In spite of the protests of the boys, the driver remained firm, insisting that he, and he alone, could make the trip.
“Keep the door shut and don’t run the motor. The heater’s out of order now and if you run the motor, carbon monoxide fumes may creep in. They’re deadly.”
But that was an unnecessary warning for all of the boys knew the danger of the motor fumes in a closed compartment.
Bundling himself up well, the driver plunged into the storm and Miss Bruder and her honors English class were left alone in the middle of Little Deer valley with the worst storm of the winter raging around their marooned bus.
Jim turned off the headlights, leaving only the red and green warning lights atop the bus on. He snapped the switches for the interior lights until only one was left aglow for there was no use to waste the precious supply of electricity in the storage battery.
If anything the whine of the wind was louder and it was exceedingly lonely out there despite the presence of the others. There was something about it that made Janet feel as though she were a hundred miles from civilization. She had not dreamed it would be possible to have such a sense of loneliness and yet be in a group of schoolmates.
Jim Barron and Ed Rickey kept on the move, talking with some of the boys or attempting to cheer up the girls.
“Better get up every few minutes and swing your arms and stamp your feet,” advised Ed. “That’ll keep the circulation going; otherwise you may suffer frostbite.”
Helen squinted her eyes and looked at her watch in the dim light shed by the single bulb. It was just after midnight.
“Wonder if we’ll be home by morning,” she asked, turning back to Janet.