"Besides," said Frank, "Mr. Jessup had a warm cabin."
"Well, you'd better wait," suggested Sammy's mother, and they had to do so.
But, about a week after this, there came a cold spell of weather and the lake was frozen over. When Frank awoke one morning he looked out of his window, and saw a sheet of ice on Rainbow.
"Oh, fine!" he cried. "Now for some skating!"
He took his skates to school with him that morning, as did Sammy and Bob, and during the noon recess the chums, and several of their friends, tried the ice. It was smooth, and thick enough to be safe.
"Let's skate over to Pine Island after school is out!" proposed Sammy.
"I'm with you!" cried Bob.
"And I'll go too," added Frank. "Maybe we'll see the hermit."
They said nothing to their companions about their plans, but when school was dismissed that afternoon they put on their skates and started across the frozen lake. They felt sure they could reach the island and get back home before dark, and each had received permission to go skating after school, though the island was not mentioned.
It was glorious fun on the ice. For some time the three chums found themselves in the midst of their skating companions, but they soon left them behind, and, a little later, were nearing Pine Island.
"Make for the upper end," advised Sammy. "That's where the hermit will be, if he's anywhere."
But though they had had good luck up to this time, bad luck now set in. First the skate of one of the boys would become loose, and he would have to stop and tighten it. Then the same thing would happen to another. So they were
