Janet now was.

"I'll get her out!" called Ford.

Then, while Teddy slowly crawled back over the ice, which every now and
then cracked a little, as if the whole frozen top of the pond were going
to fall in, Ford, the big boy, not in the least minding his feet getting
wet, ran to where Janet stood up in the hole. Ford broke through the ice
also, but as he was quite tall the water did not even come to his
knees.

"Don't cry. You'll be all right soon," said Ford in a kind voice to the
little girl. "I'll take you home!"

Then, being strong, he lifted her up in his arms, skates and all, and,
with the mud and water dripping from her feet while his own were soaking
wet, the big boy ran toward the Martin home with Janet.

"You come along, too, Curlytop!" called Ford to Teddy. "If I bring in
your sister, all wet from having fallen through the ice, your mother
will be afraid you are drowned. Come along!"

So Teddy, quickly taking off his skates, Tom Taylor helping him, ran
along beside Ford, who was carrying Janet. The other boys and girls who
had run from the cracking ice in time to get off before they broke
through, followed, so there was quite a procession coming toward the
Martin house. Mrs. Martin, looking out of the window, saw it and, seeing
Jan being carried by the big boy, guessed at once what had happened.

"Oh, my goodness!" she cried to Nora. "Jan has fallen through the ice.
She'll be soaking wet and cold. Get some hot water ready, and I'll
bring some blankets to warm. She must be given a hot bath and put to bed
in warm clothes. Maybe Teddy is wet, too, or some of the others. Hurry,
Nora!"

And Nora hurried as she never had before, so that by the time Ford had
set Jan down in a chair by the stove in the kitchen and had helped Mrs.
Martin take off her wet skates and shoes, the water was ready and Janet
was given a hot foot bath.

"You must dry yourself, Ford," said Mrs. Martin. "I can't thank you
enough for saving my little girl!"

"Oh, she was all right," answered Ford. "She stood up herself, because
the water wasn't deep, and I just lifted her out of the mud. Ted did
well, too, for he stopped himself from going into the hole."

"I was going to get Janet out," Teddy answered.

"I knew you would be a brave little boy when your sister was in danger,"
said Mrs. Martin. "Now here is some hot milk for you, Janet, and I guess
you're old enough to have a little coffee, Ford. It will keep you from
catching col