"Oh, I could let you have some time off to go skating, if you wanted to," said Mr. Bobbsey.
"Well, I would like it, if I had the skates," Tommy said. "But, as I haven't, I'll stay and run errands for you."
"You could take my skates, while I'm getting warm," Freddie said. "I guess I'll be quite a while getting warm, too, for it's awful cold out."
"Your skates are too small, I'm afraid," said Tommy.
"Bert has an extra pair. I heard him say so when he gave those to Harry," put in Freddie. "Couldn't Tommy take them, Daddy?"
"Why, yes, I think so. If you want to go up to the house after them I'll telephone Mrs. Bobbsey to have them ready for you," the lumber merchant said to his errand boy.
"Oh, yes, sir, I should like it! I haven't skated for a long time."
Mr. Bobbsey telephoned, and a little later Tommy was gliding about the frozen lake on a pair of Bert's skates, which, however, were quite good. Bert had laid them aside when he had been given a pair of shoe hockeys.
"Well, I'm warm enough now," said Freddie to Johnnie, after a bit. "Shall we go out and skate some more?"
Johnnie was willing and out they went. It seemed a little warmer now, for the sun was up higher. Many skaters were on the lake. All at once Freddie saw Tommy skating over toward the place which Bert had spoken of as not being safe.