When they came to the river, Bobby could see that it was all one mass of ice. Men working there had swept the snow off and were cutting 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."