"No, don't go until after Santa Claus has been here," urged Flossie
seriously, and her mother laughed.

"Well, I must be going, anyhow," said Mr. Carford, after a pause. "It
will be dark before I get back, and the storm seems to be coming up
quickly. Emma will worry, I'm afraid. Now you just think it over about
Snow Lodge," he concluded, "and I guess you will go, Mr. Bobbsey. You
know my reasons for not wanting to set foot in the place, so I don't
need to tell you.

"Now, good-bye. Go to Snow Lodge, and have a good time, and when you
come back, children, tell me all about it. If I can't go there at
least I like to hear about the place."

Mr. Carford went out to his team, through the now driving snow. He
little realized what a joyful story the Bobbsey twins were to bring
back to him from Snow Lodge, nor how it was to change his feeling in
regard for his boyhood home.

"Papa," said Bert soberly, after the visitor had gone, leaving the
keys of Snow Lodge behind him, "what is the secret about Mr. Carford
and that winter place? And you're mixed up in it, I'm sure."

"What makes you sure, Bert?"

"Well, I've been thinking so ever since that day I helped to catch his
runaway horses, and he said this was the second time a Bobbsey had
tried to do him a favor.'"

"Had your favor anything to do with Snow Lodge, Papa?" asked Nan, as