his own to protect the younger and frailer boy. With dragging step Sam went back to Lon Gates.