16 STORIES OF EARTH AND SKY 



"Mistress," called Waddles, waking up with a 

 whimper and finding the bed empty, " mistress, do 

 come to sleep. I'm fairly shivering, and the 

 wind is coining in at every crack until my hair 

 stands on end. Don't you see the fire is nearly 

 out? You will have a snuffle cold, and then we 

 shall have to stay in the house for days and 

 days ! " 



" What did you say, Waddlekiris ? Ah, yes, the 

 fire is low and there is no more wood in the bas- 

 ket," said Anne, stumbling back to bed. " Why, 

 the stars and moon are out, it must have stopped 

 snowing ! How the winds whistle and scold ; 

 if I could only understand all the things they 

 say. Ah ! how I wish the Dream Fox would 

 show me his picture-book. 



" Why, there he comes ! The rug fox must have 

 been a Dream Fox when he was alive ! The pic- 

 ture-book too! The poor old blind Crow up in 

 the woods and the Bob- whites all asleep 

 under the snow. I'll get Obi to take them 



some food to-morrow, and we will help 



Heart of Nature dig out his g-a-r-d-e-n, 

 and begin his " 



Footsteps crossed the hall below and came rap- 

 idly up the stairs. 



" It is nothing, dear," said Anne's father to her 



