While Ed worked with Bernice’s feet, Jim spoke to the group.
“We might as well face this thing frankly,” he said. “We’re in an awful jam. It must be fifteen or twenty below right now. The snow has stopped, but the wind is increasing in strength and the snow is drifting badly. It may be hours, perhaps a day, before we’re discovered.”
He paused and watched the conflicting emotions on their faces, then plunged on.
“We’ve banked the bus with snow to keep out the worst of the wind, but it’s going to be terribly cold just the same. We’ve got to keep moving, keep up our spirits. If we don’t——”
But Jim didn’t finish his sentence. There was no need for they all knew what would happen once they became groggy and sleepy.
“I’m going to start with a count and I want all of you to beat your feet in time with me. That’ll jar your whole body and warm you up a little.”
Jim started counting and soon the whole group was stamping their feet methodically.
Even Janet had not realized how cold she was. Her feet had felt a little numb, but under the steady pounding against the floor they started to tingle, then burn with an intensity that brought tears to her eyes where they froze on her lashes.
“I’m nearly frozen,” chattered Margie, huddling closer to Janet. “If it wasn’t for your coat I’d be like an icicle by this time.”
They kept up the motion with their feet for at least five minutes, and Jim called a halt then.