Trundle had a couple of pair, and the fat boy announced that there were half a dozen more downstairs; whereat Mr.Winkle expressed exquisite delight, and looked exquisitely uncomfortable.
Old Wardle led the way to a pretty large sheet of ice; and the fat boy and Mr.Weller, having shovelled and swept away the snow which had fallen on it during the night, Mr.Bob Sawyer adjusted his skates with a dexterity which to Mr.Winkle was perfectly marvellous, and described circles with his left leg, and cut figures of eight, and inscribed upon the ice, without once stopping for breath, a great many other pleasant and astonishing devices, to the excessive satisfaction of Mr.
Pickwick, Mr.Tupman, and the ladies; which reached a pitch of positive enthusiasm, when old Wardle and Benjamin Allen, assisted by the aforesaid Bob Sawyer, performed some mystic evolutions, which they called a reel.
All this time, Mr.Winkle, with his face and hands blue with the cold, had been forcing a gimlet into the sole of his feet, and putting his skates on, with the points behind, and getting the straps into a very complicated and entangled state, with the assistance of Mr.Snodgrass, who knew rather less about skates than a Hindoo.

At length, however, with the assistance of Mr.Weller, the unfortunate skates were firmly screwed and buckled on, and Mr.Winkle was raised to his feet.
'Now, then, Sir,' said Sam, in an encouraging tone; 'off vith you, and show 'em how to do it.' 'Stop, Sam, stop!' said Mr.Winkle, trembling violently, and clutching hold of Sam's arms with the grasp of a drowning man.

'How slippery it is, Sam!' 'Not an uncommon thing upon ice, Sir,' replied Mr.Weller.

'Hold up, Sir!' This last observation of Mr.Weller's bore reference to a demonstration Mr.Winkle made at the instant, of a frantic desire to throw his feet in the air, and dash the back of his head on the ice.
'These--these--are very awkward skates; ain't they, Sam ?' inquired Mr.
Winkle, staggering.
'I'm afeerd there's a orkard gen'l'm'n in 'em, Sir,' replied Sam.
'Now, Winkle,' cried Mr.Pickwick, quite unconscious that there was anything the matter.

'Come; the ladies are all anxiety.' 'Yes, yes,' replied Mr.Winkle, with a ghastly smile.