It was not far to the river , but both were ready before Amy reached them . Jo saw her coming , and turned her back . Laurie did not see , for he was carefully skating along the shore , sounding the ice , for a warm spell had preceded the cold snap . `` I 'll go on to the first bend , and see if it 's all right before we begin to race , '' Amy heard him say , as he shot away , looking like a young Russian in his fur-trimmed coat and cap . Jo heard Amy panting after her run , stamping her feet and blowing on her fingers as she tried to put her skates on , but Jo never turned and went slowly zigzagging down the river , taking a bitter , unhappy sort of satisfaction in her sister 's troubles . She had cherished her anger till it grew strong and took possession of her , as evil thoughts and feelings always do unless cast out at once . As Laurie turned the bend , he shouted back ... `` Keep near the shore . It is n't safe in the middle . '' Jo heard , but Amy was struggling to her feet and did not catch a word . Jo glanced over her shoulder , and the little demon she was harboring said in her ear ... `` No matter whether she heard or not , let her take care of herself . '' Laurie had vanished round the bend , Jo was just at the turn , and Amy , far behind , striking out toward the smoother ice in the middle of the river . For a minute Jo stood still with a strange feeling in her heart , then she resolved to go on , but something held and turned her round , just in time to see Amy throw up her hands and go down , with a sudden crash of rotten ice , the splash of water , and a cry that made Jo 's heart stand still with fear . She tried to call Laurie , but her voice was gone . She tried to rush forward , but her feet seemed to have no strength in them , and for a second , she could only stand motionless , staring with a terror-stricken face at the little blue hood above the black water . Something rushed swiftly by her , and Laurie 's voice cried out ... `` Bring a rail . Quick , quick ! '' How she did it , she never knew , but for the next few minutes she worked as if possessed , blindly obeying Laurie , who was quite self-possessed , and lying flat , held Amy up by his arm and hockey stick till Jo dragged a rail from the fence , and together they got the child out , more frightened than hurt . `` Now then , we must walk her home as fast as we can . Pile our things on her , while I get off these confounded skates , '' cried Laurie , wrapping his coat round Amy , and tugging away at the straps which never seemed so intricate before . Shivering , dripping , and crying , they got Amy home , and after an exciting time of it , she fell asleep , rolled in blankets before a hot fire .
During the bustle Jo had scarcely spoken but flown about , looking pale and wild , with her things half off , her dress torn , and her hands cut and bruised by XXXXX and rails and refractory buckles .
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