the
ice into great blocks.

"Oh!" said Bobby, "this is where we get the ice for John to put in the
freezer."

Father drove close down to the edge of the river and the men filled the
sleigh with a great load of the big blocks of ice.

"May I have a dish of the ice cream to-day?" asked Bobby.

"Not to-day," said father, "not until summer."

They were on the way home now, the horses going slowly with the heavy
load.

"But it will not be summer for a long time," said Bobby. "By that time
the snow and ice will all melt."

"This ice will not melt," said father, "even when spring comes and the
snow goes off."

"That is strange," said Bobby. "Truly I am afraid it will melt and then
we shall have no ice cream."

"Just watch," said father, "and see where I put it."

When they reached home father drove to the ice house.

"Look in there," he said to Bobby, "and tell me what you see."

"I see a great pile of sawdust," said Bobby. "You won't put the ice in
there will you, father? I do not want sawdust in my ice cream."

"We will see that no sawdust gets into the ice cream," said father,
"and yet we could not make the ice cream without it."

Father carried the big cakes of ice into the ice house and piled them
in rows on a deep layer of sawdust. Then he went for another load and
another and another. All that week he kept drawing ice until the ice
house was nearly full. Over the top of the ice and around the sides of
it he packed sawdust until it looked like a mountain.

"Are you trying to keep the ice warm?" asked Bobby.

"No, Bobby, I am covering it with the sawdust to keep it cool," said
father.

"That is very strange," said Bobby. "Mother puts blankets on me to keep
me warm. You put a blanket on the ice to keep it cool. I think there
must be a mistake somewhere."

After a few months spring came and the snow melted and the ice on the
river melted.

One day mother said, "If you will get me some ice we will have ice
cream to-day. I am going to churn too and will need some for the
butter."

"I am afraid the ice is all melted, mother," said Bobby.

"Come with me and we will see," said father.

So they went to the ice house. Father climbed on top of the mountain of
sawdust. Bobby climbed after him.

Father dug some of the sawdust off, then said, "Now you may dig,
Bobby."

Bobby began to scoop the sawdust off. Pretty soon his hand touched
something cold. He dug some more and then came to a piece of shiny