How they sprawled and fell upon the ice!
What fun it was for the other Indians!
When they were tired of the sport they held out the skates to John and asked him to put them on.
John strapped on the skates with great care. He was a good skater, but he made believe that he could not skate at all.
He fell down and bumped his head.
He tripped over his toes and made great fun for the Indians.
They did not see that each time he fell he was a little farther out on the ice.
All at once John jumped up.
Away he flew, skating for his life.
Down the river he went, swift as a bird.