stick!"

A new horror was thus added to the situation, but Miss Grey assumed a
confidence she by no means felt. "Then we must burn up the wood-box,"
she said calmly.

"I will split it up," said Harry; "I know where the axe is kept."

This was some relief. Permission was granted, and in a few minutes the
vigorous blows of the axe were heard, and soon he returned with a
glowing face and a big armful of wood. Miss Grey called for quiet and
began to tell her story.

Never was story-telling so hard; she could not collect her thoughts;
she could not think of a single thing that would interest that
frightened crowd. The blizzard--the horror of it--the dread of what it
might bring to these children under her charge--then the terrors of
hunger and cold, and panic of fear, which seemed impossible to
prevent, almost deprived her of her reason. She felt a strong impulse
to run away, to fling herself into the very thick of the storm and
perish.

Then a glance at the intelligent and fearless face of Harry gave her
new courage. "Harry," she said, in a low tone, "you are the oldest
here--you must help me. Can't you tell a story while I try to think?"

"I don't know," hesitated Harry.

"Do think!" she said earnestly; "these children will work themselves
into a panic, and then how can we manage them!"

"Well perhaps I can," said Harry, pleased to be her helper; then after
a moment, "I guess I can; I'll tell them about a bear I saw once in
the woods."

"Oh, do!" said Miss Grey, sinking back in her chair.

In a moment Harry began, and as the story was really a thrilling one
and he told it with enthusiasm, the children quieted down and
listened.

Meanwhile Miss Grey had somewhat recovered herself and made some
definite plans for the rest of the day.

When the story ended with the sensational end of the bear, the details
of which Harry enlarged upon till they became very exciting, Miss Grey
was calm again.

Thanking Harry, she then proposed to tell a story herself, when a
faint little voice spoke up, "Oh, I'm so hungry," and was echoed by
many more, "So 'm I."

This was the most pressing trouble, as Miss Grey well knew. With Harry
at the axe, they could be kept warm; but how to satisfy their hunger!
She had a plan, however.

"Did any of you have any dinner left in your baskets?" she asked.

Two or three said that they had, when she ordered all baskets and
pails to be brought to her.

Even when all were emptied there w