Sammy was doing some hard and quick thinking. Something like a rope was needed so that Jed could hold one end and throw the other to the floundering lads. A rope? Where could they get one now? True there were ropes on the ice-boat, but they could not be reached. "I have it!" cried Sammy. "Our book straps! Quick, fellows, take the straps off your books!" It was a bright idea. The straps were the very thing needed. Now it happened that Sammy and his chums had very long book straps, much longer than were really needed. They were at least a yard in length, and often only a few books were carried in them. But the boys had a habit of also including their skates, and other playthings, in with their books, so they declared that long straps were needed. Frank and Bob at once grasped Sammy's plan. In a trice they had loosed the buckles, and handed him their straps.[Pg 50] He fastened the three together and thus had a leather rope almost ten feet long. [Pg 50] "That's the idea!" cried Jed, still shivering on the side of the ice-boat. "I can reach 'em with that!" "You'd better—better reach us—s-s-s-soon!" called Jim Eaton, his teeth chattering with cold. "That's—ri-ri-right!" shivered Hank Blair. "Have you out in a jiffy now!" called Jed. "Throw me the strap, Sammy!" "I'll bring it to you," said Sammy. "No, don't. It mightn't be safe. The whole boat might slip into the water." So Sammy tossed the three straps, fastened together as they were, to Jed, who caught them. The next moment, holding firmly to one end, Jed swung the other to Hank. Hank grasped it and carefully began to pull himself forward so he could reach the edge of the ice-boat. A very little help, from a person on a solid place, will allow a person in the water to lift himself up. The water buoys him, so to speak. You boys who have been in swimming know that if you keep low in the water you can support yourself by merely placing one finger on the edge of a pier or a boat. Sammy tossed the three straps, fastened together.
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