So he stuck his toes under the leather straps. He scuffed over the floor. Then he tried to go backward. But he only pulled his feet out of the leather straps.
"They will not stay on. I knew they would not," he said. "I do not like them very well."
"I'm fixing mine so that they will stay on," said Polly. "I will fix yours, too."
To each end of the leather straps Polly had tied a piece of soft rope. Her snowshoes now looked like this:
"Put your toes under the straps, Peter. I will wind the ropes back of your heels. Now they go around your ankles and tie in front. See if the snowshoes will come off now."
Peter scuffed around the room again. The snowshoes held fast. They worked very well when he scuffed. But, if he tried to step, the backs flew up and hit him.
"Father's don't do that," said Peter.
"I know it," said Polly. "There are holes in father's. His toes go down through those holes. You haven't any holes. So your toes push the front of your snowshoes down. Then the backs fly up and hit you. You must scuff, not walk."
"I will," said Peter. "Let's go out of doors and try them. They are good snowshoes now."