The Terrible Twins

llected the money it had cost; she knew that it had not been drawn from the cats' home fund, since the Terror had promised her that none of that money should be diverted from its proper pur

Twins and Wiggins were in request as the lighter element in the Christmas gatherings. Thanks to the Terror, the three of them took this brightening function with considerable seriousness: each of them learned by heart a humorous piece of literature, generally

they constructed also an excellent toboggan on which they rushed down the hill into the village street. These were but light pleasures. They watched the ponds with the most careful interest; eager, should they bear, not to miss an

p their minds that it must surely bear. They ate their breakfast in a great excitement; a

ed skates that lay on the table, he said: "Then that's settled. I'll meet you at Pringle's pond

it nearly bore yesterday,

ll be your own lookout. But he's to wait till I come. If the ice does bear, it won't bear any too well; and I'm

rebellious tone: "As if I couldn't take care o

"But you are a girl; there's no getting

gh it and shut it firmly behind him. She hated to be reminded that she was a girl. The reminder rankled at interv

arden-gate. He joined her in a fine enthusiasm for the ice and talked of the certainty of its bearing with the most hopeful confidence. She displayed an equal confidence; and they took t

ng. Erebus stepped on to it gingerly, found that it bore her, and tested it with some care. She even jumped up and down on it. It cracked, but it did not break; and she

impatiently. No; she would not tell him that the Terror had charged her not to let him skate till he came.... Sh

ain. Erebus paid no heed to its cracking beyond telling Wiggins not to go far from the edge. She skated round and across the pond several times,

ere was a crash and a shrill cry from Wiggins. She turned sharply to see the water welling up out of a dark triangular ho

n that hole u

ace; and he clutched at the ice. Two more steps and a loud crack gave her pause. It flashed on he

rom the hole; and then she sent a shrill piercing scream

nd squirmed slowly, spread out so as to distribute her weight over as wide a surface as possible, toward the hole. Half a minute's cautious squirming brought her hands to the edge

ver the ice; but she could not. She could g

et from her own, was very wh

e to find a hold for her sl

-pull m-m-me out?"

ly. "But it's all right. The T

as high as she could

de of the field; there was no other sound. Wiggins' white face was now bluish round t

ns in a very faint voice; he began to sob;

enched arms and chest were dreadfully cold;

It's only a minute or two longer! The

hen his eyes filled with that dreadful look of hopeless bewildered distress of a very

then she screamed and screamed. Wiggins' face was a

were firmly gripped; and the Terr

strongly enough to stir her and Wiggins. He, t

irm round to the le

s toward the left; and she squirmed in that dire

ggins' chest came over the edge of the hole; but it did not break; and his body once flat on the ice, the Terror hauled them to the side of the pond easily. He dragged Erebus, still by the ankles, ha

olen gloves, drew his knife from his pocket, opened the blade with his teeth for quickness'

olently. In the spring the Twins had attended a course of the St. John's Ambulance Society lectures, and among other things had learned how to treat those dying

cold and terror) cut the straps of his skates and the laces of his boots, pulled them off, pulled off his stockings, and rubbed feebly at

off his stockings and pulled them on Wiggins' legs. The stockings came well up his thighs; and the Terror's coat and jersey came well down them. Wiggins was completely covered. But

of his cheeks was no longer a dead waxen color

d: "Come on, old chap! Make an e

him along. They went slowly for Wiggins' feet dragged feebly and almost helplessly along. Their arms round him helped warm him. It would have taken them a long time to haul him all the way to his home; but fortunately soon after they came out of Pringle's me

lt home as hard as you can go. You must be awfully wet and cold; and if you don't

er the threshold she ran home as quickly as he

ton himself. Wiggins was carried into the hot kitchen and rolled in a blanket with a hot water bottle at his feet. The cook was for two blankets and two hot water bottles; but the expert Terror insisted with a firmness there was no

rm the blankets. In another five minute's Mr. Carrington carried Wiggins up

eeing after Wiggins was over, he told him how he had come to the pond to find Wiggins in the water and Erebus spread out on the ice, holding him back from sinking. He was careful

Pringle's pond and picked up the skates and garments that had been left there. When he reached home he found that Erebus was in bed. She seemed little the worse for lying with her ar

r disregard for his instructions; he only said: "I just told Mr. Car

rebus after a pause in which she had gat