"We left them from our play party," said Teddy.
"I'm glad you did," went on the lame boy with a smile, "for that is all I had. Then my foot got worse when it began to storm. Then I saw I was snowed in and I knew I'd have to stay. But I got hungry and I had only a crust of bread left, for I ate all the rest of your things, and I had to let snow melt in my hand and drink the water. Then the goat came in. I knew he was your goat, 'cause Hal had told me about Nicknack. The goat stayed with me all last night, and I snuggled up to him and kept warm. Then I thought maybe I could send him for help. I'd read of men in the mountains doing that with the dogs.
"I had a pencil, a paper and some string in my pocket. So I wrote a note and tied it on the goat's neck. Then I tore loose a board in the side of the little house and the goat began to burrow out through the snow. The hole he came in by was snowed shut. Then I guess I must have gone to sleep for that's all I remember until I heard you calling to me just now."
"Well, you have had a hard time," said Mr. Martin, "but now we will take care of you. Don't worry any more."
And Arthur did not. After a good meal to make him forget his hunger, he was put in a warm bed, and the next day he was much better. The storm was over now, and people were beginning to dig themselves out after having been snowed in for so long a time.
One of Mr. Martin's clerks came up from the store to say that everything was all right down there, and he brought other good news.
"That pocketbook we thought the lame boy took," he said, "has been found."
"Where?" asked Mr. Martin, eagerly.
"It had fallen under a box and I saw it there when I cleaned the store and moved the box," was the answer.
"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Teddy, when he heard the news.