And now the summer was gone. At first they had lived in a tent. When Sander awoke in the morning, if it were quiet enough, he could hear the little birds hopping on the canvas roof. For a while there was hammering and building. Then the sod was cut from a grassy place down by the river, and what with the earth-wall without and the white-wash within they had a cozy dwelling. The vegetables and such crops as they had raised were gathered. The horses and the two cows were stabled. The days passed merrily and busily. There were many new things to see and learn and try. And already winter was here, Christmas Eve, really. And Papa and Mama were just climbing into the wagon for the long drive to Somerset, the railway station with its store or two, some twenty miles away. Mama cast back an anxious look, for it was risky to leave a lad eight years old for all day alone in such a place. But a birthday cake stood ready on the shelf. And the little fellow whistled manfully at the confidence being shown in him. Indeed, he was not afraid. He would feed and water old Molly, the cow.
About four o’clock in the afternoon Sander looked up from the slate on which he had been making pictures. It was very dark. Stepping to the door he looked out. Why, Mama and Papa must be on the way home! Cloudy? Yes, cloudy and beginning to blow. Snow flakes! Jolly! Snow for Christmas! He shouted for very glee and danced on the doorstep. But a great gust almost tumbled him back into the room. Hurriedly he closed the door. Then he went out to the stable, but soon returned. As he lit the lamp, even little Sander, for all his birthday, realized that a storm was on, and wondered how Mama and Papa would get along. And well might he wonder, for the wind was beginning to roar in the trees and rattle the door. The snow was thick, and it became very suddenly dark. A frontier storm of snow and wind, a blizzard such as Sander had never seen, such as the oldest had very seldom seen, was come, and even a little boy could not help a feeling of dread. Now he listened at the door, now he looked out at the window, now he stirred the fire and shivered. And the moments began to get very long. You would hardly know in the lad who wipes away the tear over by the bed the lad who whistled so manfully in the bright morning.
Some two or three hours later Sander slipped down from the chair on which he had been perched for some minutes. What was that? A noise? Somebody at the window? Joyfully he ran to the door. The gust that swept it open blew out the lamp. Somebody came stamping in.
“Well, not your papa I guess. Got a match, boy?” said a snowy figure in a muffled voice.
They had shut the door. By the stove gleam Sander saw two men. After some fumbling one of them found a match and struck it. In the light two strangers were seen busily brushing off the snow. One, big and burly, was rubbing the ice off his whiskers and blinking under icy and shaggy eyebrows. In a short time the big man and the youth stood warming themselves.
“Just in time, boy,” said he of the beard, “just in time. God is good. We were lost for sure. God only knows what would have happened if we hadn’t stumbled on this house. My boy, are you all alone here?”
Sander explained. He was still wondering at the men. In fact, he stood by the bed a little scared at the strange folks tumbling this way out of the night.
“Your parents coming from Somerset tonight?” At the tone of the big man’s voice Sander looked up. What was the matter?
Not much later the men were about to sit down by the table and eat of the lunch found in their packs. The tea kettle had been singing cheerfully and the fire was humming. There was need both of food and heat. Sander was shivering. He wondered at the men, for they bent low over their plates and said something about “thanks and praise.” The tea had just been poured when there was a thump at the door followed by several more. Sander jumped from his chair, exclaiming. “Mama! Papa!”
While the young man shielded the lamp Bigbeard opened the door. An exhausted woman fell forward into the room, dragging two children with her.