, and, as he opened the door, he was
startled at something which suddenly darted past him and rushed out.

"What's that?" said Oliver, who was behind him. "It is Franco," said he.
"Where is he going?"

Franco ran off to the shed where Jonas had harnesses his horses, and
began smelling around upon the ground. He followed the scent along the
yard, up to a post by the side of the house, where Jonas had stopped a
moment ago to go in and get his great-coat, when all was ready; and
then, after pausing here a moment, he darted off towards the road.

"Here! Franco, Franco," said Amos, "come back here."

"Franco, Franco," repeated Oliver, "here--here--here--here."

Franco paid no attention to these calls, but ran off along the road at
full speed.

In the mean time, Jonas had traveled rapidly onward, by the light of the
stars, over the glittering and frosty road.

The keen air made his ears tingle a little, but he rubbed them, and they
soon became warm. His feet were comfortably stowed away down in his box,
among the bags and buffalo-skins, so that they were warm and
comfortable.

The horses trotted along at good speed, and soon brought Jonas and his
load to the village at the mill. The street was vacant, and the houses
dark, excepting that a faint light shone behind a curtain in one chamber
window. Jonas supposed that somebody was sick there. Even the mill
was silent, and the gate shut down; and, instead of the ordinary roar
of the water under the wheel, only a hissing sound was heard, where
the imprisoned water spouted through the crevices of the flume. Vast
stalactites of ice extended continuously along the whole face of
the dam, like a frozen waterfall, behind which the water percolated
curiously down into the foaming abyss, at the bottom of the fall. Jonas
thought that all this, seen by starlight, looked very cold.

The horses trotted across the bridge with a loud sound, which
reverberated far and wide in the still night. He ascended the hill
beyond, and drove on. His woollen comforter, tied about his neck,
became frosted over from his breath; and the breasts, and mane, and
sides, of the horses were gradually sprinkled with white, in the same
way. They were both black horses,--the General having been left at home.
They trotted down the hills and along the level portions of the road,
and wheeled around the curves, with great speed. Jonas found that he
had no occasion for his whip, and so he put it away behind him, u