"Come, Dame Penny," said Dame Louisa, "I want you to go with me to the
White Woods and rescue the children. Bring out all the tubs and pails
you have in the house, and we will pump them full of water."
[Illustration: TO THE RESCUE.]
"The pails--full of water--what for?" gasped Dame Penny.
"To thaw them out," replied Dame Louisa; "they will very likely be
wholly or partly frozen, and I have always heard that cold water was
the only remedy to use."
Dame Penny said no more. She brought out all her tubs and pails, and
they pumped them and Dame Louisa's full of water, and packed them into
the sleigh--there were twelve of them. Then they climbed into the
seat, slapped the reins over the back of the old white horse, and
started off for the White Woods.
On the way Dame Louisa wept, and confessed what she had done to Dame
Penny. "I have been a cross, selfish old woman," said she, "and I
think that is the reason why my Christmas-trees were blasted. I don't
believe your silver hen touched them."
She and Dame Penny called "Biddy, Biddy, Biddy!" and the names of the
children, all the way. Dame Louisa drove straight to the Snow Man's
house.
"They are more likely to be there than anywhere else, the Snow Man and
his wife are so crazy to have company," said she.
When they arrived at the house, Dame Louisa left Dame Penny to hold
the horse, and went in.
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