“And may I have a ride?” asked Nan.

“Of course.  I’ll take the whole family,” said Bert.  “Just you wait,” and then he and Tommy went on hammering and sawing.

CHAPTER III

A RUNAWAY

“All aboard!”

“Don’t forget your baggage!”

“This way for your tickets!”

“The ice-boat Bird makes no stops this side of the lake!  All aboard!”

Bert Bobbsey and Tommy Todd thus were calling at the end of one of the lumberyard docks one day about a week after Nan had seen her brother building the ice-boat.  Coming down the dock were Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, with Nan, Flossie and Freddie.  Snap, the big dog, was bounding on ahead through the snow, barking joyously.  He enjoyed fun as much as any one.

“All aboard!  Please hurry up!” cried Bert.

“Why, I thought this was a special trip you were giving us, and we didn’t have to hurry,” laughed his mother.

“It is,” Bert said.  “But you see you can’t sail an ice-boat if you haven’t any wind, and I want you to have a ride before the wind dies away, as it might.  So come on, get on board!”

“I want to steer!” cried Freddie.

“No, you must not,” said Nan.

“Yes, I must.  I know how to steer a motor boat, and I can steer an ice-boat, I guess,” and Freddie was very sure about it.

“After a while, maybe,” agreed Bert.  “But an ice-boat is different to steer from a motor boat.  I’ll show you how, though.”

Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey got on the little platform which Bert had built as a sort of open cabin.  It had old carpets and rugs on it, and there were blankets and robes to keep the passengers warm.  After some failures Bert and Tommy had finally managed to finish the ice-boat.  It was not as easy to build as they had expected, but Mr. Bobbsey’s carpenter had helped them.

The boat had been tried out on the ice, and had sailed well.  Mr. Bobbsey had Mr. Watson look at it, and that gentleman had said it was safe to ride in.  Then Bert had finally gotten his father and mother to promise to take a trip in the boat, bringing Nan, Flossie and Freddie with them.  Mr. Bobbsey had, before this, been given a ride with Bert and Tommy, so he knew the two boys could manage the boat fairly well.  Tommy and Bert had had several rides by themselves.  Now they had company.

“Are you all ready?” asked Bert, after he had seen his father and mother, his sisters and brother, get on board the Bird.

“All ready,” answered Mr. Bobbsey.  “Don’t go too fast at first, and take your mother’s breath away.”

“I won’t!” promised Bert.  “Are those two little ones covered up all right?” he asked, nodding toward Flossie and Freddie.

“Yep!  We’re as warm as—­as popcorn!” cried Flossie.

“With butter on!” added Freddie.

“Well, you certainly ought to be good and warm,” laughed Mrs. Bobbsey, as she tucked the robes closer around the two smaller twins.