The outer door was not locked and she wandered
quite at her will, through the great ice saloons, and wind-swept
corridors. When she came to the door with the icicle through the
latch, she knew at once that the children were in that room, so she
drew out the icicle and entered. The children were asleep, but she
aroused them, and bade them be very quiet and follow her. They got out
of the house without disturbing any of the family; but, once out, a
new difficulty beset them. The children had been so nearly warm under
their snow-flake beds that they began to freeze the minute the icy air
struck them.
But Dame Louisa promptly seized them, while Dame Penny held the horse,
and put them into the tubs and pails of water. Then she took hold of
the horse's head, and backed him and turned around carefully, and they
started off at full speed.
But it was not long before they discovered that they were pursued.
They heard the hoarse voice of the Snow Man behind them calling to
them to stop.
"What are you taking away my company for?" shouted the Snow Man.
"Stop, stop!"
The wind was at the back of the Snow Man, and he came with tremendous
velocity. It was evident that he would soon overtake the old white
horse who was stiff and somewhat lame. Dame Louisa whipped him up, but
the Snow Man gained on them. The icy breath of the Snow Man blew over
them.
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