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 our way, Roly!" called Mr. Blake with a laugh, "or we might skate right over you!"
"Bow-wow!" barked the little poodle dog. And I suppose that was his way of saying:
"No, I won't! I'll be good."