"Oh, no! You're too little!" said his mother. "You must stay with me."
But Trouble did not wish to do that, and cried until Nora came in and said he might help her bake a cake. This pleased the little fellow, who, if he were given a piece of dough, not too sticky, to play with, had a fine time imagining he was making pies or a cake.
So Ted and Janet hurried off to the pond and were soon skating away with other boys and girls of their own age and size.
"Come on, now, let's race!" cried Ted, after a bit. "I'll get to the other side of the pond 'fore you do, Jan!"
"No, you won't!" she exclaimed, and the Curlytops started off on their race, the others watching.
For a while Ted was ahead, and then, whether it was because she was a better skater or because her skates were sharper, Jan passed her brother. He tried to catch up to her but could not.
And then, when Jan was about twenty feet ahead of Teddy and in the middle of the pond, the ice suddenly began to crack.
"Look out! Come on back! You'll go through!" cried Tom Taylor.
"Oh, she's in now!" screamed Lola.
And, as Lola spoke, Jan went through the ice into the black water beneath.