out in the forest, amid the storm and darkness.

"I wish I could help him," thought Bert, but he did not see how he
could. Mr. Carford was a stern old man, and he believed his nephew had
taken the money that was missing.

The storm raged all night, and part of the next day. Then it cleared
off, leaving a great coating of white in the woods, and over the
fields.

"No skating or ice-boating now," said Bert, "and not for some days.
We'll have to wait for a thaw and another freeze."

"But we can take walks in the woods; can't we?" asked Nan. "Would you
like that, Dorothy?"

"Indeed I would," was the answer.

"Can't we come?" asked Freddie. "Flossie and I have rubber boots."

"Yes, you may come for a little way," said Bert. "We won't go far.
Say, Harry, we ought to have snowshoes for this sort of thing."

"That's right," agreed his cousin. "I saw a picture of some, but I
don't believe I would know how to make them."

"I made some once, but they weren't much good," admitted Bert. "We'll
get my father to show us how some day. It would be fun to take a trip
on them over the snow."