How warm and cozy it was in Snow Lodge! How bright were the lights,
and how the big fire blazed, crackled and roared up the chimney! And
what a delightful smell came from the kitchen! It could easily be told
that Dinah was out there.

"Where have you been?"

"What happened to you?"

"Was there an accident?"

"Did you get lost?"

"Did the ice-boat sink?"

It was Freddie and Flossie who asked the last two questions, and Mr.
and Mrs. Bobbsey who asked the others as Bert, Nan, Harry and Dorothy
came into the farmhouse. Oh, how good it seemed after their battle in
the darkness with the storm!

"The ice-boat couldn't go on account of the snow," explained Bert, "so
we had to leave it and walk."

"And we got lost," added Nan. "Oh, it was terrible out there on the
frozen lake!"

"Indeed it was," agreed Dorothy. "I never had such a time in all my
life."