their own skates and went skating away, and away, and
away.

By and by Bunny and Susan said,

"'Tis rather sad now to relate,
We are too old and stiff to skate.'"

Grandpa Grumbles said,

"Chilly business this sport I think,
Let's go roller-skating in a rink."

Bunny and Susan said they must really go home and Grandpa Grumbles said
he, too, would go to his own home.

He shouted to the Seventeen Little Bears,

"Don't skate where the ice is thin,
You'll make a hole and tumble in."

The Seventeen Little Bears skated on and on, the wind whistling in
their ears.

Snubby Nose said to Tippy Toes, "What if the Seventeen Little Bears
should fall into the water, what would we do?"

Tippy Toes said, "The wind blows so hard they cannot hear. I hope they
know where the ice is thin."

The Seventeen Little Bears formed a circle and skated round. Suddenly
the ice gave way. Splash, dash, they all fell into the water!

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes danced this way, and they danced that way,
and shouted, "Help, help, help! The Seventeen Little Bears have fallen
into the water!"

Doctor Cotton-Tail was riding by in his sleigh. He said, "Come, we will
pull them out of the water." So they all helped pull the Seventeen
Little Bears out of the water.

Doctor Cotton-Tail said, "I will tuck them in my sleigh and take them
to Bunny and Susan. They will tuck them up warm in bed."

[Illustration: "I WILL TUCK THEM IN MY SLEIGH"]

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes hung on to the back of the sleigh and they
went whizzing merrily homeward, the wind whistling in their ears. The
Seventeen Little Bears sneezed all the way.

Did Bunny and Susan tuck them up warm in bed? Well, I guess they did,
and Doctor Cotton-Tail gave them hoarhound candy.

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes smacked their lips and said, "If we had
fallen in the water we could have had candy too."

Doctor Cotton-Tail said, "You cunning little things, you look as much
alike as two peas. You shall each have a stick of lemon candy."

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes danced this way, and danced that way, and
said,

"Lemon candy is good to eat,
We always think it quite a treat."

Susan said, "Hush; be still. Don't wake the Seventeen Little Bears;
they are all asleep."

CHAPTER IX

The Seventeen Little Bears took cold when they fell through the ice
into the water, so they had to stay in bed all day. They cried, "Tell
us a story, please