They got off their skates in a rush.
"Tom," shouted Dave, "you and Greg get some of the fellows and rush down as many ties as you can from that pile by the railroad tracks.

Dalzell, you and Harry get down at the edge of send him your way.

Make a raft by laying four ties side by side, and lash the ends.

Do it as quick as a flash.

I'll be there by that time." Tom and Greg quickly had a dozen men running for railroad ties, a pile of which stood less than an eighth of a mile away.
By the time that the man with ropes arrived, and two more behind him, bringing more, there were a dozen railroad ties on the ice by the outer edge of the cove.