“I hope I don’t pull you down.”
“You won’t.”
“I can skate well on roller skates and if you hold me till I get the hang of it, I’ll be all right.”
“Sure you will. Now—Skim, don’t push.”
Under Madge’s patient direction, she was gaining poise and balance. But the first venture she made alone was disastrous.
They had tried to keep to the edge of the crowd and were so absorbed in Mimi’s strokes, that by the time Mimi was ready to let go Madge’s steadying hands, they were within a few feet of the rope.
“Now see if you can go by yourself,” Madge said giving Mimi a good shove to start her.
Mimi took four uncertain strokes, crashed into the rope and fell hard. She slipped several feet beyond where she had hit the ice so hard. Speeding behind to assist her, Madge caught her toe in the crack where Mimi had hit. At the second impact the ice gave way.
Madge did not fall all the way through. Mimi could tell that from where she was sprawled. Raising quickly, she tore off her skates and started running toward Madge. She took two steps and halted. If the ice were thin it would crack more under her added and greater weight. Madge, who was in no immediate danger, had not cried out. She was wedged in a hole, one leg through the ice, her head and body above.
“Help,” Mimi screamed. “Help. Bring a plank.”