heel.

To cut the circle backward, you must simply reverse your forward
movement.

To skate backward, work or scull yourself along any way, until you are
able to detect the proper movement and proper manner of giving the
strokes. This accomplished, you may call yourself a good plain skater.

The spread eagle is one of the first steps in the advance from plain
to fancy skating. Even when well done, it lacks the elements of grace,
but it is most excellent practice to render the limbs supple, and make
other more graceful tricks possible; and it is a favorite performance
of boy skaters.

You must skate straightaway until you have gained sufficient headway,
then at the end of the last stroke turn the toes out so that the
runners of your skates make a straight line, heel to heel, one skate
following the other. In this position you will glide over the ice
until the momentum first gained is exhausted. At first the beginner
will be only partially successful, but gradually he will be able to
describe a wide circle forward, and in a little while gain sufficient
control of his feet to slide across the skating pond in a straight
line.

The spread eagle backward will be found more difficult, for it
necessitates turning the toes out until they point backward. In
performing this last feat, it is no easy matter to keep your balance,
but perfection comes with practice, and soon the boy who devotes time
to practice will excite the admiration of his comrades by the ease