"Oh, I don't believe it will get as desperate as that. Not that there are any bloodhounds at Elk Lodge. But there are some hunting dogs, and I presume they might be able to follow our trail. Won't it seem odd to be trailed by dogs? Just as if we were fugitive slaves!"
"I don't care how they trail us, as long as we get back to Elk Lodge!" and there was a sob in Ruth's voice.
The next moment Alice, on whose shoulder Ruth had laid her head, uttered a cry.
"Oh, what is it?" asked the elder girl. "Do you see someone? Are they coming for us?"
"No, but the snow is stopping, and I can see a house—two of them, in fact."
"A house! Good! Is it far off?"
"No, not far. Come on, I believe we can reach it."
As Alice had said, the snow had ceased falling almost as suddenly as it had set in, and this gave the girls a clear view. They had made a little turn from their original direction in getting to the rock, and they had a view down in a little glade. There, as Alice had said, nestled two houses; or, rather log cabins. One was of large size, and the other smaller.
"Let's go there!" suggested Alice. "We can get shelter, and perhaps there is someone in one of the cabins who will take us to Elk Lodge. We can offer to pay him."
"They wouldn't want it," declared Ruth. "But come on. We mustn't lose any time, for the snow may set in again at any moment. We must get there while we can see."