would just as lief stay
here until to-morrow."

"That's all right enough for us boys," put in Roger, "but how about
the girls?"

"We can leave them in Mrs. Renwick's care if we have to," announced
Dave. "Laura and Jessie know her very well, and I am sure she'll be
only too glad to play the chaperon. She's a very nice lady, and the
doctor is a very fine man."

They found that Washington Bones had had his supper and had returned
to the stable to feed his horses. When they questioned the colored man
about getting back to Crumville he shrugged his shoulders and shook
his head.

"Might try it if you say so," he said; "but it ain't gwine to be no
easy job, boss, and we may git stuck somewheres so as you cain't git
to not even a house. Then we might all be froze to death."

"What do you think it is, Wash, a blizzard?" questioned Roger.

"Dat's jest what dis is, boss. And my opinion is it's gwine to be a
heap sight wo'se before it gits bettah," added the driver.

"I guess you're right there," answered Dave. "And that's one reason I
think we ought to try to get back to Crumville. But just the same, I'd
hate to get stuck somewhere along the road, as he says. We boys might
be able to get out of it along with Wash, but we couldn't expect the
girls to do any tramping in such deep snow and in such a wind."

There was an old-fashioned covered walk from the hotel to the stables,
so that the boys in going from one place to the other had not had to
expose themselves to the elements. Now, to get an idea of how bad the
storm was, Dave walked out as far as the street, followed by his
chums.

"Great Caesar's ghost!" puffed the senator's son, as they stood where
they could get the full benefit of the storm. "This is frightful,
Dave! Why, it would be nothing short of suicide to try to go
anywhere!"

"I--I--guess we h-had better g-go in and telephone that we c-c-can't
come!" panted Ben; and then lost no time in returning to the stable,
followed by the others.

They had been outside less than five minutes, yet the fury of the
blizzard had nearly taken their breath away.

"We won't attempt it, Wash; so you can make arrangements to stay here
to-night," announced Dave. He turned to his chums. "Come on back to
the hotel, and we will do what telephoning is necessary."

They returned to the parlor, and there the situation was explained to
the girls and to Dr. Renwick and his wife.

"Oh, you mustn't think of trying to get back to-nig