The skating master was young, but extremely haughty, for he had won his position by defeating all the other boys of the village in a free-for-all race, and he believed that because he was such a good skater he was superior to all his associates in everything. Unfortunately for him one of the victims of his overbearing disposition was a resourceful small boy who determined to get even. His time came when the skating master became infatuated with the belle of the village and managed to temporarily eclipse the young man who had long loved her. The youngster decided that the way to punish the skating master was to make him ridiculous, and to carry out his plan be induced the belle's suitor to challenge the skating master to a race on the ice. The suitor did not have much hopes of the outcome, but the small boy promised him. In the most solemn manner, that the skating master would lose. The boy was a good prophet, for on the day of the race, the skating master flopped down on the ice in the most amazing fashion, and was utterly unable to skate at all, while the other man calmly and easily sailed into victory. The village belle dropped the skating master from that moment. He had made himself ridiculous and that ended his chances with her. The other man was restored to favor and the small boy was thoroughly happy at the outcome. When asked why the skating master was defeated, he said there were two reasons: one was that he is wicked, and the wicked are always punished; the other is that I sneaked into his house and dulled his skates.
—Moving Picture World synopsis