The rain and the thaws had melted the snow, upon the top of the ice, and made it a sheet of water.

Then this had frozen again, so that now the surface of the pond was almost every where hard and smooth; and when they came down upon it, and turned to go across the bay, the horse being at his full speed, the sleigh swept round sideways over the ice, in a great circle, and made the farmer's wife very much afraid that she should be upset.

It seemed as if the sleigh was trying to get before the horse.
However, Amos, who was driving, contrived to get the horse ahead again, and then they went on with great speed.

It was a mile across to the end of the point of land; but Kate carried them over this space in a very few minutes.

As they drew near to the point, they watched the light.