During the winter a great snowdrift, seven or eight feet deep, had lodged in the brook; and the recent freshet had merely cut a channel beneath it, leaving a frozen arch that spanned the torrent.
"Don't do it!" Addison shouted to him.

"It will fall with you!" But, extending one foot slowly ahead of the other, Tom safely crossed to the other side.
"Come on!" he shouted.

"It will hold." Addison, however, held back.

The bridge looked dangerous; if it broke down, whoever was on it would be thrown into the water and carried downstream in the icy torrent.
"Oh, it's strong enough!" Tom exclaimed.

"That will hold all right." And to show how firm it was, he came part way back across the frozen arch and stood still.
It was an unlucky action.