CHAPTER XVIII
SNOWBALLS
"Are we very far from Snow Lodge?" asked Nan, after a pause. "We didn'tthink we would have any trouble getting back to it."
"You're about three miles away, and the path is hard to find in thedarkness and storm," said the young hunter slowly. "Let me think what isbest to do."
He remained leaning on his gun, staring into the fire, which was nowburning brightly. Then he spoke again.
"You youngsters certainly have made this a fine shelter. I couldn't havedone it much better myself. It's just the thing to keep out the coldwind."
"We thought we'd have to stay here all night," said Bert. "We made somehot chocolate. We've got a little left. Will you take some?"
"No, thank you," replied Henry Burdock. "I generally carry a little toeat with me, and I just finished my night lunch. I had some cold coffeethat I warmed up, too. I'm sorry, but if I had known I was going to meetyou folks I'd have saved some."
"Oh, we're all right," declared Harry. "We can finish our chocolate, andthen perhaps you can show us the way back to Snow Lodge."
"Yes," spoke Henry Burdock, slowly, "I could do that. I know the waywell enough. But it's a hard path to travel in the storm, and afterdark. I don't believe you girls could manage it," and he looked at Nanand Dorothy.
"Oh, yes, we could!" Nan exclaimed. "We've had a good rest, and papa andmamma will be so anxious about us!"
"I'd like first rate to take you all home," said the hunter, "but Ithink I have a better plan. My shack isn't far from here. I could takeyou all there, and you could stay until morning. Then I could go to SnowLodge and tell them you were all right. When it was daylight they couldcome for you in the sled."
"Maybe that would be best," agreed Bert.
"But won't it be too much of a trip for you?" asked Nan.
"No, I'm used to roaming about the woods," said Mr. Carford's nephew,with a sad smile. "A few miles more or less won't make any difference,and I know every inch of this forest. I've had to," he added. "It's theonly home I have now."
"Yes, we--we heard about you," said Nan quickly, and there was kindnessin her voice. "It's too bad your uncle acted as he did, and sent youaway."
"Well, he thought he was doing right," said Henry. "I don't know as Iblame him. Your father, though, he stuck to me, and I'm glad I can dohis children a favor."
"Indeed, it seems too much to ask," spoke Dorothy, for Nan had whisperedto her and Harry the details of the story of the missing money whichHenry Burdock was suspected of taking.
"I don't mind," said the hunter. "I didn't do much walking to-day. Gamewas not very plentiful, though I got some. Now I'll lead you to myshack. It's small, but it's warm, and you can be comfortable there untildaylight. I was walking through the woods, when I saw the flicker ofyour fire, and came up to see what it was."
"And I couldn't imagine what it was I heard when I woke up," said Bert."I was a bit frightened at first," he admitted, with a smile.
"I don't blame you," said Henry. "And, since we are talking about SnowLodge, I want to say that I never took that money. It was on the mantelin the living room, just as my uncle says it was, for I saw it. I don'tdeny but what I would have been glad to have it, for I had been foolish,and I owed more than I could pay. But I never took that roll of bills."
"Have you any idea who did?" asked Bert.
"Not in the least. And as I was the only one in the house, besides myuncle, of course it made it look as if I had taken it, especially as themoney totally disappeared. But I never laid a hand on it."
"It is too bad," said Bert. "Maybe some day the bills will be found andyou will be cleared."
"I hope so," sighed Henry. "But it's been some years now, and my unclehas considered me a thief all that while. I've gotten so I don't muchcare any more. Living in the woods makes you sort of that way. You do alot of thinking.
"But there!" exclaimed the young hunter, straightening up. "This isn'tdoing you children any good. I'd better be taking you to my placeinstead of staying here. Have you anything to carry?"
"My camera--that's all," said Nan. "I'll get it," and she darted intothe shelter after it. Then, when the fire had been extinguished so therewould be no danger of it spreading, the young folks set off after HenryBurdock, who led the way. He seemed to know it, even in the darkness,but of course the white snow on the ground made the path rather easy topick out.
In a short time they came to a log cabin, which was the "shack" thehunter had mentioned. It was the work of but a few minutes to open it,and blow into flames the fire that was smouldering on the hearth. A lamphad been lighted and the place was warm and cozy enough for anyone.
"Oh, this is fine!" cried Nan. "If the folks knew we were here we wouldbe all right, and not worry."
"They'll soon know it," said Mr. Burdock. "I'm going to set off at oncefor Snow Lodge. Will you be afraid to stay here?"
"Not a bit of it!" exclaimed Bert, and the others agreed with him.
Leaving the game he had shot, Henry Burdock started off again throughthe storm-swept woods, while Bert and the others made themselves at homein the cabin. Mr. Burdock had showed them where he kept his food, andthe boys and girls enjoyed a midnight lunch, for it was now after twelveo'clock.
It was about three in the morning when the hunter came back, to find hisyoung friends asleep. He let himself in quietly, and not until daylight,when they awoke, did he tell them of his trip.
He had reached Snow Lodge safely, there to find Mr. and Mrs. Bobbseyalmost distracted over the absence of the children. Mr. Bobbsey and Samhad searched as well as they could, and they were just going off toarouse some nearby farmers and make a more thorough hunt when Mr.Burdock came in.
That his news was welcome need not be said, and Mrs. Bobbsey wept forjoy when she knew that her children and the others were safe. Theywanted the young hunter to remain until daylight, and go back with themin the sled, but he said he would rather go on to his cabin now. Perhapshe did not feel that he should remain in Snow Lodge, from where hisuncle had driven him in anger years before.
Mr. Burdock gave Mr. Bobbsey directions how to find the cabin, and, assoon as the first streak of daylight showed, the lumber merchant and Samset off in the big sled. Flossie and Freddie were not awake, or theymight have been taken along.
And a little later Bert, Nan, Dorothy and Harry were safe in Snow Lodgeonce more.
For some days after this the weather was stormy, so that the young folkscould not go far from Snow Lodge. But they managed to have good timesindoors, or out in the big barn.
Then came another thaw, and a freeze followed some days later, makinggood skating. One afternoon Bert proposed to Harry that they go for atrip on the ice-boat.
"But not too far," cautioned his father. "We don't want you to get lostagain."
"No, we'll only go a mile or so," said Bert. "Want to come, Nan andDorothy?"
The girls did, and so, also, did Flossie and Freddie, but their motherwould not allow this. So Freddie got out his engine and played fireman,while his little sister put her walking and talking doll through herperformance. Snap, the trick dog, with many barks, raced off with Bertand the older children.
The _Ice Bird_ sailed well that day, skimming over the frozen lake at afast pace, and the children greatly enjoyed the sport. Snap sat on withthe others, looking as though he liked it as well as anyone.
They sailed up the lake for some distance and then got out to look for acave which Bert had heard was a short distance from shore. They did notfind it at once, but while they were climbing up a little hill, thinkingthe cave might be somewhere near it, Harry was suddenly startled toreceive a snowball on his ear.
"Ouch!" he cried. "Who threw that?"
They all stopped and looked around. No one was in sight.
"Maybe it fell off a tree," suggested Nan.
"It came too hard for that," declared Harry. "It was thrown."
They looked about again, but, seeing no one, went on. Then, suddenlythere came ano
ther ball, and Dorothy cried:
"There, that came out of a tree, for I saw it. Right over there," andshe pointed.
"Then if it came out of a tree someone is up the tree!" declared Bert,"and I'm going to see who it is."
As he rushed forward a snowball struck him full in the face.