sliding down. All her doors were blocked up, and she lived alone, so
there was no one to dig her out. But she got stuck in a drift about
half-way, and had to stay there till one of the neighbors came by
and pulled her out."

All the girls laughed at this, and even Miss Wayland smiled; but
suddenly she looked grave again.

"Hark!" she said, and listened. "Did you not hear something?"

"We hear Boreas, Auster, Eurus, and Zephyrus," answered Old New York.
"Nothing else."

At that moment there was a lull in the screeching of the wind; all
listened intently, and a faint sound was heard from without which
was not that of the blast.

"A child!" said Massachusetts, rising quickly. "It is a child's voice.
I will go, Miss Wayland."

"I cannot permit it, Alice!" cried Miss Wayland, in great distress.
"I cannot allow you to think of it. You are just recovering from a
severe cold, and I am responsible to your parents. What shall we do?
It certainly sounds like a child crying out in the pitiless storm.
Of course it _may_ be a cat--"

Maine had gone to the window at the first alarm, and now turned with
shining eyes.

"It _is_ a child!" she said, quietly. "I have no cold, Miss Wayland.