Harry Hazelton and Dan snatched short lengths of rope and knotted them around either end of the raft.
"Some of you men make another raft, just like that one!" shouted Dave, who, at the time, was busily engaged in making a noose at one end of a long coil of half-inch rope.
"Here, you two men get hold of the other end of this," ordered Dave, running up with the coil of rope.
Then, hardly waiting to make sure that they had the rope, Dave turned to Harry and Dan, calling to them to help him push the raft out beyond the cove.

A dozen men and boys tried to help, all at once, but Dave and Harry saw to it that no speed was lost by blundering.
The raft was not difficult to push out over the ice.
"Now, let me have it alone," shouted Dave.

"The ice may break at any point beyond." So Dave tugged and pushed, guiding the small raft before him.
Cra-ack! Dave and the raft went through the ice, but Darrin quickly climbed up astride of the ties.
Out beyond, Dick was holding up Fred Ripley, whom he had found and brought to the surface.

Fred's eyes were nearly closed.
After his second drop below, the Ripley lad was nearly spent.
Glancing back, Dave saw that another raft was being pushed out by the two men who held the rope that was noosed under his shoulders.
"Now, halt where you are!" Dave Darrin shouted back.

"Toss me a long rope that I can throw out to Prescott!" The rope came swirling.