see the animal, for the eastern window was snowed shut. The bull made no
move. Presently, the old man shoved the single bar aside and hopped
forward a step or two, his gaze fixed on the star between those glowing
eyes.

Still the bull did not move.

"So, Simon," purred the section-boss. He gave another hop forward, and
raised the hatchet. "So, Simon, nice Simon!"

"_Wo-o-o-ah!_"

It was a roar that fairly shook the lean-to. Simon flung up his head.

Fearful for his safety, Lancaster dodged to the left, stumbled,
overturned, and went down with a cry. "Dallas--help!"

A cry answered him. The mules reared. Then, out of the gloom plunged a
red bulk, head lowered, tail straight. There was a second roar, a crash,
as the stable door flew outward, an in-rush of frigid air, and the
swirling sound of wind and sleet. And Simon, leaping something that was
lying at the entrance, shot on into the blizzard.

* * * * *

Early morning of the next day, as the Lancasters were enjoying a
breakfast of roasted pork, cooked by a scantling of Simon's manger, they
heard the storm renew its fury in strange noises that were like the
human voice. The warped door creaked, the latch rattled.

They paid little attention to it, being fairly content with the strange
good fortune that had left a fat frozen pig in the snow outside the
lean-to. The stable had been nailed tight again, and there were enough
scantlings in it to last out three or four days. Marylyn was better,
having rallied swiftly on a diet of rich broth. Even Ben and Betty were
not unhappy, for they were greedily consuming the hay of the bedticks.

"Sam Patch's shore bustin' loose," observed the section-boss, selecting
a second juicy rib and salting it from end to end. The salt spilled. He
flickered a pinch over one shoulder.

_Boof!_ _boof!_ _boof!_ _bang!_ came the muffled sounds from without.

"The harder it howls now the sooner it'll get over it," answered Dallas,
piling on more wood.

Lancaster lit his pipe. "Danged glad Ah got t'baccy."

_Hey! hey!_ yelled the storm.

Marylyn looked up from a book. "Sounds as if men are outside," she said.
"Listen!"

They listened, straining their ears.

Something thumped the warped door. They started up. A moment, and a
thread of light came through the gap above the latch.

"They is!" cried the section-boss.

A cheer replied. A sharp command was sung out to them. "Keep back! Out
of the way!"