es, and began fanning. A stiff north wind blew in at the
windows. The forest was all creaking and snapping with the cold. The
poor children, fanning themselves, on an ice divan, would certainly
have frozen if the Snow Man's wife had not suggested that they all
have a little game of "puss-in-the-corner," to while away the time
before dinner. That warmed them up a little, for they had to run very
fast indeed to play with the Snow Children who seemed to fairly blow
in the north wind from corner to corner.

But the Snow Man's wife stopped the play a little before dinner was
announced; she said the guests looked so warm that she was alarmed,
and was afraid they might melt.

[Illustration: PUSS-IN-THE-CORNER.]

A whistle, that sounded just like the whistle of the north wind in
the chimney, blew for dinner, and Dame Penny's scholars thought with
delight that now they would have something warm. But every dish on the
Snow Man's table was cold and frozen, and the Snow Man's wife kept
urging them to eat this and that, because it was so nice and cooling,
and they looked so warm.

After dinner they were colder than ever, even. Another game of
"puss-in-the-corner" did not warm them much; they were glad when the
Snow Man's wife suggested that they go to bed, for they had visions
of warm blankets and comfortables. But when they were shown into the
great north chamber, that was more like a hall than a chamber, with
its walls of solid ice, its ice floor and its ice beds, their hearts
sank. Not a blanket nor comfortable was to be seen; there were great
silk bags stuffed with snow flakes instead of feathers on the beds,
and that was all.

"If you are too warm in the night, and feel as if you were going to
melt," said the Snow Man's wife, "you can open the south window and
that will make a draught--there are none but the north windows open
now."

The scholars curtesied and bade her good-night, and she kissed them
and hoped they would sleep well. Then she trailed her splendid robe,
which was decorated with real frost embroidery, down the ice stairs
and left her guests to themselves. They were frantic with cold and
terror, and the little ones began to cry. They talked over the
situation and agreed that they had better wait until the house was
quiet and then run away. So they waited until they thought everybody
must be asleep, and then cautiously stole toward the door. It was
locked fast on the outside. The Snow Man's wife had slipped