an icicle
through the latch. Then they were in despair. It seemed as if they
must freeze to death before morning. But it occurred to some of the
older ones that they had heard their parents say that snow was really
warm, and people had been kept warm and alive by burrowing under
snow-drifts. And as there were enough snow-flake beds to use for
coverlids also, they crept under them, having first shut the north
windows, and were soon quite comfortable.

In the meantime there was a great panic in the village; the children's
parents were nearly wild. They came running to Dame Penny, but she was
calling "Biddy, Biddy, Biddy!" out in the moonlight, and knew nothing
about them. Then they called outside Dame Louisa's window, but she
pretended to be asleep, although she was really awake, and in a
terrible panic.

She did not tell the parents how the children had gone to the White
Woods, because she knew that they could not extricate them from the
difficulty as well as she could herself. She knew all about the Snow
Man and his wife, and how very anxious they were to have company.

So just as soon as the parents were gone and she heard their voices in
the distance, she dressed herself, harnessed her old white horse into
the great box-sleigh, got out all the tubs and pails that she had in
the house, and went over to Dame Penny, who was still standing out in
her front yard calling the silver hen and the children by turns.

"Come, Dame Penny," said Dame Louisa, "I want you to go with me to the
White Woods and rescue the children. Bring out all the tubs and pails
you have in the house, and we will pump them full of water."

[Illustration: TO THE RESCUE.]

"The pails--full of water--what for?" gasped Dame Penny.

"To thaw them out," replied Dame Louisa; "they will very likely be
wholly or partly frozen, and I have always heard that cold water was
the only remedy to use."

Dame Penny said no more. She brought out all her tubs and pails, and
they pumped them and Dame Louisa's full of water, and packed them into
the sleigh--there were twelve of them. Then they climbed into the
seat, slapped the reins over the back of the old white horse, and
started off for the White Woods.

On the way Dame Louisa wept, and confessed what she had done to Dame
Penny. "I have been a cross, selfish old woman," said she, "and I
think that is the reason why my Christmas-trees were blasted. I don't
believe your silver hen touched them."

She and Dam