The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-16

half gale and its force had separated
the strip of ice on which they stOOC
from the shore. They were surely anC
slowly drifting farther and farther ou
ON that inland sea, that piece of waite
famous for its capricious temper, ole
Lake Eric.
The ice had become adriit while thu
chums were engrOssed in fishing, OF
watching for the herring to come, they
could not know just when. The lane
was already quarter Of mile distant
? At Kees' suggestion they tied theil
scarfs to pool and waved them to and
fro. They shouted, too. No answer
came.
/ Finally mist hid the shore.
What was that? There was dul
sound and the ice-field trembled. The
swell was doing its work, breaking M
the soft ice.
"Ths'll be in cakes soon," said Kees
"Then-" He knew that they could moi
cling to floating ice-cake long.
! Did you tell anybody you were going
flshing?" asked George.
/ "No."
"If navigation were only open we
might be picked up"
''Yes, but it amt"
Night only two hours distant, a storm
coming on, the situation was grave one
for the boys.
"I-n
Kees stopped, for the ice separated al
most at their very feet, followed by a
surge of cold, blue-black water which
carried off their tackle and nearly dis
lodged them. Dragging the fish with
them, the chums sought safer position,
/ only to be soon forced to leave it for an
other. They were drenched to the skin,
shivering, hungry.
Each minute made their adventure
more perllOus.
AN hour more and it will be night, "
said KEGS, finally, his teeth chattoring
with the cold.
And we must now be in about the
middle of the lake." said George, dis.
pairingly.
"No; about eight miles out"
They were silent again. One great
swell swept their ice-cake, and washed
the bait pail off. The next wave would
have carried George away if KEGS had
not clung to his chum bravely.
| remember the squally afternoon this
adventure took place, well. The ice had
not left our harbor, and l was out on
the Whistler, my little staunch iceboat,
There were two reefs in her mainsail,
and one in her jib; then my chum Bob
bins, and had all we wanted to do to
keep her right side up. We-but you
don't care to hear about Steve and me
this time, must recollect. To return
to KEGS and George.
The sees grew larger as the time wore
on. The swash of their darkish white
crests became larger, and the dull light
place over at the West, where the sun
was, was soon nearly as low as the hori-
zon, showing night was near. They
would not have been in an enviable
position on a stiff little yacht out there.
'Kees!" suddenly called George.
"What?"
at isn
SIS what?"
"a tug"
The cake on which the boys driited
had swung around, and George had
caught sight of-yes, a tug. Nor was il
over a quarter of mile off.
They stood up, dangerous as it was
clinging to each other for support, and
waved their hats-shOuted.
A puff of white steam rose from the
tug, and soon its hoarse whisper reached
| Jnelf ears.
"They see us, and they're coming fol
u.s." cried KEGS, jOyfully, and the chumS
shrdnk again on the ice.
1t turned out that old Dan Stubbs, who
had inadvertently got the chums into
their strait by his love for romancing-
he had caught only 20 herring-wa'
the means, also, of their rescue. 1t haC
occurred to him after his talk with KEGS
that KEGS might be tempted to go fish
ing; and knowing the ice was unsafe, III
had mentioned his fear to Mr.. Spencer
whom he accidentally met They haC
at once gone down to the lake, where tht
absence of lines and and minnow net a
the boat house, and the open water along
the beach suggested the desperate situa
tion Kees was in. They had hasteneC
back to tn village, where Mr.. Spence
telegraphed of the boys danger to Ash
tabula, where the tug the chums sav
was, luckily, in commission; and it hat
come to the rescue just in time.
Soon strong arms drew the boys, her
rings included, from their slippery sup
port to the little vessels deck. Thel
they were hurried down into the warn
cabin, where dry clothes were exchanged
for their wet, drenched ones, and the tug
steamed back to port.
They had narrow escape that storm.
day; and so had Steve and |. am 90
ing to tell our adventure some time
l-Ydnkee Bldde.