"Come, George," said William Green; "now we shall have a glorious time sliding."
George hesitated, and said he did not believe it was strong enough, for it had been frozen over only one night.
"Oh, come on!" said another boy: "I know it is strong enough. I have known it to freeze over in one night, many a time, so it would bear: haven't you, John?"
"Yes," answered John Brown: "it did so one night last winter; and it wasn't so cold as it was last night, either."
But George still hesitated, for his father had forbidden him to go on the ice without special permission.
"I know why George won't go," said John; "he's afraid he might fall down and hurt himself."
"Or the ice might crack," said another; "and the noise would frighten him. Perhaps his mother might not like it."
"He's a coward, that's the reason he won't come."
George could stand this no longer, for he was rather proud of his courage. "I am not afraid," said he; and he ran to the pond, and was the first one on the ice. The boys enjoyed the sport very much, running and sliding, and trying to catch one another on its smooth surface.
More boys kept coming on as they saw the sport, and soon all thought of danger was forgotten. Then suddenly there was a loud cry, "The ice has broken! the ice has broken!" And sure enough, three of the boys had broken through, and were struggling in the water; and one of them was George.