CH. VI.] A Snug Evening. 103 



water that at last gets into our boots and 

 goes squish, squish^ at every step, and at last 

 oozes over the tops ; and our teeth chatter 

 with cold, for now here and there among the 

 rain-drops appear a few flakes of snow, which 

 rest on the mud of the road for a second, and 

 then melting, add to the deep slush that 

 trickles down the hill by our side. At every 

 open shed the dogs shelter a minute, shake 

 themselves like dripping mops, and with 

 arched backs stand on three legs and shiver ; 

 but we whistle them on and at last reach 

 home. After throwing a good bundle of dry 

 straw on the kennel benches and feeding 

 dogs and ferrets, Jack and I get under 

 shelter and soon find ourselves in dry clothes 

 before a good fire, feeling a little swollen 

 and stiff about our faces and hands, and 

 much inclined for forty winks. 



The wind howls in the chimney, lashes 

 the bare branches of the trees, rattles the 



