By this time she no longer was afraid of the old man, if indeed she had ever been.
“No, I don’t ski!” he answered impatiently. “Now hurry up! Get those skis off and start moving! I’ll not wait all day.”
Penny began to unstrap the long hickory runners, but with no undue show of haste. She glanced curiously about the snowy field. An old shed stood not far away. Beside it towered a great stack of wood which reached nearly as high as the roof. Through the trees she caught a glimpse of a weather-stained log cabin with smoke curling lazily from the brick chimney.
As Penny was regarding it, she saw a flash of color at one of the windows. A girl who might have been her own age had her face pressed against the pane. Seeing Penny’s gaze upon her, she began to make motions which could not be understood.
The old man also turned his head to look toward the cabin. Immediately, the girl disappeared from the window.
“Is that where you live?” inquired Penny.
Instead of answering, the old man seized her by the hand and pulled her to her feet.
“Go!” he commanded. “And don’t let me catch you here again!”
Penny shouldered her skis and moved toward the fence.
“So sorry to have damaged your nice snow,” she apologized. “I’ll try not to trespass again.”