'Bz-z-z-z-z! Don't
do it!' said the bee. 'It's dangerous. You promised Mother.'
"'We'd better not, Willie,' said Anna quickly. 'We promised Mother, you
know.'
"'But Mother'll never know,' said Willie.
"'But you _promised_,' buzzed the bee again.
"'Mother thought the ice was thawing,' added Willie. 'She won't care,
when she knows it isn't. You may do as you like, Anna; but I'm going to
slide across right now.'
"When Anna saw her brother starting across the pond, she followed, in
spite of the bee. But they had gone only a little way when the ice began
to crack, and then to give way under them.
"Anna turned and hurried back to the bank; but Willie had gone too far.
She saw him go down in the icy water; and she ran to the road, screaming
at the top of her voice.
"A man was passing by at that moment. He picked up a board and ran to
the pond as fast as he could. And he reached it just in time to save
little Willie.
"Dragging the lad up on to the bank, he called loudly for someone to
come and help him. Two or three men came running; and they worked over
Willie, until at last he opened his blue eyes and asked faintly, 'Where
am I?' Then they took him home to his mother.
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