The Bobbsey Twins at Snow Lodge
by
Laura Lee Hope
Part 2 out of 3
come back, children, tell me all about it. If I can't go there at
least I like to hear about the place."
Mr. Carford went out to his team, through the now driving snow. He
little realized what a joyful story the Bobbsey twins were to bring
back to him from Snow Lodge, nor how it was to change his feeling in
regard for his boyhood home.
"Papa," said Bert soberly, after the visitor had gone, leaving the
keys of Snow Lodge behind him, "what is the secret about Mr. Carford
and that winter place? And you're mixed up in it, I'm sure."
"What makes you sure, Bert?"
"Well, I've been thinking so ever since that day I helped to catch his
runaway horses, and he said this was the second time a Bobbsey had
tried to do him a favor.'"
"Had your favor anything to do with Snow Lodge, Papa?" asked Nan, as
she put her arms about his neck.
"Well, yes, daughter, in a way. And, since Mr. Carford has told you
part of the story, I may as well tell you the other half, I suppose."
"Oh, another story!" cried Flossie, in delight.
"Yes, we must be quiet and listen," said Freddie, as he drew up a
stool close to his father.
"It isn't a very nice sort of story," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "In fact it
is rather sad. But I'll tell it to you, anyhow. Did Mr. Carford tell
you about when he was a boy?"
"Yes, and how he went away, and came back rich, and found all his
folks gone and the farm sold," said Nan.
"Yes. Well, I guess he told you then, how he took his nephew, Henry
Burdock, to live with him. He loved Henry almost as if he were his own
son, and did everything for him. In fact he planned to leave him all
his money. Then came a quarrel."
"What about?" asked Bert softly.
"Over some money. Henry was a young man who liked to spend
considerable, and though he was not bad he was different from the
country boys. Mr. Carford gave him plenty of spending money, however,
and did not ask him what became of it.
"Then, one day, a large sum of money was missing from Snow Lodge. Mr.
Carford accused Henry of taking it, and Henry said he had seen nothing
of it. Then came a quarrel, and Mr. Carford, in a fit of temper, drove
Henry away from Snow Lodge. There were bitter words on both sides, and
after that Mr. Carford closed up the place, and has not been near it
since. That is the part of the story Mr. Carford did not tell you."
"But where do you come in, Daddy?" asked Nan. "Did you find the
missing money?"
"No, Nan, though I wish I had. But I was sure Henry had not taken it,
and I tried to make Mr. Carford believe so. That is what he meant by
me trying to do him a favor. But he would not have it so, and, for a
time, he had some feeling against me. But it passed away, for he
realized that I was trying to help him.
"But since then Mr. Carford and his nephew, Henry Burdock, have not
spoken. As I said, Mr. Carford drove the young man away from Snow
Lodge. It was in a raging storm and Henry might have frozen, only I
found him and took him to a hotel. I helped look after him until he
could get a start. It was a very sad affair, and it has spoiled Mr.
Carford's life, for he loved Henry very much."
"And did Henry really take the money?" asked Freddie. "That was
wicked, I think."
"You must not say so, Freddie," spoke Mr. Bobbsey. "We do not know
that Henry did take it. No one knows. It is a mystery. I, myself feel
sure that Henry did not, but I can not prove that he did not take it.
His uncle believes that he did. At any rate the money disappeared."
"And where was it when Mr. Carford last saw it?" asked Nan.
"Mr. Carford left it on the mantlepiece in the big living room of Snow
Lodge," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Henry was the only other person, beside
himself, who was in the room, and in some way the money was taken. I
even went so far as to have a man from the police station look all
over the house, hoping he could find the roll of bills somewhere, but
it did not come to light. And so, ever since, there has been a bad
feeling between Henry and his uncle."
"What does Henry Burdock do now?" asked Bert.
"He roams about the woods, as a sort of guide and hunter. Sometimes, I
am told, he comes close to Snow Lodge and looks down on it from a
distant hill, thinking of the happy days he spent there."
"Maybe we'll see him when we go up," said Freddie. "If I do I'll give
him all the money in my bank so he can be friends with his uncle
again."
"No, Freddie," said Mrs. Bobbsey solemnly. "You must not speak of what
you have just heard. It is a sad story, and is best forgotten. Both
Mr. Carford and Henry feel badly enough about it, so it will be best
not to mention it. Just forget all about it if we go to Snow Lodge."
"But we are going; aren't we, Papa?" asked Bert. "The trip to the
woods would do us all good."
"Well, I think we might take advantage of Mr. Carford's kind offer,"
said Mr. Bobbsey. "Yes, we'll plan to go to Snow Lodge!"
"Hurrah!" cried Nan and Bert, grasping each other by the hands and
swinging around in a sort of waltz.
"Can we take our sleds," asked Flossie.
"I'm going to take my skates--maybe I'll skate all the way there--I
could--on the lake!" exclaimed Freddie, and he wondered why the others
laughed.
"Well, we'll make our plans later," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Now, children,
we'll have an early supper and then you must all get to bed. Christmas
will come so much earlier if you go to sleep now."
"Oh, jolly Christmas!" cried Nan. "I can hardly wait!"
CHAPTER X
UNWELCOME NEWS
"Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas to everybody!"
"Oh, Christmas is here! I wonder what I got?"
"I'm going to get up and see!"
The Bobbsey twins were calling to one another from their rooms, and
papa and mamma Bobbsey were replying to their children's happy
greetings. It was Flossie who had made the exclamation about wondering
what Santa Claus had brought her, and it was Freddie who declared he
was going to get up to see.
Soon the patter of bare feet announced that the two younger twins were
scampering downstairs.
"You must put on your dressing gowns and slippers, my dears!" called
Mrs. Bobbsey. "You'll take cold. Nan, look after them; will you?"
"Yes, mother, in just a minute. As soon as I can find my own things,"
and Nan got out of bed. She and Bert were not in so much of a hurry as
Flossie and Freddie for they were getting older, and though Christmas
was still a source of great joy to them they were not so anxious to
see what gifts they had. Still Nan was eager to know if her camera had
come.
From the parlor below came cries, shouts and peals of delighted and
surprised laughter as Flossie and Freddie discovered their different
gifts.
"Look at my book!" cried Flossie. "And a doll--a doll that you can
wind up, and she walks and says 'mamma.' Look, Freddie!" and the
little girl started the doll off across the room.
"Pooh! Look at what I got!" cried Freddie. "It's a fire engine, and it
squirts real water. I'm going to put some in it, and play fire."
He started for the kitchen with his toy, but Nan caught him.
"Not just yet, little fat fireman," she said with a laugh, as she took
him up in her arms. "You can't splash in the cold water until you have
more clothes on. Get dressed and then you may play with your toys."
"All right!" answered Freddie. "Oh, look, I've got a wind-up
steamboat, too. Oh! let me down so I can look at it, Nan! Now please
do!"
Nan saw a pile of her own gifts, so she set Freddie down for a moment,
intending to carry him up stairs a little later. She had wrapped a
robe about Flossie, who was contentedly playing with her newest doll,
and looking at her other presents. Santa Claus had been kind to the
Bobbsey twins that Christmas.
Bert, big boy though he thought himself getting to be, could no longer
resist the temptation to come down in his bath robe to see what he had
received, and a little later fat Dinah, roused earlier than usual by
the joyous shouts of the children, came lumbering in.
"Oh, Dinah! Dinah! Look what you got!" cried Flossie. "Your things are
all here on this chair," and the little girl led the fat cook over
toward it.
"Things fo' me? What yo'-all talkin' 'bout chile? Ole Dinah don't git
no Christmas!" protested the jolly colored woman, laughing so that she
shook all over.
"Yes, you do get a Christmas, Dinah. Look here!" and Flossie showed
where there were some useful presents for the cook,--large aprons,
warm shoes, an umbrella, and a bright shawl that Dinah had been
wanting for a long time.
"What? All dem fo' me?" asked the surprised cook. "Good land a' massy!
I guess ole Santa Claus done gone an' made a beef-steak this time,
suah!"
"No, there's no mistake! See, they've got your name on!" insisted
Flossie. "See, Dinah!" and she led the cook over to the chair where
the presents were piled. There was no doubt of it, they were for
Dinah, and near them was another chair containing gifts for her
husband, Sam. He would not be in until later, however. But Dinah saw a
pair of rubber boots that would be very useful in the deep snow, and
there were other fine presents for Sam.
Bert and Nan were now looking at their things, and Mr. and Mrs.
Bobbsey could be heard moving around upstairs, having decided that it
was useless to lie abed longer now that the children were up.
"Come, come, Flossie and Freddie!" called Mrs. Bobbsey. "You must get
dressed and then you can play as much as you like. I don't want you to
get cold. If you do you can't go to Snow Lodge, remember!"
This was enough to cause the small Bobbseys to scamper upstairs.
Flossie carried her doll with her, and Freddie took along his fire
engine, for that was the gift he had most wanted, and for which he had
begged and pleaded for weeks before Christmas.
Feeling that a little liberty might be allowed on this day, Mrs.
Bobbsey did not insist on the younger children dressing completely
until after breakfast, so in their warm robes and slippers Flossie and
Freddie were soon again examining their toys, discovering new delights
every few minutes.
Nan was busy inspecting her camera, while Bert was looking at a new
postage stamp album he had long wanted, when from the kitchen where
Dinah was getting breakfast came a series of excited cries, mingled
with laughter and shouts of:
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
"Mercy! What's that?" screamed Mrs. Bobbsey, turning pale.
Mr. Bobbsey made a rush for the kitchen. Nan and Bert, with Flossie,
gathered about their mother. Then they heard Dinah calling:
"Stop it, Freddie! Stop it I done tell you! Does yo'-all want me t'
git soaked? An' yo'-all will suah spoil them pancakes! Oh, now yo' hab
done it! Yo' squirted right in mah mouf! Oh mah goodness sakes alive!"
Mrs. Bobbsey looked relieved.
"Freddie must be up to some prank," she said.
"Freddie, stop it!" commanded Mr. Bobbsey, and then he was heard to
laugh. The others all went out to the kitchen and there they saw a
curious sight.
Freddie, with his new toy fire engine, was pumping water on fat Dinah,
who was laughing so heartily that she could do nothing to stop him.
Mr. Bobbsey, too, was shouting with mirth, for the hose from the toy
engine was rather small, and threw only a thin, fine spray.
"I'm a fireman!" cried Freddie, "and I'm pretending Dinah is on fire.
See her red apron--that's the fire!" and the little fellow turned the
crank of his engine harder than ever, throwing the tiny stream of
water all over the kitchen.
"That's enough, Freddie," said Mr. Bobbsey, when he could stop
laughing. Dinah was still shaking with mirth, and Freddie, looking in
the tank of the engine, said:
"There's only a little more water left. Can't I squirt that?"
Without waiting for permission Freddie made the water spurt from the
nozzle of the hose. At that moment the door of the kitchen opened, to
let in Sam. With him came Snap, the trick dog, and the tiny stream of
water caught Sam full in the face.
"Hello! What am dat?" he demanded in surprise. "Am de house leakin'?"
"It's my new fire engine!" cried Freddie. "I didn't mean to wet you,
Sam, but I was playing Dinah was on fire!"
"Well, yo'-all didn't wet me so very much," replied Sam, with a grin
that showed his white teeth. "Dat suah am a fine fire engine!"
Snap sprang about, barking and wagging his tail, and, there being no
more water in Freddie's engine, he had to stop pumping, for which
every one was glad.
"You must not do that again," said Mrs. Bobbsey, when the excitement
was over, and laughing Dinah had dried her face, and put on another
apron. "You frightened us all, Freddie, and that is not nice, you
know."
"I won't, Mamma, but I did want to try my fire engine."
"Then you must do it in the bath room where the water will do no harm.
But come now, children, get your breakfast and then you will have the
whole day to look at your toys."
Breakfast was rather a hurried affair, and every now and then Flossie
and Freddie would leave the table to see some of their gifts. But
finally the meal was over and then came more joyous times. Sam
received his presents, and Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey had time to look at
theirs, for Santa Claus had not forgotten them.
"And there's something for Snap, and for Snoop, too!" exclaimed
Freddie. "Snoop has a new ribbon with a silver bell, and Snap a new
collar, with his name on," and soon the cat and dog, newly adorned,
were being put through some of their tricks.
If I tried to tell you all that went on in the Bobbsey house that
Christmas this book would contain nothing else. So I will only say
that the holiday was one of the most delightful the twins ever
remembered.
"And then to think, with all this, that we are to go to Snow Lodge!
It's great!" cried Bert.
"I hope I can get some good pictures up there with my camera," said
Nan. "Will you show me how it works, Bert?"
"Yes, and we'll go out to-day and try it. I want to see how my new
skates go, too. The lake is frozen and we'll have some fun."
The day was cold and clear. There had been a little fall of snow
during the night, but not enough to spoil the skating, and soon Bert
and Nan were on their way to the lake, while Flossie and Freddie,
after inspecting all their presents over again, had gone out to play
on their sleds.
This gave Dinah and Mrs. Bobbsey time to get ready the big Christmas
dinner, with the roast turkey, for Mr. Bobbsey had brought home one of
the largest he could find.
While Flossie and Freddie were playing on the hill, a small one near
their home, they heard a voice calling to them:
"Want a ride, youngsters?"
Looking up they saw Mr. Carford in his big sled. It was filled with
baskets and packages, and the Bobbsey twins guessed rightly that the
generous old man was taking around his Christmas contributions to the
poor families.
"Yes, we'll go!" cried Freddie. "What shall we do with our sleds?"
asked Flossie.
"Oh, Harry Stone will look after them; won't you Harry?" asked
Freddie, "He can use mine, and his sister Jessie can use yours until
we come back, Flossie," and Freddie turned the coasters over to a poor
boy and girl who lived near the Bobbsey home. Harry and his sister
were delighted, and promised to take good care of the sleds.
"I won't take you far--only just around town," said Mr. Carford, as
the twins got in his sled. "When are you going up to my Snow Lodge?"
"We're going soon, I guess," answered Flossie. "I heard mamma and papa
talking about it yesterday."
"And we're ever so much obliged to you for letting us have your
place," said Flossie. "Will you come up and see us while we're there?
I've got a doll that can talk."
"And I'm going to take my fire engine along, so if the place gets on
fire I can help put it out," exclaimed Freddie. "Will you come up?"
Mr. Carford started. He looked at the children in a strange sort of
way, and then stared at the horses.
"No--no--I guess I won't go to Snow Lodge any more," he said slowly,
and Flossie and Freddie were sorry they had asked him, for they
remembered the story their father had told them about the sorrow that
had come to the aged man.
But the children soon forgot this in the joy of helping in the
distribution of the good things in the sled, and the happiness brought
to many poor families seemed to make up, in a way, for what Mr.
Carford had suffered in the trouble over his nephew.
When all the gifts had been given out from the sled, Mr. Carford drove
the two younger Bobbsey twins back to the hill where they again had
fun coasting.
Meanwhile Nan and Bert were having a good time on the ice. Nan's
camera was used to take a number of pictures, which the children hoped
would turn out well.
While Bert was taking a picture of Nan, Charley Mason came skating up,
and Bert, whose best chum he was, insisted that Charley get in the
picture also.
"My!" exclaimed Charley, as he saw Nan's camera, "that's a fine one!"
"I just got it to-day," said Nan, with a pleased smile. "I'm going to
take a lot of pictures up at Snow Lodge."
"Snow Lodge," repeated Charley. "You mean that place Mr. Carford
owns?"
"Yes," replied Bert. "He is going to let us all go up there for three
weeks or so."
"Say, that's funny," spoke Charley. "You'll have some other Lakeport
folks near you."
"Who else is going up to Snow Lodge?" asked Nan.
"Well, they're not exactly going to Snow Lodge," replied Charley, "but
I heard a while ago that Danny Rugg and his folks were going up to a
winter camp near there. Mr. Rugg has bought a lumber tract in the
woods, and he's going to see about having some of the trees cut. Danny
is going, too. So you'll have him for a neighbor."
"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Nan, in dismay. "That spoils everything!"
"Well, if Danny tries any of his tricks I'll get after him!" exclaimed
Bert, firmly. But he looked anxious over the unwelcome news Charley
had brought.
CHAPTER XI
MAKING PLANS
"Are you sure this is so--is Danny Rugg really going up to the woods
near Snow Lodge?" asked Bert of Charley, after a pause.
"That's what Frank Smith told me," replied Charley, "and you know
Frank and Danny are great chums."
"That's so. Well, if Danny doesn't bother us we won't make any trouble
for him," said Bert. "Still, I'd rather he would go somewhere else."
"If Mr. Rugg is going up to see about having lumber cut," said Nan, "I
guess there won't be much fun for Danny. Maybe he won't bother us at
all."
"He will if he gets a chance," declared her brother. "Danny's just
that kind. But we'll wait and see."
Bert, Nan and Charley talked for some time longer about the trip to
Snow Lodge, and then, as it was getting nearly time for dinner, they
skated down the lake toward their homes.
"How are you folks going up to the lodge?" asked Charley, before
parting from Bert and Nan.
"Oh, I guess father will take one of his big lumber sleds and drive us
all up," replied Bert. "We'll have to take along lots of things to
eat, for it's a good ways to the store, and we might get snowed in."
"That's right," said Charley. "But say, why don't you and Freddie go
up in our iceboat, the _Ice Bird_? It isn't much of a run to Snow
Lodge, on the lake, and it's good going now."
"I never thought of that!" exclaimed Bert. "I wonder if father would
let us?"
"You can ask him," said Nan. "I'd like to skate up, if it wasn't so
far. But I don't believe it would be safe to take Freddie on the ice-
boat, Bert. He's so little, and so easily excited that he might tumble
out."
"That's right. And yet it will be no fun to sail it alone. I wish you
could go with me, Charley."
"I wish I could, but I don't see how I can. My folks are going to my
grandmother's for a couple of weeks. Otherwise I'd be glad to go."
"Well, maybe my father will sail in the ice-boat with me," spoke Bert.
"I guess I'll ask him."
Bert and Nan had much to talk about as they skated on, having bidden
Charley goodbye, and their conversation was mostly about the new idea
of getting to Snow Lodge on the ice.
"I don't want to skate alone, any more than you want to go in the ice-
boat alone," said Nan. "But maybe mamma and papa will let us invite
some of our friends to spend a week or so at Snow Lodge with us. Then
it would be all right."
"It surely would," said Bert.
The Christmas dinner at the Bobbsey home was a jolly affair, and while
it was being eaten Bert spoke to his father about the ice-boat.
"Do you think it will carry you to the upper end of the lake?" asked
Mr. Bobbsey with a smile, for Bert and Charley had made the boat
themselves, with a little help. Though it was a home-made affair, Bert
was as proud of it as though a large sum had been spent for it.
"Of course it will carry us to Snow Lodge," he said. "There would be
room for four or five on it, if the wind was strong enough to carry us
to the head of the lake. But I don't want to go alone, Father. Could
you come?"
"I'm afraid not," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll have to go in the big
sled with your mother, and the provisions. We're going to take Dinah
and Sam along, you know. Can't you ask some of your boy friends? I
guess there's room enough at the Lodge."
"That's just what I'll do!" exclaimed Bert "I'll see who of the boys
can go."
"And may I ask Grace Lavine or Nellie Parks?" inquired Nan. "We could
skate up, or go part way in the ice-boat with the boys."
"I think so," said Mrs. Bobbsey.
"I know who you could take on the iceboat," said Freddie, passing his
plate for more turkey.
"Who?" asked Bert.
"Dinah!" cried the little fellow. "She would be so heavy that she
couldn't roll off, and if the ice-boat started to blow away she'd be
as good as an anchor."
"That's right!" cried Nan. "Dinah, did you hear what Freddie is
planning for you?" she asked as the fat cook came in with the plum
pudding.
"I 'clar t' goodness I neber knows what dat ar' chile will be up to
next!" exclaimed Dinah with a laugh. "But if he am plannin' to squirt
any mo' fire injun water on me I's gwine t' run away, dat's what I
is!"
They all laughed at this, Dinah joining in, and then Freddie explained
what he had said.
"No, sah! Yo' don't cotch me on no ice-cream boat!" declared Dinah.
"I'll go in a sled, but I ain't gwine t' fall down no hole in de ice
and be bit by a fish! No, sah!"
There was more laughter, and then the plum pudding was served. Freddie
begged that Snoop and Snap be given an extra good dinner, on account
of it being Christmas, and Dinah promised to see to this.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey discussed the plans for going to Snow Lodge. They
agreed that Bert and Nan, if they wished, might each ask a friend, for
the old farmhouse in the woods on the edge of the lake contained many
rooms. It was completely furnished, all that was needed being food.
"So if you young folks want to skate or ice-boat up the lake I see no
objection," said Mr. Bobbsey. "The rest of us will go in a big sled."
"Couldn't I go in the ice-boat?" asked Freddie. "I'm getting big. I'm
almost in the first reader book."
"We're going so fast your fire engine might be lost overboard," said
Bert with a smile, and that was enough for his little brother. He
didn't want that to happen for the world, so he gave up the plan of
going on the _Ice Bird_.
"I don't like the idea of that Danny Rugg going to be near us," said
Mrs. Bobbsey to her husband, when Bert had told this news. "He's sure
to make trouble."
"Perhaps not," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Bert generally manages to hold his
own when Danny bothers him."
"Yes, I know. But it always makes hard feelings. I do wish Danny
wasn't going up there."
"Well, the woods are open, and we can't stop him," said Mr. Bobbsey,
with a smile. The children had gone out to play, and the house was
quiet once more.
"There is a great deal to do to get ready," went on Mrs. Bobbsey. "But
I think the trip will do us all good. I only hope none of us take
cold."
"Don't worry," advised her husband. "I'll see Mr. Carford, and have
the fires made up a couple of days before we arrive. That will make
the house good and warm, and dry it out."
They talked over the various things they had to do in order to make
their stay at Snow Lodge pleasant, and then went out to call on some
friends.
That afternoon Bert and Nan extended the invitation to Snow Lodge to a
number of their boy and girl friends, explaining how they were going
to make the trip on skates or on the ice-boat.
But one after another declined. Either their parents had made other
plans for spending the Christmas holidays, or they did not think it
wise to let their children go off in the woods.
Bert asked a number of boys he knew, but none of them could go, and
Grace Lavine, Nellie Parks, and many other girls to whom Nan spoke,
made excuses.
"I guess we'll have to give up the ice-boat plan," said Bert,
regretfully that night to Nan. "No one seems able to go. Will you risk
it with me, Nan?"
"I wouldn't be afraid," she answered. "If mamma and papa will let me
I'll sail in the _Ice Bird_ with you."
"Then we'll go that way!" cried Bert. But the next day something
occurred that made a change in the plans of the Bobbsey twins.
CHAPTER XII
THE LETTERS
The day after Christmas, when Bert and Nan came home from having been
to see a number of their friends, but not having succeeded in getting
any of them to promise to make the trip to Snow Lodge, the two older
Bobbsey twins were quite discouraged.
"I'll need another fellow to help me sail the ice-boat," spoke Bert.
"Of course I know you'll do all you can, Nan, but we can't tell what
might happen. I don't see what's the matter with all the fellows,
anyhow, that they can't go."
"And the girls, too," added Nan. "I couldn't get one of them to
promise. And I don't know whether mamma and papa will let you and me
go in the ice-boat by ourselves."
And, when they heard of this plan, both Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey objected
to it.
"It would be too risky," decided Mr. Bobbsey. "Your ice-boat is a
small one. I know, Bert, but in a stiff wind it might capsize if you
did not have some other boy along to help you manage it. I guess you
and Nan had better come with us in the big sled."
"I think so, too," added Mrs. Bobbsey.
There seemed to be no other way out of it, and Nan and Bert felt quite
badly. Not even the tricks of Snap and Snoop, when Freddie and Flossie
put the dog and cat through them before going to bed, would cause
their older brother and sister to look happy.
"Never mind," said Mamma Bobbsey, "when we get to Snow Lodge you'll
have such a good time that you won't mind not having made the trip on
skates or on the ice-boat. And you can skate all you like when you get
up there."
The next day Freddie was playing quite a game. He had a little toy
village, made of pasteboard houses, and this he had set up in the
playroom. He was pretending that a fire had broken out in one of the
dwellings and he was going to put it out with his toy engine. Of
course there was not even a match on fire, for Mrs. Bobbsey was very
careful about this, but Freddie pretended to his heart's content. He
was allowed to have real water, but Dinah had spread on the floor an
old rubber coat so that the spray would do no harm.
With a great shout Freddie came running out of the "engine house,"
which was a chair turned on its side. He was pulling his toy after
him, racing to the make-believe blaze.
Just then Flossie came into the room with her new walking doll, and,
not seeing her, Freddie ran into and knocked her over.
Flossie sat down quite hard, and for a moment was too surprised to
cry. But a moment later, when she saw Freddie's fire engine run over
her new doll, which cried out "Mamma!" as if in pain, the tears came
into Flossie's eyes.
"Oh, you bad boy!" she exclaimed, forgetting her own pain, at the
sight of her doll, "you've run right over her!"
"I--I couldn't help it!" said Freddie, stopping in his rush to the
fire to pick up his sister's toy. "You got right in my way."
"I did not--Freddie Bobbsey!"
"Yes, you did, too, and I'm going to squirt water on you, and put you
out. You're on fire! Your cheeks are all red!"
This was true enough. Flossie did get very red cheeks when she was
excited.
"Don't you put any water on me!" she cried. "I'll tell mamma on you!
And you've broke my best doll, too! Oh, dear!" and Flossie burst into
tears, so there was no need for Freddie to use his toy engine to wet
her flaming cheeks.
This frightened Freddie. He seldom made his twin sister cry, and he
was very much alarmed.
"I--I didn't mean to, Flossie," he said, putting his arms around her.
"I guess I was running pretty fast. Don't cry, and you can squirt my
engine. Maybe if you squirted some water on your doll she'd be all
right," and Freddie picked up the talking toy.
"Don't you dare put any water on her!" screamed Flossie. "You'll make
her catch cold, and then she won't talk at all, Oh, dear! I wish you
didn't have that old engine."
Mrs. Bobbsey came into the room just then, or there is no telling what
might have happened. She knew what to do, and soon she had
straightened out matters. It was not very often that Flossie and
Freddie had trouble of this kind, but they were only human children,
just like any others, and they had their little disputes now and then.
"Oh, dear! This will never do!" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Freddie, you must
not rush about the house so fast."
"But, mamma, firemens is always fast. They have to be fast, and I was
going to a fire," the fat little fellow said.
"I know, dear, but you should look where you are going. And, Flossie,
dear, you must watch out before you rush into a room, you know."
"Yes, mamma, but, you see, I was pretending my doll was sick, and I
was running to the doctor's with her."
"Oh, dear!" cried Mamma Bobbsey. "You were both in too much of a
hurry, I think. Never mind. Let's see if the doll is hurt, much."
It seemed that she was, for though she would walk across the room when
wound up, she would not cry out "Mamma!" But Mrs. Bobbsey was used to
mending broken toys, and after poking about in the wheels and springs
with a hairpin she soon had the doll so it would talk again. Then
Flossie was happy, and her tears were forgotten.
Freddie said he was sorry he had been in such a hurry, so all was
forgiven, and he went on playing fireman. He was in the midst of
putting out a make-believe blaze in the village church when the
doorbell rang, and the postman's whistle was heard.
"Will you get the mail, dear?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey of Freddie. "Dinah
is busy, I'm sure. Let me see how mamma's little fat fireman can get
the letters. But don't run!" she exclaimed, "or you might fall
downstairs."
"I won't, mamma," said Freddie.
He came back with several letters, and he was again playing he was a
fireman, and Flossie was making believe she was a doctor for her sick
doll, when Mrs. Bobbsey exclaimed:
"Oh, this will be good news for Bert," and she looked up from a letter
she was reading.
"What is it, mamma?" asked Flossie. "Is someone sending him more
Christmas presents?"
"No, dear, but Harry, your cousin from the country, you know, is
coming to visit us. Bert will have someone to play with. Won't that be
nice?"
"And can I play with him, too?" asked Freddie.
"I guess so, sometimes," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "But you must remember
that Harry is about ten years old, and he won't always want to be with
little boys."
"I'm a big boy!" declared Freddie. "I'm 'most as big as Bert."
"Well, I guess you can have some fun," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Bert will
be glad to hear this. Now, who can this other letter be from?" and she
tore open the envelope.
"Why!" she cried, as she quickly read it "It's from Uncle William
Minturn, at the seashore, and he says his daughter Dorothy is coming
to pay us a visit. Well, did you ever! Our two cousins--one from the
country and the other from the seashore--both coming at the same time!
Oh, this will please Bert and Nan!"
"And can't we have a good time, too?" asked Flossie.
"Of course," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Let me see now; how will I arrange
the rooms for them? Oh, I forgot, we're going to Snow Lodge soon. I
wonder what I can do? Both Dorothy and Harry will be here before I can
tell them not to come. I must telephone to papa!"
Bert and Nan came in just then, in time to hear this last.
"Telephone to papa!" exclaimed Bert "What's the matter, mother? Has
anything happened?"
"Nothing, only your cousins, Dorothy and Harry, are coming to visit
you. And I don't know what to do about it, as we are going to Snow
Lodge!"
"Do about it?" cried Bert. "Why, we won't do anything about it, except
to let them come. Say, this is the best news yet! Harry can go with me
on the ice-boat. Hurray! Hurray!"
"Yes, and Dorothy and I can skate on the lake!" said Nan. "Oh, how
glad I am!"
"We'll take them both to Snow Lodge!" cried Bert. "Now we won't have
to look for any other boys or girls. Well have our own cousins!
Whoop!" and he threw his arms around his mother, while Nan tried to
kiss her. Flossie and Freddie looked on in pleased surprise. The
letters had come just in time. Now there would be a jolly party at
Snow Lodge.
CHAPTER XIII
IN A HARD BLOW
"Are you girls warm enough?" asked Bert Bobbsey, as he and his cousin
Harry started toward the frozen lake one afternoon, the day before
they were all to start for Snow Lodge.
"If we aren't we will never be," answered Dorothy Minturn, who was
Nan's "seashore cousin" as she called the visitor. "I've got on so
many things that it would be easier to roll along instead of walking,"
went on Dorothy with a laugh.
"Well, it's a good thing to be warm, for it will be cold on the ice-
boat; won't it, Bert?" asked Harry.
"That's what it will. There's a good wind blowing, too. It's stronger
than I thought it was," and Bert bent to the blast as he walked along
with the others.
"Will there be any danger?" asked Dorothy, who was not used to the
activities of the Bobbseys.
"Oh, don't worry!" cried Harry. "We'll look after you girls."
"They think they will," murmured Nan looking at her cousin, "I guess I
know almost as much about the _Ice Bird_ as Bert does."
"Where is your ice-boat?" asked Harry of Bert, as they kept on along
the path that led to the lake.
"Over in the next cove. I had her out the other day, and the wind died
out, leaving me there. Since then we've been so busy getting ready to
go to Snow Lodge that I haven't had time to bring her back to the
dock."
"Will she be safe over there?"
"I guess so--hardly anybody goes there in winter."
The two cousins--Harry from the country and Dorothy from the
seashore,--in each of which places the Bobbseys had spent part of the
preceding summer,--had followed soon after their letters, and had been
warmly welcomed by Nan, Bert, Flossie and Freddie. The visitors were
rather surprised to learn that the Bobbsey family was preparing to go
away for a winter vacation in the woods, but they were only too glad
to accept an invitation to go along.
So it was arranged, and in another day the start to Mr. Carford's
former home would be made. Mr. Bobbsey had a big sled gotten ready,
there were boxes, barrels and packages of provisions, Snow Lodge had
been opened by a farmer living near there, who remained in it all
night, keeping up the fires so that the long-deserted house would not
be chilly, and all was in readiness.
The plans of Nan and Bert to go to Snow Lodge by means of skates and
on the ice-boat had been agreed to.
Dorothy and Nan thought they would rather skate than go all the way on
the ice-boat, but Bert and Harry decided to keep to the ice craft all
the way.
"And when you girls get tired of skating just wave your handkerchiefs,
and we'll wait for you," said Bert.
Now they were going to take a little trial sail on the _Ice Bird_
before starting off on the longer cruise.
As the four walked around a point of land, and came within sight of
the ice-boat, tied to a stake in the ice of the cove, Harry uttered a
cry.
"Look!" he exclaimed to Bert, "someone is at your boat!"
"That's right!" cried Bert, starting to run. Just then a figure skated
away from the craft, and Bert breathed a sigh of relief.
"I guess it was only someone taking a look at her," he said "There
aren't many on the lake."
"We can't go very far," said Nan, as they neared the boat, "for mamma
said to be back early. We've got a great deal of packing to do yet."
"We'll just take a little spin," replied Bert.
They were soon on the ice-boat, gliding up and down the lake, which
was frozen to a glassy smoothness.
"If it's like this to-morrow it will be grand for skating!" exclaimed
Nan.
"Yes, and fine for ice-boating, too," replied her brother. "We'll beat
you to Snow Lodge."
"Well, you ought to," said Dorothy, "but we'll be warmer skating than
you will be on the ice-boat."
"Not when we take along all the fur robes I've got out for the trip,"
replied Bert. "I didn't bring 'em this time, as it was too far to
carry. But to-morrow Harry and I will be regular Eskimos."
Back and forth on the lake sailed the _Ice Bird_ with the merry-
hearted boys and girls. Bert did not go very far, as he noticed that
the wind was growing much stronger and his boat, though sturdy and
well-built, was not intended to weather a gale.
"Well, I think we'd better start for home now," said Nan after about
an hour's sailing. "Mamma will be expecting us."
"All right," assented Bert. "Do you want to steer her, Harry?"
"I'm afraid I don't know how," replied the country lad.
"Oh, you'll soon learn. I'll be right beside you here, and tell you
what to do."
"Don't upset, please, whatever you do," urged Dorothy.
"I'll try not to," promised Harry.
When they got out of the sheltered cove they felt the full force of
the wind, and for a moment even Nan, who had been on the boat many
times, felt a bit timid. The _Ice Bird_ tilted to one side, the left
hand runner raising high in the air.
"Oh!" screamed Dorothy. "We're going over!"
"No, we're not! Sit still!" cried Bert, grasping the tiller, which
Harry was not holding just right. By turning the ice-boat to one side
the wind did not strike it so hard, and the craft settled down on the
level again.
"There! That's better!" exclaimed Dorothy, who had grabbed hold of
Nan.
"Oh, that's nothing," said Nan. "Bert and I are used to that."
But as the ice-boat proceeded it was evident that those on her were
not going to have an easy time to get to the Bobbsey dock. The wind
blew harder and harder, and the sail seemed ready to rip apart. It
took both Bert and Harry to hold the rudder steady, and even then the
tiller was almost torn from their grasp.
Even Nan began to look a little frightened, and she did not laugh when
Dorothy stretched out flat and held on to the side of the boat with
all her strength.
"I don't want to be blown away if I can help it," said Dorothy.
Harder and harder blew the wind, sending the ice-boat along at great
speed. In a few minutes more it would be at the dock, where Bert kept
it tied.
"If it blows this way to-morrow we won't be long getting to Snow
Lodge," cried Bert in Harry's ear. He had to shout to be heard above
the howling of the wind.
"That's right," agreed the country boy. "The girls can never skate
along as fast as this."
"We'll have to use less sail," went on Bert, "and then we won't go so
fast."
He and Harry shifted the rudder to steer closer to shore. Suddenly the
wind came in a fierce gust. The ice-boat seemed about to turn
completely over. The two girls screamed, even Nan being frightened
now.
"Oh, what is it? What is it?" cried Dorothy.
Then came a sharp crack. There was a sound as though a hundred pop-
guns were being fired, and the boat slackened speed.
"Look!" cried Harry pointing ahead "Our sail has burst, Bert"
"No, it's the sheet rope--the main rope that holds the sail fast-
that's broken," replied Bert. "Lucky it did, too, or we might have
gone over. I was going to let go of it."
The ice-boat slid along a short distance, and then came to a stop. The
sail, no longer held in place so as to catch the wind, was blowing and
flapping, making snapping sounds like a line of clothes in a heavy
wind.
"All right, girls, no danger now," called Bert, as he got out to make
the flapping sail fast again. As he looked at the end of the broken
rope he uttered a cry of surprise.
"Look here!" he called to Harry, "this rope has been cut!"
"Cut?"
"Yes. Someone hacked it partly through with a knife, and the wind did
the rest."
There was no doubt of it. The main rope had been partly severed, and
the strain of the hard blow had done the rest.
"That fellow we saw near the ice-boat!" began Harry. "It must have
been him! Who was he?"
"Danny Rugg--if anybody," answered Bert. "I thought it looked like
him. Probably he heard that we were going to use the boat to go to
Snow Lodge, and he wanted to make trouble for us. He's going to camp
up there near us, I hear."
"Gracious!" cried Dorothy. "I hope he doesn't play any tricks like
that up there."
"If he does I guess Harry and I can attend to him," cried Bert. "But,
in a way, it's a good thing the rope did break or we might have upset.
Only Danny, if he did it, had no idea of doing us a good turn. He just
wanted to make trouble."
"Can you fix it?" asked Nan of her brother.
"Oh, yes, it can be spliced and will be stronger than ever. But I
won't do it now. We can walk the rest of the way to the dock. The wind
is blowing harder than ever, and we don't want any accidents."
Indeed, the wind was blowing a gale now, and even with the sail down
the ice-boat went along at such a speed that it was all Harry and Bert
could do to hold it.
But finally it was gotten to the dock, and made fast, and while the
girls went on to the Bobbsey home to finish with their packing, Bert
and Harry mended the broken rope.
"I'll have to teach Danny Rugg a good lesson," said Bert to his
cousin.
"Yes, and I'll help you," returned Harry.
CHAPTER XIV
AT SNOW LODGE
"Are we all here?"
"Have we got everything?"
"Here, Snap! If you jump out again you can't go!"
"Dinah, you hold Snap, will you?"
"Good lan' chile! I'se got about all I kin do to hold mah own self!"
These were some of the cries and exclamations as the Bobbsey family
prepared to start on the trip to Snow Lodge. With the exception of Nan
and Bert, and Dorothy and Harry, they were all in a big sled, drawn by
four horses that were prancing about in the snow, anxious to get
started. At every step the bells jingled. Sam, the colored man, was
driving. With him on the front seat sat fat Freddie.
"I'm going to drive, as soon as we get out on the country road!" cried
Freddie.
"He is not; is he, Sam?" demanded Flossie, who was taking one of her
dolls on the trip, and with the doll, and her big muff, little Flossie
had about all she could manage.
"Yes, I am too," declared Freddie. "You said I could, Sam; you know
you did!"
"Well I guess you kin drive, where the roads are easy," promised the
colored man, with a scratch of his black, kinky head.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey were now on their seat, with Flossie between
them. Dinah was on the seat behind, while in back of her were piled
the packages of food.
Snap, the trick dog, was to be taken along, but it had been decided to
leave Downy the duck, and Snoop, the fat, black cat at home. A
neighbor had promised to look after them and feed them.
"Well, I guess we're all ready," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he looked back
at the well-loaded sled. "Now be careful," he called to Nan and Bert,
who with their cousins were to go to Snow Lodge on the icy lake. The
girls would skate part of the way and ride on the ice-boat the
remainder of the distance.
"We'll be careful," said Bert.
The day was cold, and clouds overhead seemed to tell that it was going
to snow. But the young folks hoped the storm would hold off until
night, when they would be safe in the big, old-fashioned farmhouse.
Everyone was well wrapped up, and Flossie and Freddie were almost lost
in big rugs that had been tucked around them, for their mother did not
want them to get cold.
Piles of rugs and blankets had been put on the ice-boat so those
aboard would be comfortable.
"Well, let's start!" called Mr. Bobbsey finally. "We'll see who will
get there first, Bert, or us."
"All right--a race then!" cried Nan.
Down to the glittering, icy lake went the boys and girls, down to
where the ice-boat awaited them. It had been put in good shape for the
trip, but before starting Bert and Harry looked over all the ropes to
make sure none were frayed, or had been cut. Nothing had been seen of
Danny Rugg, and Charley Mason told Bert he thought the bully had gone
to the wood camp with his father.
"Don't you girls want to come on the iceboat for a ways first?" asked
Bert of his sister and Dorothy. "Then, when you get tired of riding,
you can skate."
"Shall we?" inquired Nan.
"I guess so," answered Dorothy, and so they did. The wind was not as
strong as it had been the day before, but it was enough of a breeze to
send the _Ice Bird_ along at a good speed. Well wrapped in the robes
and blankets, the young people enjoyed the trip very much.
"I'm sure we'll be there before papa and mamma are," said Nan as they
glided along. "See how fast we are going."
"Yes, but this wind may not keep up all the way," spoke her brother.
"And it's a good ways to Snow Lodge."
"Oh, well, we'll have a good time, anyhow," said Dorothy.
"And we'll stop and build a fire and have lunch when we're hungry,"
added Harry, for they had brought some food with them, and could make
chocolate over a little fire.
Meanwhile the sled-load of the Bobbseys with their two colored
servants, and Snap was proceeding along the snowy road. The path had
been well broken, and the going was good, so they made fairly fast
time. But every now and then Snap would insist on jumping out to run
along the road, and every time he did this Flossie and Freddie would
set up a howl, fearing he would get lost.
"Snap!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey, when this had happened four or five
times, "if you don't stay here quietly I'll tie you fast. Lie down,
sir!"
Snap barked, wagged his tail, and looked at Mr. Bobbsey with his head
tilted to one side as much as to say:
"Very well sir. I'll be good now. But I did want a little run." Then
Snap curled up at Dinah's feet and gave no more trouble.
"I 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed the colored cook, with a laugh that
made her shake all over, "dat ar' Snap am a good foot-warmer, so he
be. I jest hopes he don't jump out no mo', so I does." And, for a time
at least, the trick dog seemed content to lie quietly in the sled.
It was not a very exciting trip for those in the sled, as they went
along through the streets of Lakeport and so out into the open
country. Then they passed through village after village, with little
occurring. The roads were good, and occasionally they met other teams.
Once they came to a narrow place between two big drifts, and as
another sled was coming toward them it was rather a race to see which
one would get to the opening first.
"You can't go through when he does, Sam," said Mr. Bobbsey, nodding
toward the other driver.
"I knows I can't, sah. But I'll get there first."
Sam called to his horses and they sprang forward. A little later they
had reached the opening between the drifts and the other sled had to
wait until the Bobbseys got out of the narrow place.
All this time Bert and the others were making their way up the lake on
the ice. After going a mile or two on the ice-boat the wind died down
so that the craft did not go very fast.
"Come on, Dorothy," called Nan, "let's skate for a ways. And if you
get too far ahead of us, please wait, Bert," she added, and her
brother promised that he and Harry would.
For a time Dorothy and Nan enjoyed the skating very much, and it was a
welcome change from sitting still on the ice-boat. Then the wind
sprang up again, and Harry and Bert got so far ahead that the two
girls thought they should never be able to skate to them.
"Oh, I wish they'd wait," said Dorothy. "I'm getting tired."
"I'll wave to them--maybe they'll see my handkerchief," said Nan.
Bert and Harry did see the girls, and, guessing what the white signal
meant, they lowered the sail of the ice-boat and waited for the two to
come up. And the girls were glad enough now to sit amid the
comfortable robes and blankets.
"Skating such a long distance is harder than I thought it would be,"
confessed Nan, with a sigh.
"Yes, the ice-boat is good enough for me," agreed Dorothy. "But when
we get to Snow Lodge we'll do some skating."
"That's what we will," said Nan.
Mile after mile was covered by the _Ice Bird_. They passed small towns
and villages on the shore of the frozen lake. Many of the places were
known to Nan and Bert, who had often visited them in the summer time,
rowing to them in their boat, or sailing to them with the older folks.
"Isn't it almost time to eat?" asked Bert after a bit. "That sun looks
as if it were noon, Nan."
"It's half-past eleven," spoke Harry, glancing at his watch. "There's
a nice little cove where we can be out of the wind, and where we can
build a fire," he went on, pointing ahead.
"That's what we'll do!" cried Bert, steering toward it. "Now you girls
will have a chance to show what sort of cooks you are."
"Humph! There's nothing to cook but chocolate!" said Nan. "Any one
could make that."
They had brought with them the chocolate all ready to heat in a pot,
and soon it was set over a fire of sticks which the boys had made on
shore, scraping away the snow from the ground. Nan and Dorothy got out
the packages of sandwiches and cake, and soon a merry little party was
seated on the ice-boat, eating the good things.
The meal was soon over and then the young people got ready to resume
their trip. Nan and Dorothy wanted to skate a bit, but Bert looking up
at the sky, said:
"I don't think it will be safe. It looks as though it were going to
storm soon, and we don't want to be caught in it. It isn't far to Snow
Lodge now, and once we are there let it snow as much as it likes. But
if it comes down before we get there we'll have hard work to keep on
in the ice-boat. Even a little snow on the ice will clog the runners."
So the skating idea was given up, and soon they were under way in the
ice-boat again. The clouds grew darker, and there were a few
scattering flakes of snow.
"I guess we're going to be in for it," said Bert. "If the wind would
only blow harder we could go faster."
As if in answer to his wish the wind started up and the boat fairly
flew over the ice. Then the storm suddenly broke and the snow was so
thick that they could not see where they were going.
"What shall we do?" cried Dorothy, who was not used to being out in
such a blow.
"Keep on--that's the only thing to do," answered Bert. "We will go as
far as we can in the boat and then we'll walk."
"Walk to Snow Lodge!" cried Nan. "We could never do it!"
"Oh, it isn't so far now," said her brother.
The snow fell so fast that soon the ice-boat went slower and slower.
Finally it stopped altogether, the runners clogged with snow. The wind
blowing on the sail nearly turned the craft over.
"Cast off those ropes!" cried Bert to Harry. "We'll have to leave her
here and walk on."
The sail was lowered, the blankets and robes were picked up to be
carried, and the four girls and boys set out over the ice.
"We must keep near the shore," said Bert, "Snow Lodge is right on the
shore of the lake, and we can't miss it."
"Oh, suppose we did, and had to stay out all night?" cried Dorothy.
"We won't worry until we have to," spoke Nan.
It snowed harder and harder, and grew quite dark. Even Bert was
worried. He and Harry walked on ahead, to keep the wind and snow as
much as possible out of the faces of the girls.
"Bert, I'm sure we're lost!" cried Nan a little later. "We can't see
where we're going! Don't go on any farther."
"We can't stay here on the ice all night," objected Bert.
"Well, it is pretty dark," said Harry. "Are there any houses around
here?"
They gazed at the fast-gathering blackness all about them. They were
beginning to be very much afraid. The wind howled, and the snow came
down harder than ever.
"There's a light!" suddenly called Dorothy.
"Where?" cried all the others eagerly.
"There," answered Dorothy, pointing toward where they had last seen
the land. "Right over in those trees."
"Then let's go toward it," suggested Bert. "Maybe they can tell us
where Snow Lodge is, and if it's too far we'll stay there all night,
if they'll let us."
The welcome light shone out through the storm and darkness. The four
young folks made their way toward it as best they could, and, as they
came nearer they could see that it was a big house in the midst of
trees. Bert rubbed his eyes. He looked again, and then he cried:
"Why, it's Snow Lodge! It's Snow Lodge! We've found it after all!
We're all right now! We're at Snow Lodge!"
"Hurray!" cried Harry.
"Oh, how glad I am!" said Nan, with her arms around Dorothy.
A door opened and the light streamed out over the snow.
"Who is there?" called Mr. Bobbsey. "Is that you, Bert?"
"Yes, father. We're here at last."
"Oh, thank goodness!" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "We were just going out to
search for you!"
CHAPTER XV
THE SNOW SLIDE
How warm and cozy it was in Snow Lodge! How bright were the lights,
and how the big fire blazed, crackled and roared up the chimney! And
what a delightful smell came from the kitchen! It could easily be told
that Dinah was out there.
"Where have you been?"
"What happened to you?"
"Was there an accident?"
"Did you get lost?"
"Did the ice-boat sink?"
It was Freddie and Flossie who asked the last two questions, and Mr.
and Mrs. Bobbsey who asked the others as Bert, Nan, Harry and Dorothy
came into the farmhouse. Oh, how good it seemed after their battle in
the darkness with the storm!
"The ice-boat couldn't go on account of the snow," explained Bert, "so
we had to leave it and walk."
"And we got lost," added Nan. "Oh, it was terrible out there on the
frozen lake!"
"Indeed it was," agreed Dorothy. "I never had such a time in all my
life."
"It was too bad," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "You children should have come in
the sled with us."
"Oh, we didn't mind it much," spoke Harry. "We had a good lunch. We
saw the light and thought it was some farmhouse. We didn't think it
was Snow Lodge. But we're glad it is," he added with a laugh.
"We got here some time ago," said Mr. Bobbsey. "The farmer had the
fires all going finely, and it was as warm as toast. We began getting
things to rights, but when it got dark, and snowed, and you children
weren't here, we all got worried."
"And we were going to look for you," added Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, I was so
worried I didn't know what to do!"
The evening was spent in playing a few games, and in talking and
telling stories. Everyone was too tired to stay up long, after the
day's trip, and so "early to bed" was the rule, for the first night at
least.
As Bert went up to his room with his cousin Harry he looked out of the
window. It was too dark to see much, but the boy could get a glimpse
of the snow blowing against the panes with great force.
"Poor Henry Burdock!" thought Bert. "If it wasn't for that missing
money he and his uncle might be living here at Snow Lodge. I wonder
where Henry is now? Maybe off somewhere in the woods, lost--as we
nearly were!"
The thought made him feel sad. Surely it was a terrible night to be
out in the forest, amid the storm and darkness.
"I wish I could help him," thought Bert, but he did not see how he
could. Mr. Carford was a stern old man, and he believed his nephew had
taken the money that was missing.
The storm raged all night, and part of the next day. Then it cleared
off, leaving a great coating of white in the woods, and over the
fields.
"No skating or ice-boating now," said Bert, "and not for some days.
We'll have to wait for a thaw and another freeze."
"But we can take walks in the woods; can't we?" asked Nan. "Would you
like that, Dorothy?"
"Indeed I would," was the answer.
"Can't we come?" asked Freddie. "Flossie and I have rubber boots."
"Yes, you may come for a little way," said Bert. "We won't go far.
Say, Harry, we ought to have snowshoes for this sort of thing."
"That's right," agreed his cousin. "I saw a picture of some, but I
don't believe I would know how to make them."
"I made some once, but they weren't much good," admitted Bert. "We'll
get my father to show us how some day. It would be fun to take a trip
on them over the snow."
Well wrapped up, the young folks set off through the woods, Snap
trotting along with them, barking joyously. All about Snow Lodge, back
from the lake, and on either side, were dense woods, and under the
trees the snow was not as deep as in the open fields, for the branches
kept part of it off. But it was deep enough to make walking hard.
"We can't go very far at this rate," said Nan, as she and Dorothy
struggled on through the drifts.
"Let's go to that hill, and see what sort of view there is," suggested
Harry.
"All right," agreed Bert.
"And we can stop there and eat our lunch," put in Freddie.
"Our lunch!" exclaimed Nan. "We didn't bring any lunch, dearie!"
"Flossie and I did!" cried "the little fat fireman," as his papa often
called Freddie. "We thought we'd get hungry, so we had Dinah make us
some sandwiches, and give us a piece of cake."
"I'm hungry now," said Flossie, and from under her cloak she drew out
a bundle, which she opened, showing a rather crumpled sandwich and a
piece of cake.
"I'm going to eat, too," decided Freddie, as he brought out his lunch.
"Well, I declare; you two are the greatest ever!" cried Bert. "But it
was a good idea all the same!"
"Yes, I could eat something myself," admitted Harry. "I guess this air
makes you hungry."
"We--we haven't got enough for all of us--I guess," said Freddie,
looking wistfully at his package.
"Don't worry!" answered Harry with a laugh. "I won't take any,
Freddie. I can wait until we get home."
Thereupon the two smaller twins proceeded to eat the lunch they had
brought, doing this while trudging through the snow toward the little
hill.
They reached the top, and stood for a time looking over the broad
snow-covered expanse of lake and woods. Then they started down. But it
was not easy work, especially for Flossie and Freddie, so the whole
party stopped for a rest about half way.
They were sitting under a sheltering tree, looking at some flitting
snow-birds, when from behind them came a curious sound. Bert looked
back, and leaping to his feet, cried: "It's a snow slide! A snow
slide! It's coming right toward us!"
Indeed a great drift of white snow was sliding down the side of the
hill toward the children. A great white ball seemed to have started
it, and as Harry looked up he gave a cry of surprise.
"I saw a boy up there!" he said. "He pushed that snowball on us!"
CHAPTER XVI
LOST IN THE WOODS
"Quick!" cried Bert, as he looked at the swiftly-sliding snow, "get
close to the tree--on the downward side of it, and maybe the drift
will go around us. Harry, you look after Freddie, and I'll take care
of Flossie!"
As he spoke Bert grabbed up his little sister and hurried closer to
the tree. It was a big pine, and they had been sitting under its
branches, on some big rocks, as the slide started.
"What shall we do?" cried Nan. "Can't Dorothy and I help?"
"Take care of yourselves," answered Bert. "I guess it will split at
the tree and not hurt us."
The snow slide had started at the top of the hill, whether from some
snowball a boy had made, and rolled down, or from some other cause,
Bert did not stop to consider. He was too anxious to get his little
brother and sister to safety.
The snow was rather soft, and just right for the making of big balls,
of the kind that had been put on the school steps. And, as it
continued to slide down the hill, the mass of snow got larger and
larger, until it was big enough to frighten even older persons than
the Bobbsey twins and their cousins.
Harry had reached the tree with Freddie at the same time that Bert
came to the protecting trunk with his little sister. Nan and Dorothy
also were struggling toward it.
"Form in line!" called Bert. "In a long string down the hill, and
every one stand right in line with the tree. The big trunk may split
the snow slide in two."
He and Harry took their positions nearest the trunk, with Flossie and
Freddie between them. Nan and Dorothy came next. Bert clasped the tree
trunk with both arms, and told Harry to grasp him as tightly as he
could.
"And you and Flossie hold on to Harry, Freddie," Bert directed. "Nan,
you and Dorothy hold on to the little ones. Here she comes!"
By this time the snowslide had reached the tree, and the mass was now
much larger than at first. Freddie and Flossie felt like crying, but
they were brave and did not. It was an anxious moment.
Then just what Bert had hoped would happen came to pass. The snow
slide was split in two by the tree trunk, and slid to either side,
leaving the Bobbsey twins and their cousins safe.
"Oh!" gasped Nan.
"What was that you said about seeing someone up there on top of the
hill?" asked Bert of Harry, a little later.
"I did see someone there just before the snow began to slide, and I'm
almost sure I saw him roll that ball down that started the slide,"
answered Harry.
"Is that so? Could you see his face?"
"Not very well."
"Never mind. You don't know Danny Rugg, anyhow."
"Oh, Bert! Do you think Danny could have done such a thing as that?"
asked Nan, in shocked tones.
"He might; not thinking how dangerous it would be," answered her
brother. "I'm going up there and take a look."
"What for?" asked Dorothy.
"To see if I can find any marks in the snow. If someone was up there
making a big snow ball to roll down on us there will be some marks of
it. And if it was Danny Rugg I'll have something to say to him."
"He wouldn't be there now, probably," said Harry. "But do you think it
would be safe to go up the side of the hill?"
"Yes, it would, by keeping right in the path of where the snow slide
came down," answered Bert. "There's hardly any more snow to come down,
now."
"Then I'll go with you," said Harry.
Leaving the two girls, with Flossie and Freddie, at the tree, Bert and
Harry made their way up to the top of the slope. There they saw the
signs of where, some one--a boy to judge by the marks of his shoes--
had tramped about, rolling a big snowball.
"That's what happened," decided Bert. "Danny Rugg, or some other mean
chap, started that slide toward us. And I think it must have been
Danny. He's up around here somewhere, and he's the only one who would
have a grudge against me."
Several days went by at the Lodge, and they were very busy ones. As
soon as breakfast was over the boys and girls would go for a walk, or
would coast down hill on a slope not far away from the old farmhouse.
Freddie and Flossie were not allowed to go very far away, as it was
hard traveling. But they had good times around the house, and out in
the old barn.
Bert and Harry made snowshoes out of barrel staves, fastening them to
their feet with straps. They managed to walk fairly well on the crust.
The lake was still covered with a coating of snow, and there was no
skating, nor could the ice-boat be used. Mr. Bobbsey, with Harry and
Bert, took the team of horses one afternoon and went after the _Ice
Bird_. They found it where Bert had left it the night of the storm.
and hitching the horses to it, pulled the craft to the dock in front
of Snow Lodge.
"It will be all ready for us when the snow is gone," said Bert.
The nights in Snow Lodge were filled with fun. Mr. Bobbsey had bought
a barrel of apples, and when the family gathered about the fireplace
there were put to roast in the heat of the glowing embers.
Corn was popped, and then it was eaten, with salt and butter on, or
with melted sugar poured over it. Sometimes they would make candy, and
once, when they did this, a funny thing happened.
Bert, Nan, Flossie and Freddie, with the two cousins, had been out in
the kitchen making a panful of the sweets. I must say that Dinah did
the most work, but the children always declared that they made the
candy. Anyhow, Dinah always washed up the pans and dishes afterward.
"Now we'll set it out on the back steps to cool," said Nan, "and then
we'll pull it into sticks."
The candy was soon in the condition for "pulling" and, putting butter
on their fingers, so the sweet stuff would not stick to them, the
children began their fun.
The more they pulled the candy the harder it got, and the lighter in
color, Flossie and Freddie soon tired of the work, that was hard on
their little arms, and Nan set their rolls of candy outside again to
cool, ready for eating.
All at once a great howling was heard at the back stoop, and Flossie
cried:
"Oh, someone is taking my candy!"
Bert laid the lump he was pulling down on the table, and rushed to the
kitchen door. As he looked out he laughed.
"Oh, look!" he cried. "Snap tried to eat your candy, Freddie, and it's
stuck to his jaws. He can't get his mouth open!"
This was just what had happened. Snap, playing around outside, had
smelled the cooling candy. He was fond of sweets and in a moment had
bitten on a big chunk. In an instant his jaws seemed glued together,
and he set up a howl of pain and surprise.
"Oh, my lovely candy!" cried Freddie. "You bad Snap!"
"I guess Snap is punished enough," said Mrs. Bobbsey, coming to the
kitchen to find out what the trouble was. And the poor dog was. He
would not get his jaws open for some time, so sticky was the candy,
and finally Bert had to put his pet's mouth in warm water, holding it
there until the candy softened. Then Snap could open his jaws, and get
rid of the rest of the sweet stuff in his mouth. He looked very much
surprised at what had happened.
Freddie was given more candy to pull, and this time he set the pan in
which he put it up high where no dog could get at it.
With the roasting of apples, making of popcorn and pulling of candy,
many pleasant evenings were spent. Then came a thaw, and some rain
that carried off most of the snow. A freeze followed, and the lake was
frozen over solidly.
"Now for skates and our ice-boat!" cried Bert, and the fun started as
soon as the lake was safe. The children had many good times, often
going up to the nearest village in the ice-boat.
Sometimes Bert had races with other ice-boats, and occasionally he won
even against larger craft that were bought, instead of being home-
made. But almost as often the _Ice Bird_ came in last. But Bert and
the others did not care. They were having a good time.
Bert met Danny Rugg in the woods one day, and spoke to him about the
snow slide. Danny said he had had nothing to do with it, but Bert did
not believe the bully.
Then came a spell of fine, warm weather, and as there was no snow on
the ground, Bert, Nan, Dorothy and Harry decided to take a long walk
one afternoon. Nan wanted to get some views with her new camera.
So interested did they all become that they never noticed how late it
was, nor how far they had come.
"Oh, we must turn back!" cried Nan, when she did realize that it would
soon be dark. "We're a good way from Snow Lodge."
"Oh, we can easily get back," declared Bert. "I know the path."
But though Bert might know the path they had come by daylight, it was
quite different to find it after dark. However, he led the way,
certain that he was going right. But when they had gone on for some
distance, and saw no familiar landmarks, Nan stopped and asked:
"Are you sure this is the right path, Bert? I don't remember passing
any of these rocks," and she pointed to a group of them under some
trees.
"I don't, either," said Dorothy.
"Well, maybe this path leads into the right one," suggested Harry.
"Let's keep on a little farther."
There seemed to be nothing else to do, so forward they went. Then a
few flakes of snow began to fall, and they rapidly increased until the
air was white with them. It made the scene a little lighter, but it
caused Bert and the others to worry a good deal.
"I hope this isn't going to be much of a storm," said Bert in a low
voice to Harry.
"Why not? It would make good sleigh riding."
"Yes, but it's no fun to be in the woods when it storms; especially at
night and when you're--lost."
"Lost!" cried Harry. "Are we lost?"
"I'm afraid so," answered Bert, solemnly. "I haven't seen anything
that looked like the path we came over for a long time. I guess we're
lost, all right."
"Oh! Oh!" cried Dorothy.
"Will we have to stay out in the woods all night?" Nan wanted to know.
Bert shook his head sadly.
"I'm afraid so," he said.
CHAPTER XVII
HENRY BURDOCK
With the wind blowing about them, whirling the snowflakes into their
faces, and with night fast coming on, the four young folks stood close
together, looking at one another. Bert's solemn words had filled the
hearts of the others with fear. Then Harry, sturdy country boy that he
was, exclaimed:
"Oh, don't let's give up so easily, Bert. Many a time I've been off in
the woods, and thought I was lost, when a little later, I'd make a
turn and be on the road home. Maybe we can do that now."
"Oh, I do hope so!" murmured Dorothy.
"Let's try!" exclaimed Nan, taking hold of her brother's arm.
"Wait a minute!" exclaimed Bert as Harry and Dorothy were about to
start off. "Do you know where you're going?"
"We're going back that way," declared Harry, pointing off to the left.
"Why, that way?" asked Bert.
"I think that's the way to Snow Lodge," was the answer. "We've tried
lots of other ways, and haven't struck the right one, so it can't do
any harm to go a new way."
"Now just hold on," advised Bert. "I don't mean to say that I know
more than you about it, Harry, but it does seem to me that it won't do
any good to wander off that way, especially if you're not sure it's
the right path. We'll only get more lost than we are, if that's
possible."
"Well, maybe you're right," admitted Harry. "But we can't stay here
all night, that's sure."
"Of course not," added Dorothy, looking around with a shiver. The snow
seemed to be coming down harder than ever and the cold wind blew with
greater force.
"We may have to stay here," said Bert. "But don't let that scare you,"
he said quickly, as he saw Dorothy and his sister clutch at each other
and turn pale. "We can build a sort of shelter that will keep us warm,
and there won't be any danger of freezing."
"No, but how about starving?" asked Harry. "I'm real hungry now."
"We had a good dinner," observed Dorothy. "If we don't get anything
more to eat until morning I guess we can stand it. But I do hope we
can find some sort of shelter."
"We'll have to make one, I guess," said Nan, looking about her.
"That's right," cried Bert. "It's the only way. If we go wandering
about, looking for a shelter, we may get into trouble. We'll make one
of our own. There's a good place, over by that clump of trees. We can
cut down some branches, stand them up around the trees and make a sort
of tent. Then, when the snow has covered it, we'll be real warm."
"Well, let's start building that snow tent," proposed Harry. "It will
give us something to do, and moving about is warmer than standing
still. I know that much, anyhow."
"Yes, it is," agreed Bert. "Come on, girls. Harry and I will cut the
branches and you can stack them up."
Bert led the way to where three trees grew close together in a sort of
triangle. The trees had low branches and it would be an easy matter to
stand other branches up against them, one end on the ground, and so
make a fairly good shelter.
With their pocket-knives Bert and Harry began cutting branches from the
evergreen trees that grew all about. As fast as they were cut the
girls took them, and piled them up as best they could. All the while
the wind blew the falling snow about, and it became darker.
"Oh, if we only had some sort of a fire!" exclaimed Nan.
"A fire?" said her brother.
"That's so," agreed Dorothy. "It would not be so lonesome then, and
it--would scare away--the bears!" and she looked over her shoulder in
some fear.
"Bears!" cried Bert "There aren't any within a hundred miles, unless
they're tame ones. But we might as well have a fire. I never thought
of that. I've got a box of matches. Harry, if you'll gather wood, and
the fire, I'll keep on cutting branches. We've got almost enough,
anyhow."
"Sure, I will!" said the other boy, and soon he had scraped away the
snow from a spot on the ground, and had piled some sticks on it. He
managed to find some dry twigs and leaves in a hollow stump, and these
served to start a blaze. The wood was rather wet, and it smoked a good
deal, but soon some of the fagots had caught and there was a cheerful
fire reflecting redly on the white snow that was falling faster than
ever.
"That's something like!" cried Bert, coming over to the blaze to warm
his cold fingers. "We'll get a pile of wood and keep the fire going
all night. Then, if any of our folks come looking for us, they can see
it."
Harry, who had just come up with an armful of wood, plunged his hands
into his pockets to warm them. The next moment he uttered a joyful
cry, and drew out two small packages.
"Look!" he cried. "Here's our supper!"
"Supper?" asked Bert, slowly. "What do you mean?"
"It's chocolate candy," went on Harry. "I forgot I had it, but it's
fine stuff when you're hungry. Lots of travelers use it when they
can't get anything else to eat. Here, I'll divide it, and we'll
imagine we're having a fine feast."
He was about to do this when Bert suddenly exclaimed:
"Wait a minute! I have a better plan than that if I can only find a
tin can. Everybody look for one. There may have been picnickers here
during the summer, and they may have left a lot of tin cans."
"But what do you want of one?" asked Nan.
"I'll tell you if I find one," said her brother. "If I told you now,
and we didn't pick up one, you'd be disappointed."
But they were not to be, for a little later Harry, kicking about in
the snow, turned up a rusty tin can.
"That's it!" cried Bert. "Now we'll put some snow in it, and melt it
over the fire. That will give us water, and when it boils we'll be
sure the can is clean. Then we'll melt snow and have hot chocolate.
We'll dissolve the chocolate candy in the water, Harry, and drink it.
That will be something hot for us, and better than if we ate the cold
candy. I've got a folding drinking cup we can use."
"Say, that's a fine idea!" cried Dorothy. "Bert, you're wonderful."
"Oh, no, the idea just popped into my head," he replied.
The can, with some snow in it, was soon on the fire, and in a little
while steam arising from it told that the water, formed from the
melting snow, was boiling. They rinsed the can out carefully, made
more hot water, and then put in the chocolate candy, saving half for
another time.
Nan and Dorothy took turns stirring it with a clean stick until the
mixture was foamy and hot. Then it was passed around in the single
drinking cup.
"Oh, but I feel so much better now," sighed Nan, after taking her
share. "So warm and comfortable!"
"So do I!" exclaimed Dorothy, and the boys admitted that the drink of
chocolate was very good, even though it had no milk in it.
Then they finished making the shelter, brought up more wood for the
night, and went in the little snow-tent. Though it was only partly
covered with a coating of white flakes, it was already warm and cozy,
and they knew that they were in no danger of freezing.
As much of the snow as possible was scraped away from the ground
inside, and thick hemlock branches were laid down for a sort of
carpet. Then, with the cheerful fire going outside, the four young
people prepared to spend the night. That it would be lonesome they
well knew, but they hoped Mr. Bobbsey would come and find them,
perhaps with a searching party.
The warm chocolate, the warmth of the fire, the effect of the wind,
weariness of the long walk, and the work of making a shelter, all
combined to make the boys and girls sleepy in spite of their strange
situation. First one and then the other would nod off, to awake with a
start, until finally they were all asleep.
How long he had been slumbering thus, in little snow-tent, Bert did
not know. He suddenly awoke with a start, and listened. Yes, he heard
something! The sound of someone tramping through the woods. A heavy
body forcing its way through the bushes!
At first Bert's heart beat rapidly, and he thought of wild animals.
Then he realized that none was near Snow Lodge. He glanced about. The
campfire was burning only dimly, and by the light of it, as it came in
through the opening of the shelter, the boy could see the others
sleeping, curled up on the soft branches.
The sound of someone approaching sounded louder. Bert looked about for
some sort of weapon. There was none in the tent. Then he almost
laughed at himself.
"How silly!" he exclaimed, "Of Course it's father, or someone looking
for us. I'll give a call."
He crawled to the edge of the shelter, looked out, and raised his
voice in a shout:
"Hello there! Here we are! Father, is that you?"
Those inside the little snow-covered tent awoke with a start. Bert
tossed some light wood on the fire and it blazed up brightly. By its
glow the boy saw, coming into the circle of light, a man dressed in
thick, heavy garments, with a coonskin cap on his head. Over his
shoulder was a gun, and he had some rabbits and birds slung at his
back.
"Hello!" called the man to Bert, who was now outside the little tent.
"Who are you?"
"Bert Bobbsey," was the answer. "My sister and cousins are here. We
got lost and made this shelter. Were you looking for us?"
"Well, not exactly," said the hunter slowly, as he leaned on his gun,
and looked at the fire, then at Bert and next on Nan, Dorothy and
Harry, who by this time had come from the tent. "Not exactly, but
maybe it's a good thing I found you. The storm is growing worse. What
did you say your name was?"
"Bert Bobbsey."
The hunter started.
"Any relation to Mr. Richard Bobbsey?" he asked.
"He's my father."
"You don't say so! Well, I'm glad to hear that. It will give me a
chance to do him a good turn. I'm Henry Burdock," the hunter went on.
It was the turn of Bert and Nan to be surprised.
"Henry Burdock!" repeated Bert. "Are you the nephew of Mr. Carford?"
"Yes," was the low reply. "Do you know him?"
"Why, we're stopping at his place--Snow Lodge," said Bert. "We got
lost coming from there to take some pictures. Oh, Mr. Burdock, can you
take us back there?"
"Snow Lodge--Snow Lodge," said the hunter slowly. His voice was sad,
as though the place had bitter memories for him.
CHAPTER XVIII
SNOWBALLS
"Are we very far from Snow Lodge?" asked Nan, after a pause. "We
didn't think we would have any trouble getting back to it."
"You're about three miles away, and the path is hard to find in the
darkness and storm," said the young hunter slowly. "Let me think what
is best to do."
He remained leaning on his gun, staring into the fire, which was now
burning brightly. Then he spoke again.
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