As they swept round by the fire, the light glared brightly upon their faces and forms, but they soon disappeared from view in the darkness beyond; only Jonas could hear the sound of their skates, ringing over the ice, as they receded.
"What a great, hot fire!" said Oliver.
"Yes," said Isabella, "I never saw such a large fire on the ice.

I don't see how they got all the wood." "I suppose," said Jonas, "that they got out the wood from the forest, along the shore, and threw it out upon the ice, before they put on their skates, and then they could easily bring it to the fire.

But hark! they are coming back again." The fire was so bright where they were, and it flashed so strongly upon the ice around, that they could not see the skaters until they came pretty near.

The dark figures, however, soon began to appear.

The foremost was a tall young man, who came forward with great speed, pushing before him a long and slender log, half decayed and dry.