of
my hand, Cecily. We must all hold together. Come, now."

"It won't be nice to be frozen to death, but if we get through alive
think what a story we'll have to tell," said the Story Girl between her
chattering teeth.

In my heart I did not believe we would ever get through alive. It was
almost pitch dark now, and the snow grew deeper every moment. We were
chilled to the heart. I thought how nice it would be to lie down and
rest; but I remembered hearing that that was fatal, and I endeavoured to
stumble on with the others. It was wonderful how the girls kept up, even
Cecily. It occurred to me to be thankful that Sara Ray was not with us.

But we were wholly lost now. All around us was a horror of great
darkness. Suddenly Felicity fell. We dragged her up, but she declared
she could not go on--she was done out.

"Have you any idea where we are?" shouted Dan to Peter.

"No," Peter shouted back, "the wind is blowing every which way. I
haven't any idea where home is."

Home! Would we ever see it again? We tried to urge Felicity on, but she
only repeated drowsily that she must lie down and rest. Cecily, too,
was reeling against me. The Story Girl still stood up staunchly and
counselled struggling on, but she was numb with cold and her words were
hardly distinguishable. Some wild idea was in my mind that we must dig a
hole in the snow and all creep into it. I had read somewhere that people
had thus saved their lives in snowstorms. Suddenly Felix gave a shout.

"I see a light," he cried.

"Where? Where?" We all looked but could see nothing.

"I don't see it now but I saw it a moment ago," shouted Felix. "I'm sure
I did. Come on--over in this direction."

Inspired with fresh hope we hurried after him. Soon we all saw the
light--and never shone a fairer beacon. A few more steps and, coming
into the shelter of the woodland on the further side, we realized where
we were.

"That's Peg Bowen's house," exclaimed Peter, stopping short in dismay.

"I don't care whose house it is," declared Dan. "We've got to go to it."

"I s'pose so," acquiesced Peter ruefully. "We can't freeze to death even
if she is a witch."

"For goodness' sake don't say anything about witches so close to her
house," gasped Felicity. "I'll be thankful to get in anywhere."

We reached the house, climbed the flight of steps that led to that
mysterious second story door, and Dan rapped. The door opened promptly
and Peg Bowen stood before us, in what