or Betty?"

"It's simple," replied Betty noncommittally. "It will do no harm to
try."

"And it's easy to stop," said Mollie. "Even if we forget to shut off the
engine, by pushing down on this handle, the wheel will be raised, and
won't cut into the ice. Then it will stop."

"Just as when you throw out the clutch on your auto," suggested Betty.

"Exactly. Come on girls. We'll go for a little run. There's nothing else
to do in camp."

The week had been rather a monotonous one, for the weather had turned
warm, and the ice was not in good condition for skating. It was almost
too soft for the boat, and the boys had rather given it up. But the
girls wanted to do something, and the auto ice craft offered them a
chance.

They had visited a hunters' camp a few days before, and seen some novel
sights, though game was not as plentiful as the hunters had wished.

"Well, if we're going--let's go!" cried Betty in a jolly voice, as she
buttoned her sweater more closely about her, and saw that her cap fitted
snugly.

"You must expect to get some speed out of it," returned Amy. "But
remember you promised to go slow."

"We can't do much else--it's so soft," declared Mollie, digging the toe
of her shoe into the surface of the ice.

"Well--let's mote!" exclaimed Grace. "I've got some chocolates, so that
if the wind does out----"

"Wind! You forget we don't use a sail," cried Betty with a laugh. "We
can get home in a dead calm. So if that's your only excuse for bringing
chocolates----"

"We might run out of gasoline," Grace interrupted. "I'll take them,
anyway."

"That's right, angel child!" murmured Mollie, "and I'll help you eat
them," and she calmly appropriated the box Grace had produced, and
selected some choice confections.

Just as the girls were about to leave, having shoved the ice boat out
away from the dock so as to get a good start, Mr. Franklin, the camp
care-taker, who had been over to a distant section, came running down to
the dock.

"Do you think your father is back from his Western trip yet, Miss Ford?"
he asked.

"Yes, I had a letter from home to-day, saying he would be home to-night.
Why?"

"Well, those Jallows are acting mean again. They're cutting timber on
land I'm sure belongs to your father, regardless of the strip in
dispute. I'm going to wire him to come up here. This thing ought to be
stopped."

"Oh dear! More trouble!" sighed Grace. "Well, do as you think best, Mr.
Franklin. I think yo