ust have been left alone
with the fire-arms, the two rebels had hurried back to
secure them, with wild, half-formed ideas of revenge
stirring their primitive natures.

Dorothy's policy was to keep cool, in order not to
precipitate any action on their part.

"Co-om," said the taller one, whose villainous appearance
was not lessened by a cast in his right eye, "we want
you to gif us to eat. Co-om down."

"Goodness! have you eaten all we gave you already? You
must have wonderful appetites, to be sure. If you look
in the sleigh--"

"Pshaw! co-om you down and get. What for you sit all
alone up there? Eet is not good to sit zere, and you will
catch cold."

"Oh, don't trouble about me, thanks. I'm all right; I
don't catch cold easily--"

What the cross-eyed one ejaculated at this point will
not bear repetition. He actually so far forgot himself
as to threaten Dorothy with bodily violence if she did
not at once obey him. But as the girl only remained
seated, with apparent unconcern, upon the biscuit tin,
and gazed mildly into his face, it became evident to the
big rebel that he was only wasting words in thus addressing
her. He prepared to ascend the snow bank, jump thence on
to the roof, and fetch her down by force.

Dorothy, like Sister Ann of Bluebeard fame, gazed anxiously
around and listened with all the intensity born of her
desperate state; but there was nothing to be seen or
heard. Only Bruin had risen again and was coming slowly
towards the hut. A bright scheme suggested itself to the
girl; but she would wait until the cross-eyed one discovered
how utterly rotten and soft the snow-bank had become
before putting it into practice. She must gain all the
time she could.

The rebel managed to reach the top of the drift, which
was nearly on a level with the roof of the hut, without
sinking more than an inch or two into the snow; but when
he braced himself preparatory to springing across the
intervening wind-cleared space, the crust gave and down
he went nearly up to the waist. The more he struggled,
the deeper he sank. His flow of language was so persistent
and abusive that even Bruin, on the other side of the
hut, stood still to listen and wonder. It was as much as
Dorothy could do to keep from laughing heartily at the
fellow's discomfiture, but she restrained herself, as
such a course might only drive him to some unpleasant
and desperate measure. She, however, thought it a pity
that only one of them shoul