tle slower?" asked Flossie, after a bit. "Every
time I open my mouth it gets filled with cold air, and it makes me want to
sneeze."

"I can't go any slower than the wind blows," answered Bert. "Turn your
back to the bow, or front end of the boat, and you can open your mouth
easier then."

Flossie did as she was told and felt better. Meanwhile the _Bird_ was
living up to her name, and skimming along swiftly. Bert held to the
steering handle, now and then tightening or loosening the rope that was
fast to the sail.

"Want any help?" asked his father.

"No, thank you, Dad. I want to manage it all by myself as long as I can."

"Isn't it my turn to steer?" asked Freddie, when they were half-way down
the lake, toward the end farthest from the town, where there were deep
woods on either side.

"No, not yet!" exclaimed Bert "Don't touch anything, Freddie!" he went on,
for his little brother was reaching out toward the sail. "I'll have to
wait until the wind doesn't blow so strong before I can let your steer,
Freddie."

"But I want to steer when we're going _fast!_" cried the little fellow. "I
know how to do it. You just----"

Freddie never finished what he was saying. Whether he touched anything, or
whether Bert was afraid he would, and so pulled on the wrong rope to keep
it out of Freddie's way, was never known.

Suddenly the ice-boat gave a quick whirl to one side, like a boy or a girl
on roller skates going around a corner. It went around so quickly that it
tipped half-way over. Mrs. Bobbsey and Nan screamed. Mr. Bobbsey called to
Bert to be careful, but it was too late. Bert had lost his hold of the
rudder and the sail rope.

The next second Bert shot out of the ice-boat, and slid along on his back.
A moment later his father and mother were also spilled out, followed by
Nan. Then the ice-boat, not having such a heavy load aboard, settled down
on the ice again, and started to run away, or, rather, blow away.

Right before the wind it flew, and Flossie and Freddie, being well tucked
in among the robes and blankets were not spilled out. They stayed on
board; and Mr. Bobbsey, sitting up after he had slid some distance across
the ice, saw the _Bird_ scooting down the lake, carrying his two smaller
twins with it.

"Oh, the ice-boat is running away with Flossie and Freddie!" cried Nan, as
she, too, saw what had happened.

CHAPTER IV

THE OLD WOODCHOPPER

While Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, Bert and Nan picked th