“Good for Jack,” returned Boxy. “In that case I certainly don’t begrudge him the token.” On and on went the skaters, until the turning point was reached, and Jack shot around it in as small a curve as he could make without slipping, and directly on his heels followed Sully. But the bully and Jack were both becoming winded, and they could not keep up the pace. Harry, on the contrary, had got his second wind, and now he put on a spurt that brought him up yard by yard to the others. “Harry Webb is gaining on them!” “Sully is losing ground on Bascoe!” “Harry is up to Sully!” “What’s the matter with Jack? Is he out of wind?” “He must be. See! see! Harry is right on Jack’s heels!” “Harry has passed them all!” yelled Boxy, in wild delight. “Didn’t I tell you he would do it?” “They’ve got half a mile to go yet!” “Never mind, he’s getting farther ahead each minute!” Boxy was right. Harry was now putting forth every effort. He had just forged ahead of Jack, and it certainly looked as if he would come in a winner. But Jack was picking up. He was determined to beat Sully, even if he could not gain on his friend. A couple of rods were passed, and Harry was almost sure of winning, when suddenly a wild, girlish cry rang out across the river. Harry looked to his left and saw a sight that thrilled him with horror. Half-way between himself and the shore was a long, narrow spot where the ice was very thin. A girl, scarcely ten years of age, had ventured on this ice, and broken through, and was now struggling madly to save herself from drowning. Evidently all the other people on the river were so interested in the race that they had not seen the accident nor heard her cries for aid. “My gracious!” burst from Harry’s lips, and then, forgetting all about the race, and the prize he wished so much to win, he swept from the straight course in a semi-circle toward the hapless victim. Thinking something had gone wrong, perhaps, with Harry’s skates, Jack kept on, determined to win the medal from Sully, if he possibly could. Sully saw what the real trouble was, but, thoroughly selfish, kept on, hoping to win by accident if not otherwise. “Help me!” screamed the girl, as she saw Harry approaching. “Help me, Harry Webb!” “It’s Boxy’s sister, as sure as I live!” cried the boy, in horror. “Keep up, Minnie, and I’ll save you! Catch hold of the ice, and don’t let the current carry you under!” CHAPTER IV. A MOMENT OF PERIL. It was a thrilling moment in Harry Webb’s life when he saw his chum’s sister in her extremely perilous situation. He well understood how hard it was to keep up one’s courage in that freezing cold water, with the strong current trying its best to drag one under the ice. “Don’t let go, Minnie!” he shouted, and just then his own voice sounded strange to him. “Hold fast! I’ll be there in another minute!”