6 The Home of the Wolverene and Beaver. 



free of all obstructions by a small boy from the 

 village, closely followed by Rover, a pet retriever, 

 whose anxiety to keep near his master throughout 

 the mazes and twirlings of his course often brought 

 the faithful animal to dire grief. 



" The dog is a nuisance," muttered Paul, who, less 

 experienced in the art of skating than his younger 

 companion George Marshall, had nearly fallen 

 headlong over Rover in one of his unexpected 

 turns ; " he '11 knock me off my pins in a minute. 

 Can't you keep him on the bank, George," he 

 cried, raising his voice and pointing to the dog. 



" All right ; I '11 amuse him until you feel your 

 ice-legs under you," replied the latter, and making 

 for the bank he provided himself with a stick, 

 which he threw far away towards the head of the 

 lake for the dog to retrieve. Either the animal 

 was disobedient or instinct warned him that the 

 ice in the part where the stick had stopped was 

 unequal to even his light weight, for he paused, 

 whining, and looked back beseechingly at his 

 master, who, unable to account for such strange 

 conduct, was skating towards him at speed. 



" Oh, please come back, George," shouted Paul, 

 on seeing the direction his companion was taking ; 

 " even the dog has got sense enough to know 

 the ice is too thin there." But his warning was 



