fire, set a quilt before it for the children to
play upon, and then opened out the wallets to see what she could find
for supper. There was not much left, and she was about to knead up all
the flour to bake hearth cakes when Foster-father crossed over to her
and whispered:

"Half will do, sister; otherwise there may be none for to-morrow."

"None?" she echoed. "But they will be back----"

Foster-father pointed to the snow that, driven now by a rising wind, had
drifted underneath the door. "Not through that, sister! We may have to
stay here till the weather moderates, for none save friends will risk
their lives, and these men love us not!"

But even as he spoke there was a bustling at the door, Tumbu flew
forward, barking loudly, and in stumbled----

Old Faithful and Meroo the cook-boy!

They were heavily burdened, half-blinded by the snow, and they had a
disquieting tale to tell. About twelve miles back, just as the snow
began to fall, their party, which had been delayed on the main road by a
flooded river, had come upon the Captain of the Escort and his three
troopers. Then had ensued a hurried consultation, in which several of
the men had flatly refused to go on in face of the coming storm. It was,
they said, sheer madness. Better return to the nearest township and
await better weather. As for the prisoners, they had food enough to keep
life in them for a day or two, and after that they must take their
chance. Whereupon Old Faithful and Meroo had offered to go on, carrying
some of the provisions they had with them, and trusting to be able to
follow the tracks left by the horses in the snow. This had been agreed
upon, and--here they were!

"For," as Old Faithful went on, "see you, I am not afraid of snow,
having been with Babar the brave (on whom be peace) when he marched from
Herat to Kabul and was nigh lost on the Great Zirrin pass."

Little Akbar, who was playing at cat's cradle with his sister, looked up
eagerly. "Was Grand-dad ever in the snow? 'Cos if he was, he's quite
sure to help us, for he ate all our sweeties, didn't he, Bija?"

The little girl shook her head and put her finger to her lip, in warning
to him not to give away their secret; but Head-nurse was sharp.

"Ohe," said she, "so that was it! Listen, Foster-father! these babes set
the platter for Firdoos Gita Makani--on whom be peace! Is not that good
omen for us all?"

"Mayhap!" said Foster-father, clearing his throat cautiously, "and my
h