Daddy Takes Us Skating

by Howard Roger Garis

"Huh! I guess not!" exclaimed Hal. "Boys always win races; don't they,
Daddy."

"Well, not always," said Mr. Blake. "And Mab is becoming a good little skater."

"Well, I'll win!" declared Hal. "You see if I don't!"

The next day was too cold for the children to go skating with their Daddy, but a little later in the week it was warmer, and one afternoon, coming home early from the office Mr. Blake said:

"Come on now. I hear you two youngsters have been practicing skating on the pond, so we'll go over there and have a race."

"Hurray!" cried Hal.

"Oh, I do hope I win!" exclaimed Mab.

There were not many other skaters on the ice when the children and their father reached it Mr. Blake marked off a place, by drawing two lines on the ice with his skate. The space between them was about as long as from the Blake's front gate to their back fence.

"Now, Hal and Mab," said Daddy Blake, "take your places on this first line. And when I call 'Go!' start off. The one who reaches the other line first will win."

Hal and Mab took their places. They were so eager to start that they stepped over the line, before it was time.