man who had escaped from confinement, but none of the others bothered their heads on this score.
"There's Clifford!" said Frank, as they turned a bend, and saw skaters on the ice; but without stopping to bandy words with any of them they kept straight along.
"And that's Rattail Island ahead," remarked Ralph, presently, "just two miles now, and we'll be home."
As they swept past the island both Frank and Lanky looked toward the shack on the shore; but no signs of the tramp could they see.
"I guess he's away, trying to sell some of the fish he caught this morning. It's a pretty blue Christmas for poor Bill, perhaps," commented Frank.
"Bill—seems like I was going to say it then, and plague take it if the words didn't just stick in my throat," groaned Lanky, shaking his head.
Then they sighted the outlying houses of Columbia ahead, and none of them were sorry, for they were somewhat stiff, and a trifle sore.
Once ashore Ralph and Frank said good-bye to Lanky, and hurried toward the railroad station, for Ralph could not contain his impatience longer.
