"Now will you come back?" nagged Barbara, desperately.
"In a minute! We want to watch those rainbow-tinted clouds—they are so beautiful!" sighed Anne.
But even as she spoke, the fleecy clouds of snowy white changed quickly to gray. From gray they turned to dark ominous-looking colors, and Polly hastily glanced at the sun.
"Let's ride back at once!" said she shortly.
[Illustration: NODDY LED THE WAY TO TIMBER AS THE BLIZZARD BEGAN ANEW.]
Noddy was turned and urged to lead off as fast as possible, but Polly turned every few moments to watch the clouds now gathering in somber banks and falling down over the Slide.
"Girls, make more haste!" ordered she.
"What's the matter, Poll?" called Anne, who was in the rear.
"I want to get you-all to the timber line just as fast as we can travel. Don't waste breath talking—just ride!" cried Polly, fearfully.
"I told you to come home. I knew something terrible would happen up here!" wailed Barbara, trying to push her horse, by leaning far over his neck.