l hold up all the
skaters that will come on this pond."

But the children and their Daddy were the only ones there now. Mr.
Blake showed Hal and Mab how to put on their skates. He made the
straps tight for them, and then put on his own.

"Now we will see how well you can skate," said Mr. Blake.

"I can!" cried Hal. "I've watched the big boys do it. I can skate!"

"It's just like roller skating," said Mab, "and I can do that, I
know."

"Well, you may find it a little different from roller skating, Mab,"
her papa answered with a laugh.

"Here I go!" cried Hal. He struck out on the ice, first with one foot,
and then with the other, as he had been used to doing on his roller
skates. And then something happened.

Either Hal's feet slid out from under him, or else the whole frozen
surface of the pond tilted up, and struck him on the head. He was not
quite sure which it was, but it felt, he said afterward, as though the
ice flew up and struck him.

"Oh, be careful!" cried Daddy Blake, as he saw Hal fall. But it was
too late to warn the little boy then.

"Oh, he's hurt!" exclaimed Mab with a little sob, as she saw that her
brother did not get up.

Daddy Blake skated over to Hal, but there was no need of his help. For
Hal got up himself, only he was very careful about it. He did not try
to skate any more. He did not want to slip and fall.

"Are you hurt?" asked Mr. Blake.

"N-n-no; I guess not," Hal answered slowly. "The ice is sort of soft,
I guess."

"No quite as soft as snow, however," laughed Daddy Blake. "Now you had
better not try to skate until I take hold of your hand. I will hold
you up. Come, Mab, well take hold of hands and so help each other to
stand up."

Roly-Poly was rushing here and there, filled with excitement, and he
was barking all the while. He was having fun too.

"Now strike out slowly and carefully," directed Daddy Blake to the
children. "First lean forward, with your weight on the left foot and
skate, and then do the same with your right. Glide your feet out in a
curve," and he showed them how to do it, keeping hold of their hands,
Mab on one side and Hal on the other. In this way they did not fall
down.

Slowly over the ice they went.

"Oh, we are skating!" cried Mab, in delight.

"Isn't it fun!" shouted Hal.

"At least you are beginning to skate," said Mr. Blake.

Roly-Poly kept prancing around in front, running here and there, and
barking louder than ever.

"Don't get in