IN THE ICE. 249 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



The Bread Frozen. Skating. Fish Frozen in Ice. Birds Frozen to 

 the Ice. Ice-Ships. 



IT was dark when they sailed up the dyke leading to the 

 broad, and the wind had fallen, so that their progress was slow. 

 As they moved out of the dyke, where there was a gentle 

 current, into the open broad, there was a sound of crashing and 

 splintering at their bows, and the way of the yacht was stopped. 

 Jftnmy and Dick rushed out of the cabin, where they had been 

 preparing supper, and said to Frank, who was at the helm, 



" What is the matter ? " 



"Why the broad is frozen over, and we can't get any 

 further." 



l: Can't we break a passage through ? " said Dick. 



" We might, but it would be a pity to spoil so much ice for 

 skating. Let us stay here until the morning, and then we can 

 walk across for our skates. The yacht will be as safe here as 

 by the boat-house." 



They were already sufficiently wedged in by the ice to be 

 able to dispense with the lowering of their anchor, and after 

 supper (which by the way consisted of, first broiled bacon, next 

 tinned salmon, then some gooseberry-jam, followed by cheese, 

 and finally a tin of American preserved strawberries, which 

 they had bought at Yarmouth, the whole washed down by 

 coffee and beer) they turned in for a snooze. The silence of 

 the night was broken by continual sharp, tinkling noises. It 

 was some little time before they discovered that these arose 

 from the ice crystals as they formed along the surface of the 

 water, shooting out in long needles and crossing each other, 

 until every inch of the water was covered. 



In the morning the ice was strong enough to bear their 

 weight, although it bent in long waves beneath them as they 

 hurried over it. 



The frost continued. The ice was smooth, and black, and 



