The thickest had been cut by the heavy man, and Mr.Wood took it first.
"Thank you, friend," he said.

The man didn't speak, and he turned his back as usual, but he gave a sideways surly nod before he turned.

The school-master chose a second pole, and then pushed both before him right out on to the ice, in such a way that with the points touching each other they formed a sort of huge A, the thicker ends being the nearer to the bank.
"Now, Jack," said he, "pay attention; and no more blubbering.

There's always plenty of time for giving way _afterwards_." As he spoke he scrambled on to the poles, and began to work himself and them over the ice, wriggling in a kind of snake fashion in the direction of the hole.

We watched him breathlessly, but within ten yards of the hole he stopped.