“Because if it does maybe we’ll not get a letter from mother or daddy for a long time. Maybe they’re snowed-up now and if it storms again they’ll be snowed-up worse. I don’t want any more.”
“Well, maybe it’ll come anyhow,” Bert said with a laugh, as he closed and locked the door.
The children were soon sound asleep and were not disturbed during the night. Even Flossie did not wake up as usual and want Nan to get her a drink.
Nan awakened first the next morning. She looked at a little clock on her bureau and was surprised to note that it was half past eight.
“Oh, we’ll be late for school!” she cried, jumping out of bed. “Mrs. Pry must have forgotten to call us. Oh, dear!”
Nan hurried about, putting on her gown and slippers, to go and call Bert and also to arouse Freddie. Flossie had opened her eyes when she heard Nan moving. Then a voice from Mrs. Pry’s room said:
“Nan! Nan, dear!”
“Yes, Aunt Sallie, what is it?” asked Nan. “Are you sick?” The old lady’s voice sounded different, somehow.
“Yes, Nan, I’m afraid I’m sick,” was the answer. “That’s why I wasn’t able to get down and cook the breakfast. The lumbago has hold of me in the back. The lumbago has gotten a bad hold of me. Oh, dear!”
While Nan stood in the middle of the floor, hardly knowing what to do, Flossie burst into tears.