156 



Wf/sffiat Cross 

 mJfteSnoir 



some wisps of birch bark to use when they 

 should wake, cold and shivering, and find 

 their little fire gone out and the big stub 

 losing its cheery glow. Then they lay down 

 to rest, and the night and the storm rolled 

 on unheeded. 



Towards morning they fell into a heavy 

 sleep ; for the big stub began to burn more 

 freely as the wind changed, and they need 

 not stir every half-hour to feed their little 

 fire and keep from freezing. It was broad 

 5*3^&Jflf daylight, the storm had ceased, and a wood- 



"'i i M$Vjf iter' 



>^3Wfw pecker was hammering loudly on a hollow 



Slllff shell over their heads when they started up, 



■^jfl wondering vaguely where they were. Then 



while Noel broke out of the commoosie, which 



was fairly buried under the snow, to find out 



f;{\ where he was, Mooka rebuilt the fire and 



plucked a ptarmigan and set it to toasting 



with the last of their bread over the coals. 



Noel came back soon with a cheery whoop 

 to tell the little cook that they had drifted 

 before the storm down the whole length of 

 the great barren, and were camped now on 

 the opposite side, just under the highest ridge 



