led into a sitting position, and the girls supported her head
and shoulders.

"Tell us where you live," said Nan, "and we will take you home and send
for a doctor. Or perhaps we had better take you right up to the school
on top of the hill and take care of you there."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to give you young ladies so much trouble," answered
the woman.

"Trouble, indeed!" protested Nan. "It's you that have had all the
trouble, and there's nothing we can do for you that will make up for
it."

"Do tell us where you live," urged Bess. "You ought to be in bed just as
soon as you can. You'll catch your death out here in the snow."

"I live down on the Milltown road," the woman replied, "but I think I
can get there without bothering you. Just help me up and you'll find
that I'm able to walk all right."

She strove to rise to her feet as she spoke, the girls supporting her on
each side, but her feet gave way under her and she would have fallen had
they not sustained her.

"I'm afraid my ankle is broken," she murmured, as they eased her to a
sitting position on the sled that thoughtful Rhoda had run and brought
up to where the group were gathered.

"No," said Nan, "it isn't broken, I think; but it is very badly
sprained. Now, girls, wrap her up well and then take hold of the ropes
and we'll get her home just as soon as we possibly can. You live on the
Milltown road, you say?" she went on, turning to the sufferer. "About
how far is your home from here?"

"About a mile or a little more," was the answer. "It's just beyond the
blacksmith's shop after you cross the bridge."

"I know where it is," interposed Grace. "I've often passed the place
while out riding with Walter."

"You can show us the way then," said Nan, setting the example to the
others by taking hold of the rope. "Come along, girls, and we'll get
there as soon as we can. Bess, hadn't you better go up the hill and tell
the professor all about this, and then hurry and catch up with us?"

Bess did as her chum suggested, and the other girls started off at a
brisk pace, drawing the sled with its burden after them.

CHAPTER III

THE OLD LADY

The road was rather a difficult one, and several small hills had to be
surmounted. The girls took turns in having one of them walk beside the
sled with her hand steadying their passenger, who at times protested
feebly against all the trouble she was making. She volunteered the
information that her name was Sa