ure is some snow," observed Russ, who sat in the seat with Ruth,
while Paul had pre-empted a place beside Alice. This last in spite of
the fact that Miss Dixon invitingly had a seat ready for the young actor
beside herself. But she was forced to be content with a novel for
companionship.

"Yes, and we're going to get more snow," remarked Mr. Sneed, who sat
behind Russ. "We'll get so much that the train will be delayed, and
we'll have to stay on it all night; that's what will happen."

"Und ve vill starf den; ain't dot so?" inquired Mr. Switzer, with a
jolly laugh from across the aisle. "Ve vill starf alretty; vill ve not,
mine gloomy friendt?"

"We sure will," predicted the grouch of the company. "They took the
dining car off at the last station, and I understand there isn't another
one to be had until we get to Hampton Junction. We sure will starve!"

"Ha! Dot is vot ve vill _not_ do!" laughed Mr. Switzer, with conviction.
"See, I haf alretty t'ought of dot, und I haf provided. Here are
pretzels!" and he produced a large bag of them from his grip. "Ve vill
not starf!"

"Ha! Pretzels!" scoffed Mr. Sneed. "I never eat them!"

"Maybe you vill before you starf!" chuckled Mr. Switzer, as he replaced
them. "I like dem much!"

The other members of the company laughed--all but Mr. Sneed and
Wellington Bunn. The former went forward to consult a brakeman as to the
prospects of the train becoming snowbound, while Mr. Bunn, who wore his
tall hat, and was bundled up in a fur coat, huddled close to the window,
and doubtless dreamed of the days when he had played Shakespearean
roles; and wondered if he would play them again.

The train went on, not that any great speed was attained, for the grade
was up hill, and there had been heavy storms. There was also the
prospect of more snow, and this, amid the rugged hills of New England,
was not reassuring.

"But we expect hard weather up here," said Mr. Pertell to his company.
"The more snow and ice we have, the better pictures we can get."

"That's right!" agreed Russ.

"Humph! I'm beginning to wish I hadn't come," growled Mr. Sneed, who had
received information from a brakeman to the effect that trains were
often snowbound in that part of the State.

A few feathery flakes began falling now, and there was the promise of
more in the clouds overhead, and in the sighing of the North wind.

"Does your throat hurt you much, Daddy?" asked Ruth, as she noticed her
father wrapping