Ruth Fielding at Snow Camp; Or, Lost in the Backwoods

ed. They had run at least four miles from the railroad and even with the fear of

d probably never received such a shaking-up. The mules had not gone far on what Fred called the Rattlesnake Hi

ed Ruth. "That drea

g but fatigue would bring them down. Thoroughly frightened, they kept starting an

han aught else. The track crept along the edge of several abrupt precipices, too-not more than thirty or

ned young Hatfield at first. He knew this locality well. But to Rut

us?" she murmured, still obliged to cling w

some attention-or else were so winded that they would have halted of their own volition. And as the cart ceased i

?" cried Ruth, seizing

te car at the Emoryville Crossing, in pursuit of the runaway youth; now they were deep

another dog was Ruth's only answer. She turned

way desperately. "You sha'n't abandon me in this forest, away from everybody. Y

anyway?" he demanded, snarlin

her general situation, she had seen enough of this boy to know that

him. She was quite as strong as he, she knew. "You are

light ahead broadened a

anted? Down, Tig

oad. The mules had halted just below this eminence, and Ruth saw that there was a winding path leading up to the door of the hovel. Down this path came

Rogers's team-I know those mules. Ar

Ruth, again, still cl

ake Man," returned the

asked Ruth,

a hermit. They say he's crazy. And I gu

u think he

-looking man, burly and stout, with a great mat of riotous gray hair under his fur cap, and a beard of the

running like the very

ks-ha! Scared. Runaw

e boy and girl-down the hill road-rose the

chase ye, boy?" the

uth's sharp clutch, and hung his head

umped right on the cart and we just

s before. Without doubt, being so much alone in these wilds he had contracted the habit

't got nothing but louts of boy

way from her; but Ruth's hold was not to be so easily broken. The hermit,

ld, eh? You

Ruth Fielding

know her. She's not be

get here? And wi

the story. They had got aboard the timber cart at the crossing, the mules

knowledgment of the tale. His

do you

d for Snow Camp. Do you know w

miles a

ill be

e the mules in my barn; it's just along the road here. Sim will follow the beasts and find them;

everywhere but at the person to whom he spoke. Ruth started toward the house from which the fire and lampl

hermit to his canine com

hem of Ruth's frock; Rose gambolled about her and licked her hand. Ruth now r

he room. At one end burned a hot log fire on the hearth; but the two further corners were in gloom. Ruth had said she had never s

t was light, yet penetrating enough to be distinguished clearly. In one of the darker corners was what

ere was a sheepskin lying before it for a mat and a pair of huge carpet slippers on either side of the sheepskin. The dogs came in and sat down by the sl

om their shoes. The hermit led Fred by the arm. He had not ove

to Mr. Parrish's Snow

t there is a telephone there, and I can get word to Mr.

," said Fred "

"I'll git ye a pannikin of tea and a bite. Then we'll star

pose?" cried Ruth. "I never

arn," said

wn before the glowing coals at one side. While they waited for the water to bubble for the tea the old man went t

Miss?" asked the old man, whose

ut his hands and wrists. The serpents ran their tongues out like lightning, and their beady eyes glowed as though living fire dwelt in their heads. Ruth was frighte

," said the old man, caressingly. "Ther

ng lamp and turned the shade so as to send the radiance of it into that corner. Through the pane Ruth saw a squirming mass of scaly bodies, mixed

thingly. "Go to sleep again now. My children

nd saying nothing. The kettle began to sing and she was glad to go back to the chair by the fire and afterward to

tightened the lacings and fitted thongs to them. The pair he selected for Ruth looked to the g

Long shadows of the tall trees were flung across the snow. The hermit commanded Rose, the setter, to guar

up the hill. "Didn't hear nor see one at all last winter. Neighbors will have to g

d, always without a word and looking mighty sullen (but evidently afraid of the rattlesnak

ter probably being almost to the zero mark) it was easy for her to move over the drifts. With some little instruction from the rattlesnake man, and after several

lmost impossible that the hermit could find his way through a forest which sho

y crossed a road on which there were telegraph, or telephone poles and then-a little farther int

-night," said the hermit to Ruth. "They have been along. This i

bin, with a balcony built all around it at the height of the second floor. Sleigh bells jingled as the horses stamped in the yard. The heavy