fter the first few miles of their journey had been accomplished,
the feeling of sadness with which they set out wore away, and hopeful
anticipations of being home again in a few weeks rendered them cheerful,
and enabled them to proceed with vigour. The weather at starting was
fine, too, so that the night encampments in the snow were comparatively
agreeable, and the progress made during the first few days was
satisfactory.

After this, however, the good fortune of our adventurers seemed to
desert them. First of all one of Nelly's snow-shoes broke down. This
necessitated a halt of half a day, in order to have it repaired. Then
one of Roy's snow-shoes gave way, which caused another halt. After this
a heavy snow-storm set in, rendering the walking very difficult, as they
sank, snow-shoes and all, nearly to the knees at each step. A storm of
wind which arose about the same time, effectually stopped their farther
advance, and obliged them to take to the shelter of a dense part of the
woods and encamp.

During three days and three nights the hurricane raged, and the snow was
blown up in the air and whirled about like the foam of the roaring sea;
but our wanderers did not feel its effects much, for they had chosen a
very sheltered spot at the foot of a large pine, which grew in a hollow,
where a cliff on one side and a bluff of wood on the other rendered the
blast powerless. Its fierce howling could be heard, however, if not
felt; and as the brother and sister lay at the bottom of their hole in
the snow, with their toes to the comfortable fire, they chatted much
more cheerily than might have been expected in the midst of such a
scene, and gazed upward from time to time with comparative indifference
at the dark clouds and snow-drifts that were rushing madly overhead.

On the fourth day the gale subsided almost as quickly as it had arisen,
and Roy announced that it was his intention to start. In a few minutes
everything was packed up and ready.

"I say, Nell," said Roy, just as they were about to leave the camp,
"don't the sled look smaller than it used to?"

"So it does, Roy; but I suppose it's because we have eaten so much
during the last three days."

Roy shook his head, and looked carefully round the hole they were about
to quit.

"Don't know, lass; it seems to me as if somethin' was a-wantin'. Did ye
pack your own bundle very tight?"

"Yes; I think I did it tighter than usual, but I'm not very sure."

"Hu