“Daddy!” cried Polly. “It must be Daddy and Mr. Larue. Whereabouts did you see them?”
“They were following this road,” said the postman. “Looks like them coming now. I’ve had to make so many stops I guess they’ve caught up with me. Yes, they’re waving to you. See ’em?”
CHAPTER XXIV
HOME AGAIN
The children needed no snowshoes to lend them speed as they ran down the road. Driving toward them were Mr. Marley and Mr. Larue in a sleigh drawn by a horse Fred recognized as “Old Tom,” one of Mr. Davis’s horses.
“Well, you certainly have upset the family,” said Mr. Marley, as Artie hurled himself into his lap and the others tried to find a place on the runners.
“Did Mother worry?” asked Polly, anxiously. “We were all right, only we couldn’t get home.”
“Of course we worried,” answered Mr. Marley. “I don’t think any one has had a wink of sleep all night. We went up the river as far as Jackson’s Pond, hunting for you, but the wind forced us to give up there.”
“Where did you spend the night?” asked Mr. Larue, his arm around Jess.
“Oh, we stayed at Mrs. Wicks’ house,” said Ward, cheerfully.
“And who is Mrs. Wicks?” asked Mr. Larue, in surprise.