"You're in this, Mr. Sneed," said the manager. "You are supposed to be skating along, when you trip and fall breaking your leg——"
"Hold on—stop—break my leg! Never!" cried the grouchy actor.
"Of course you don't really injure yourself!" exclaimed the manager, testily.
"Oh, why did I ever come to this miserable place!" sighed Mr. Sneed. "I despise cold weather!"
But there was no help for it. Soon he was on the steel runners gliding about, while Russ filmed him. Mr. Sneed was a good skater, and was not averse to "showing off."
"All ready, now!" called the manager to him. "Get that fall in right there. Russ, be ready for him!"
"Oh!" groaned the actor. "Here I go!"
And, as luck would have it, he, at that moment, tripped on a stick, and fell in earnest. It was much better done than if he had simulated it.
But something else happened. He fell so heavily, and at a spot where there was a treacherous air hole, that, the next instant Mr. Sneed broke through the ice, and was floundering in the chilly water.