was certainly an interesting sight, and all the young people
watched it for some time before they took off their wraps and prepared
to sit down to the meal, which had been ordered over the telephone
before leaving Crumville.

"My, just listen to the wind!" was Phil's comment. "You'd think it was
a regular nor'-wester."

"If it keeps on it certainly will be a blizzard," put in Roger. "In
one way we can be glad we are under shelter, even though we are a good
many miles from home."

"Yes. And snow or no snow, I move that we sit down to dinner,"
continued Phil. "We can't go back while it is snowing and blowing like
this, so we might as well make the best of our stay here."

After having ordered a meal for the colored man, which was served in
another part of the hotel, Dave joined his friends in the restaurant.
A special table had been placed in a cozy corner, and that was
decorated with a large bouquet of hothouse flowers, with a smaller
bouquet at each plate.

"Oh, how lovely!" burst out Jessie, when she saw the flowers.

"You folks in the East certainly know how to spread yourselves," was
Cora Dartmore's comment. "Just look at those beautiful flowers and
then at the fierce snowstorm outside."

"Oh, let us forget the storm!" cried Laura. "It will be time enough to
think about that when we have to start for home."

"That's the truth!" answered her brother, gaily. "Everybody fall to
and do as much damage to the bill-of-fare as possible;" and this
remark caused a general smile.

Then the first course was served and soon all of the party were eating
and chatting with the greatest of satisfaction.

In the meanwhile, the blizzard--for such it really was--continued to
increase in violence. The wind tore along through the woods and down
the streets of the town, bringing with it first the heavy chunks of
snow and then some hard particles not unlike salt in appearance. The
fine snow seemed to creep in everywhere, and, driven by the wind,
formed drifts which kept increasing in size steadily.

After the first course of raw oysters, came some cream of celery soup
with relishes, and then some roast turkey with cranberry sauce and
vegetables. After that the young folks had various kinds of dessert
with hot chocolate, and then nuts with raisins.

"What a grand dinner!" remarked Belle, when they were finishing.
"Dave, you certainly know how to order the good things."

"Oh, I had Roger and Phil to help me on that," returned