dpa Ford.

Grandpa unhitched the horses from the overturned sled and then started
to drive them toward the cabin, which was the only house for some
distance on that road. The six little Bunkers followed, the highway
being well-packed with hard snow, so that walking was easy.

As the procession, led by Grandpa Ford driving the horses, approached
the cabin, a door opened and a man came out.

"Had an accident, did you, Mr. Ford?" he asked.

"Yes," answered the children's grandfather. "My sled upset in a drift
and spilled out my six little Bunkers. I also broke a bolt, and I shall
have to ride to the blacksmith shop to get another. I was wondering if
the children couldn't wait in your house until I came back."

"Of course they may!" exclaimed a motherly-looking woman, coming to the
door behind her husband. "Bring them in, every one, and I'll give them
some bread and milk. I have cookies, too, for I just baked to-day."

"I'm glad of that!" exclaimed Laddie, and the grown folks laughed at him
because he said it so earnestly.

"Come right in!" went on Mrs. Thompson. "Are you cold?"

"Not very, thank you," answered Rose. "We had lots of blankets in the
sled, and we didn't get much snow on us."

"Well, sit up by the fire, and I'll get you something to eat," said Mrs.
Thompson.

"I'll put one of your horses in the stable while you ride to the
blacksmith shop on the other," said Mr. Thompson, putting on his hat and
overcoat, to go out where Grandpa Ford was waiting.

"Now, you'll be all right, little Bunkers!" called their grandfather to
them, as he started away on the back of Major, who had been unharnessed.
"I'll be back as soon as I can."

Mr. Thompson took Prince to his stable. There was a small one back of
the cabin. I have called it a "cabin," though it really was a small
house. But it was built like a log cabin, and was much smaller than the
house at Great Hedge. It was clean and neat, and on a table covered with
a bright red cloth, in front of a glowing fire in the stove, Mrs.
Thompson set out some cups, some milk, a plate of bread and some
cookies.

"Now come and eat," she said to the six little Bunkers.

They were just drawing up their chairs, and Russ was wondering how long
his grandfather would be gone, when, all at once, a hollow groan sounded
through the cabin.

"Umph! Urr-rumph!"

It was a most sorrowful and sad sound and, hearing it, Rose cried:

"Why, there's the ghost again! Oh, it's come fro