The Bobbsey twins at Snow Lodge

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UNIVERSITY

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Chapter I

"Will Snap pull us, do yxDu think, Freddie ? " asked little Flossie Bobbsciy, as she anxiously looked at her small brother, who was fastening a big, shaggy dog to his sled by means of a home-made harness. " Do you think he'll give us a good ride ? "

" Sure he will, Flossie," answered Freddie with an air of wisdom. " I explained it all to him, and I've tried him a little bit. He pulled fine, and you won't be much'heavier. I'll have the harness all fixed in a minute, and then we'll have a grand ride."

" Do yotj, think Snap will be strong enough to pull both of us? " asked the little girl, , "Of course he will ! " exclaimed Freddie firmly. "He's as good as an Esquimo dog, I

2 THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LOPGE

and we saw some pictures of them pulling sleds bigger than ours."

"That's so," admitted Flossie. "Well, faurry up, please, Freddie 'cause I'm cold standing here, and I want to get under the blankets on the sled and have a nice ride."

" I'll hurry all right, Flossie. You go up there by Snap's head and pat him. Then he'll stand stiller, and I can fix the harness on hina quicker."

Flossie, with a, shake of her fight curls, and a stamp of her little feet to rid them of the snow from the drift in which she had been standing, went closer to the fine-looking and intelligent dog, who did not seem to mind being all tied up with ropes and leather straps to Freddie's sled.

" Good old Snap I " exclaimed Flossie, patting his head. " You're going to give Freddie and me a fine ride; aren't you, old fellow? "

Snap barked and wagged his tail violently. ■ " Hey ! Stop that ! " cried Freddie. " He's flopping his tail right in my face ! " the little boy added. "I can't s^e to fasten this strajn Hold his tail, Flossie."

Snap, hearing the voice of his young mastet —one of his two masters by the way — wagged his tail harder than ever. Freddie made a grab -for it, but missed. Flossie, seeing this* laughed and Snap, thinking it was a great joke, leaped about and barked with delight. He sprang out of the harness, which was only partly fastened on, and began leaping about in the snow. Finally he stood up on his hind legs and marched about, for Snap was a trick, dog, and had once belonged to a circus.

" There now ! Look at that ! " cried Fred* die,. He's spoiled "everything! We'll never get him hitched up now."

" It — it wasn't my fault," said Flossie, a tear or two coming into her eyes.

" I know it wasn't, Flossie," replied Freddie, speaking more quietly. " It's always just that way with Snap when he gets excited. Come here ! " he called to the dog, " and let me harness you. Come here Snap I "

The dog was well enough trained so that he knew when the time for fun was over and when he had to settle down. Still lagging his tail joyously, however. Snap came up to

4' THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LOOSE

Freddie, who started over again the work of harnessing the animal to the sled.

" I guess you'd better stand at his tail instead of at his head," said Freddie. " So when he wags it you can grab it, Flossie, and hold jit still. Then it won't slap me in the face, and I can see what I'm doing. Hold his tail, i^lossie."

" Then he can't wag it,*' objected the little girl-

" I know he can't. I don't want him to."

" But it may^ make him angry."

"Snap never gets mad; do you. Snap?" asked Freddie, and the dog's bark seemed to say " No, never ! "

So Flossie held the dog's tail, while Freddie put on the harness again. Thisi time he .succeeded in getting it all arranged to suit him, and the frisky Snap was soon made fast to the sled.

"Now get on, Flossie," called her brother, , " and we'll see how fast Snap can pull us."

" But don't make him go too fast, Freddie," begged the little girl. " For it's hard pulling in the snow."

" No, I'll let him go slow," promked Freddie. " But it won't be hard work pulling us. My sled goes awfully easy, anyhow."

Freddie tucked Flossie in amid the robes and rugs which the children had taken from the house, near which they had started to harness the dog. Then Freddie took his place in front of his sister, holding to two reins chat were fastened to the dog's head. Freddie had made no bit, such as is used for horses and goats, but ' he thought by making straps fast to a sort of muzzle by which he could guide Snap, by pulling his head to one side or the other.

"All ready, Flossie?" called Freddie, when fee himself was comfortable on the sled.

"All ready," she answered.

" Giddap, Snap ! " cried Freddie, and, with a bark, off the dog started, pulling the sled and the two children after him.

" Oh, he's going ! He's giving us a ride ! At's as real as anything ! " cried Flossie in delight, holding fast to the sled. "Oh, Freddie!"

" Of course it's real! " said Freddie. " Bert and Nan said Snap wouldn't pull ns, but I knew he would. I just wish they could see us now."

As if in answer to this wish a little later, when the two smaller twins had turned a corner, they saw coming toward them their brother and sister Nan and Bert, also twins, but four years older.

" Look, look ! " cried Flossie to Nan. " See what a nice, ride we're having."

"Oh, look, Bert!" exclaimed Nan. " Snaj really is pulling them," and she grasped her brother's arm. Bert was pulHng his own sle^ and that of his twin sister.

"Yes, he'll pull them a little way," admitted Bert, as if he knew all about it, " and then, the first thing they know, Snap will turn around short and tip them into a snowdrift. He hasn't been trained to pull a sled, no matter how many other tricks he can do."

" I trained him myself ! " declared Freddie, as he pulled on the lines to bring the dog to a stop. But Snap, seeing Nan and Bert, was eager to reach them to be patted and made much of, so he did not obey the command giveft by the reins, but kept on.

"Whoa there!" cried Freddie, holding back with all his little strength.

" See, I told you he wouldn't mind," said Bert, with a laugh.

" Oh, but isn,'t it cute ! " exclaimed Nan, •lapping her hands. "I didn't think they'd get any ride at all."

" We'll show you ! We'll have a fine ride!" panted Freddie, vainly trying to make Snap halt.

Then just what Bert said would happen seemed about to take place. The dog leaped around, and turned short to get nearer to the older Eobbsey twins.

" Look out ! " cried Bert, but his warning came too late.

Over went the sled, and Flossie and Fredidie were pitched from it into a big, fluffy bank ef snow, falling into it deeply, but with no more harm to them than if they had landed on a bed of feathers.

" Oh dear ! " cried Flossie, as she felt her- *self shooting toward the snow.

" Whoa there ! Whoa ! Don't you run ■sway. Snap!" shouted Freddie. Then his g ;:HE BOBBSEY twins at snow LOOGb

mouth was filled with saow aad he could say nothiag more.

"Oh, Bert! They'tl be smothered!" cried Nan. " Help me get them out ! "

Bert was laughing, and trying to defend himself against tJie jumping up of Snapi whs seemed to want to hug the boy with his paws.

" Stop laughing I Help me! " ordered Nan, who was already trying to lift Flossie from her snowy bed.

" I can't help laughing — ^Freddie looked so fanny when he went over," said Bert "There's no danger of smothering, though. That snow is as dry as sand. Here you go, Freddie. Gire me your l^and and I'll plill you out."

In a few seconds the smaller Bobbsey twins stood beside their larger brother and sister, while Snap capered about them, barking loudly and wagging his tail.

"Oh, he's got loose, and the harness is all broken," said Freddie, and tears of disappoint* ment stood in his blue eyefi.

« Never mind," said Bert. " I'll help y<m vaakp a better harness to-morrow, Freddie.

That one wasn't strong enotigh for Snap, anyhow. I'll fix it differently." ' ,

" Oh, but we were going to have such a fine ride ! " said Flossie, who was also ready to cry. The smaller twins were only about five years pid, so it might have been expected.

" Well, come on and go coasting with Bert and me," said Nan, as she patted her little sister's head. " We're going over on the long hill. It's fine there, and, you'll have just as much fun as if you had Snap to pull you."

" Shall we go, Freddie ? " asked Flossie, who generally depended on him to start their amusements.

" I guess so," he answered. " This harness is all busted, anyhow."

Sadly he looked at the tangled strings and straps fast to the sled, where Snap had broken away from them. The harness Freddie had made with such care was all broken now.

" Never mind," said Bert again. " I'll make

'you a better one to-morrow, Freddie. Corne

along now, and we'll have some fun. And

when we get through coasting I'll buy every-

bodv a hot chocolate soda."

xd THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE

"Really?" asked Flossie, hef sorrow forgotten now.

*' Sure thing," promised Bert.

^'Cctme on, then, Freddie," said his littlt sister. " We can harness Snap up to-morrow,"

The useless harness was taken to the Bobbsey home, not far away, and then the four twins — the two sets of them, as it were — started ;for the coasting hill, Flossie and Freddie having one sled between them, and Nan and Bert each having one of their own.

On the way to the hill they met many of their friends, also bound for the same place. School was just out and the boys and girl* were eager to have a good time in the snow.

" There's Charley Mason I " exclaimed Bert, seeing a boy he knew. " Hello, Charley ! " he called. " Going coasting? "

" Sure. Where's the big bob? " For some time before this Bert and Charley had made, in partnership, a large bob sled.

" Oh, I didn't know you'd be out, or I'd. have brought it," replied Bert. "Anyhow, I promised Nan I'd coast with her."

"Oh, that's all right. I guess the hill -mfl

THE RUNAWAYS u

be too crowded for a bob, anyhow. Danny Rugg was taking his over, though, for I saw him and some of his crowd hauling it from his barn a little while ago."

" Well, let 'em. We can get ours later. Got a new sled ? " and Bert looked admiringly at the one Charley was pulling.

" No, it's only my old one painted over. But it makes it look like new."

" We had Snap hitched up, but he broke loose," said Freddie. "But we're going to have a stronger harness to-morrow."

"That's good," said Charley, with a broad amile.

S(?on the children were on the hill. There ■was a large crowd of coasters there, and fun was at its height. There was merry shouting . «nd laughter, and several spills and upsets. As Bert had said, the hill was very much crowded.

" I thought it would be no good for a bob," lie remarked.

" There goes Danny Rugg now ! " ex claimed Charley. " He's giving orders to everyone."

" He'd better not give any to me," said f2 THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODG^

Bert, in a quiet voice, but with determinatioB} in his tones.

"Oh, Bert!" exclaimed Nan. "Please don't have any fuss; will you?"

"Not on my part," said Bert. "But if Danny Rugg thinks he can boss me he is mistaken."

It was evident that Danny liked to play master. He could be heard giving orders to this one and the other one to get out of the way, to pull his bob around in place, and then to shove it off with its load of boys and girls.

Now, though Danny was a bully, some of the children were friendly with him for the sake of t^etting a ride on his sled, which was a large and expensive one.

, Bert, and Nan, and Flossie and Freddie, soon were coasting with their friends, having a good time' on the hill. The two smaller twins^went down together.

' As Freddie came up the long slope, pulling his sled in readiness for another trip, Danny Rugg with his bob reached the head of the slope at the same time.

" Say, Danny, give me a ride this trip; won't you ? " begged a small boy, who had no sled, but who often did errands for the bully, and played mean tricks for him that Danny was too lazy to play himself. " Let me go on ,vou?i bob?"-

" Not this time, Sim,*' said Danny. " The bob is going to be filled. But here, you can take Kreddie Bobbsey's sled.- He doesn't want it," and without giving Freddie time to say whether he did or not Danny snatched the sled rope from him and held it out to Sim Watson.

For a moment Freddie was too surprised to utter a protest and then, as he realized what had happened, he cried out:

" Here, Danny Rugg, you let my sled alone I T do want it! Give it back to me! "

" Aw, go on ! " said Danny. " Yciu've had rides enough. Let Sim take .your sled, or I'll punch you ! " and Danny gave Freddie a shove, ,and held out the rope of the sled to Sim.

^'Stop it!" cried Freddie. "I'll tell Bert on you."

" Pooh ! Think I'm afraid of yotjr brother > I can handle him with one hand tied b^ind my back."

" The^n it's time you started in ! " exclaimed a voice just back of Danny, and the bully turned suddenly to see Bert standing near him. Danny's face flushed, and then grew pale. Before he could make a move Bert grabbed away from him the rope of Freddie's sled, which Sim had not yet taken, and passed it back to his small brother.

"Don't you try that again," warned Bert.

"I will if I want to," said Danny, meanly. "I'm not afraid of you."

" Maybe not," said Bert, quietly, " and I'm not afraid of you, either. But if you take my brother's sled for some of your friends you'll have to settle with me. You leave Freddie alone ; do you hear ? " ,

" I don't have- to mind you ! "

** We'll see about that. Go ahiead, Freddie. You and Flossie coast as| much as you like, tind if Danny bothers you any more let me know."

Danny, with an uneasy laugh, turned aside. Some of his particular chums gathered about him, and one murmuijed:

" Why don't you fight him? "

For a moment 't looked as though there

THE RUNAWAYS i^

taight be trouble, but an instant later all thoughts of it passed, for a series of girls' screams came from midway down the long hiU.

All eyes were turned in that direction, and those at the top of the slope saw a team of runaway horses, attached to a heavy bobsled, pltmging madly up the hill.

And, right in the path of the frightened animals was Nan Bobbsey, and one or two other girls, on their sleds, coasting straight for the runaways.

A cry of fear came from Bert Bobbsey as he noticed his sister's danger.

Chapter II

, J ' OLD MR. CARFORD

" Stop the horses ! "

" Yes, grab them, somebody, or they'H mn into ' the girls ! "

" Look out, everybody, they're coming right this way!"

" I'm going to get my^bob to a safe place! "

It was Danny Rugg who called out this last, and the other boys had shouted the previous expressions, as they watched th^ oncoming, runaway horses.

Bert Bobbsey had thrown himself on his sled and was coasting toward the group of girls, of whom his sister Nan was one. They were on their sleds in the very path of the team. It seemed that nothing could save them. But Bert had a plan in his mind.

And, while he was preparing to carry it out,

I will take just a moment to tell my new i6

OLD MR. CARFORD if

(readers something about the characters of this < story, and the books that have gone before in the series.

Bert and Nan, Freddie and Flossie Bobbsey were the twin children of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bobbsey, who lived in an Eastern city called Lakeport, at the head of Lake Metoka. Mr. Bobbsey was a prosperous lumber merchant. Other members of the household were Dinah and Sam^ Johnson. Dinah was the cook, fat and good-natured. Sam was her husband, slim and also good-natured. He did all sorts of work about the place, from making garden to shoveling show. , •

Then there was Downy, a pet duck; Snoop, a pet black cat, and, of late. Snap, the fine trick dog, who had come into the possession of the Bobbseys in a peculiar manner.

In the first book of this series, entitled " The Bobbsey Twins,") I told of the good times the fout children had in their home- ' How i they played in, the snow, went coasting, helped to discover what they thought was a " ghost," and did many other things. Bert even went for a sail in an ice boat he and Charley Mason had made, though it was almost more thaa the bpys could manage at times.

The second volume, called " The ^obbsey Twins in the Country," told of the good times the four had when they went to the farm of Uncle Daniel Bobbsey and his wife, Aunt Sarah, who lived at Meadow Brook.

Such fun as there was !

There was a country picnic, sport in the woods, and a great Fourth of July celebration. A circus gave a chance to have other good times, and though once there was a midnight scare, it all turned out happily.

But though the twins had much happiness in the country they were destined to have still more fun when they went to the ocean shore, and in the third book, called " The Bobbsey ^ Twins at the Seashore," I related all that happened to them there.

They went on a visit to their uncle, William Minturn, who lived at Ocean Cliff, and their cousin Dorothy showed them many strange scenes and sights. They had most delightful times, and toward the close of their visit there -was a great storm at sea, and a shipwreck.

The life savers were on hand, however, and did such good work that no one was drowned. And if you want to learn how a certain little girl was made very happy, when she found that her father was among those saved, you must read the book.

Then, after the storm ceased, there were more happy days at the shore. The time for the Bobbseys to leave came all too soon. School was about to open, and even the smaller twins must now settle down to regular lessons.

In the fourth book of the series, called *'The Bobbsey Twins at School," there is told of the start for home.

But many things happened before the family arrived. There was the wreck of the circus train, the escape of the animals, the meeting with the very fat lady, and the loss of Snoop, the pet cat. Then, too, a valuable cup the ■ smaller Bobbsey twins had been drinking from, seemed to be lost, and they were very sorry about it.

On the way home something else occurred. They were followed in the dark by some Strange aniinal. At first they feared it was

V 20 THE BOBBSEY TWINS kr SNOW LODGE

some wild beast from the circus but it proved to be only a friendly dog.

How Flossie and Freddie insisted on keeping the dog, now that their pet cat Snoop was gone, how they named him Snap, and how it was discovered that he could do tricks, are all part of the story.

There were many more happenings after the. twins started in at school. Mr. Bobbsey's boathouse caught fire in a mysterious manner. Snap was found to be a circus dog, and it was pretty certain that the fat lady in the train had also belonged to the show, and that it was she who had the valuable silver cup.

In time all was straightened out, and how Snoop came back from the citcus in ' far-off Cuba, how Snap was allowed to stay with the Bobbseys, and hbw even the cup was finally recovered — all this you will find set dowh in f he fourth book of this series.

And now winter had come in earnest, though even before this story opens the Bobbsey twins had had a taste of snow and Ice. The accident on the coasting hill now occupied the attention of all.

"Oh, Nan! Nan will be killed!" cried Flossie, as she stood with Freddie gazing down the slope.

"^o, she won't!" exclaimed Freddie. " Bert is going to save her — you'll see ! "

"Oh, if he only can!" murmured Nellie Parks, one of Nan's friends.

" I think he will ! See, he is coming nearer to them," added Grace Lavine, another friend.

Danny Rugg, mean as he was, was not quite so mean as to discourage this hope. Some of the girls on the sleds that were coming nearer to the rushing horses seemed about to roll off, rather than take chances of steering out of the way of the steeds. , ^

"What can Bert be going to do?" asked Grace. . " How can he save them? "

"I (ion't know," answered- Nellie. " Let's watch him. Maybe he's going ;to stop the horses."

"He'd never dare!" murmured Grace.

" Oh, Bert is brave," was the answer. - But Bert had no intention of leaping for the horses' heads just now. Kis first idea was to get his sister and the other girls to a place of safety. As he came near to them, his, sled going much faster than theirs, he called out :

" Steer to the right! Go to the right! I'll see if I can't make the horses go over to one

' side."

" All right ! " cried Nan, who understood what her brother meant. " Keep to the right, girls," she called to her frightene4 chums, " and don't any of you fall off ! "

Those who had been about to roll from their sleds now held on with firmer clasps.v They, were close to the runaway team now.

! Bert was near to them also, and, while wondering to, whom they belonged, , and whether they had injured their driver or anyone else in their mad rush, he caught up a handful of snow as his sled glided onward.

It was hard work to throw the snow ball at the horses, going down hill as he was, but Bert managed to do it. He had the good luck to

, hit one of the animals with the wad of snow,

I and this sent the horse over to one side, its mate following. This was just what Bert / wanted, as it gave Nan and the others mor« room to coast past them.

And this is just what the girls did. Their sleds whizzed past the runaways, one sled, on which Hattie Jenson rode, almost grazing a hoof.

"Now you're safe!" cried Bert "Keep on to the foot of the hill ! You're all right ! "

He gathered up another handful of snow, and threw it at the steeds, making them swerve more than ever towards the side of the hill. Then one of the animals slipped and stumbled. This caused them both to slow up, and Bert, .-seeing this, left his sled, rolling off, and letting ■it go down without him.

Hardly thinking of what he was doing, he ran for the heads of the horses. Perhaps it was not just wise, for Bert was not very tall, but he was brave. However, he was not to stop the runaways all alone, for just then some of the larger boys, who had been rushing down the hill, came up, and before the horses could start off again several lads had grasped them by the bridles and were quieting them.

*That was a good idea of yours, Bert Bobbsey," said Frank Miller. "^A fine idea, to throw snowballs at them. It made them

THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGfe go to one side all right, and slowed them up."

" I wanted to save the girls," said Bert, who was panting from his little run.

" Whose team is it ? " asked another boy.

" I don't know," answered Bert. " I can't say that I ever saw them before. There's no one in the sled, anyhow, though it is pretty well loaded with stuff."

He and the other boys looked into the vehicle. It contained a number of boxes and bags. Then the boys looked down the hill and ?aw that the girls who had been in danger were now safe. Nan and the others were walking up, dragging their sleds.

The boys then noticed a man half running up the slope. He was waving his arms in an excited- fashion.

" I guess that's the man wba owns the horses," said Charley Mason.

There was no doubt of it a few minutes later, when the man came close enough to makfe himself heard. '

"Are they all right, boys?" he asked' " Are my horses hurt ? "

"They don't seem to be," answered Frank.

"That's good. Are my things all 1 right?"

" Everything seems to be here," said Charfey Mason, who was standing beside Bert. " I know who he is now," went on Charley in a low tone to his chum. " He's Mr. James Carford, of Newton."

" Yes, he was in the war," went on Charley. " He's real ricfe, too, but peculiar, they say."

By this time aged. Mr. Car ford was looking over the team and the sled and its contents. He seemed weary and out of breath.

"Yes, everything is all right," he said ": slowly. " I hope no one was hurt by my runaways. I never knew 'em to do that before. I left 'em outgide the store a minute while I went in to geit something, and they must have taken fright. I hope no one was hurt."

" No, everyone got out of the way in time," said Bert.

"That's good. Who stopped the horses?" ^ihe old man asked.

" Bert Bobbsey," answered Frank Miller. *' He warned his sister and the other girls to

Steer to one side, and then he threw snow at the horses and made them fall down. Then they slowed up so we could grab 'em."

"Ha! Bert Bobbsey did that, eh?" exclaimed aged Mr. Car ford. " So this is the second time a Bobbsey has mixed up in my fkmily affairs. The second time," and Mr. Carford looked at Bert in a peculiar manner.

" Did you fall out of the sled, Mr. Car« ford ? " asked another boy, coming up just then.

" No, they started of? when I was in the store. Funny, too, that they should. Well, I'm glad there's no one hurt and no damage ■done. I couldn't walk home to Newton. ^ I'm much obliged to you boys. And to you too, Bert Bobbsey.

" Are you Richard Bobbsey's soil? " he suddenly asked, peering at Bert from beneath his shaggy eyebrows.

"Yes, sir." ^

" Ha ! I thought so. You look like him.

You do things like him, too, without stopping

to be asked. Yes, this is the second time e

.1 Bobbsey has meddled with my family affairs.

Trying to do me a good turn, I suppose. Well, well!" and he seemed lost in thought.

""What is it? What is the matter? " asked Nan, in a low voice of her brother, as she came to stand beside him. " Is he finding fault because you helped stop his runa'vfay horses? "

" No, Nan. I don't exactly understand what he does mean," answered Bert. " There seems to be some mystery about it."

Chapter III The Big Snowball

For a time Mr. Carford seemed more worried about the possible injury to his team, and the loss of some of his goods in the sled, than he was concerned about thanking the boys who had stopped the runaways. Then, as he found by looking them over, that the horses were all right, and that nothing was missing, he approached Bert and the others, saying: