"My! did you ever see such a storm!" was Roger's comment. "And how quickly it came up!" "If it isn't a blizzard, it is next door to it," returned Dave. And then he added quickly: "It looks to me as if we were going to be snowbound!" CHAPTER XI HELD BY THE BLIZZARD "Snowbound!" The cry came from several of the party. "Yes, snowbound, if this heavy fall continues," answered Dave. "Just see how the chunks of snow are coming down, and how the wind is driving them along." It was certainly an interesting sight, and all the young people watched it for some time before they took off their wraps and prepared to sit down to the meal, which had been ordered over the telephone before leaving Crumville. "My, just listen to the wind!" was Phil's comment. "You'd think it was a regular nor'-wester." "If it keeps on it certainly will be a blizzard," put in Roger. "In one way we can be glad we are under shelter, even though we are a good many miles from home." "Yes. And snow or no snow, I move that we sit down to dinner," continued Phil. "We can't go back while it is snowing and blowing like this, so we might as well make the best of our stay here." After having ordered a meal for the colored man, which was served in another part of the hotel, Dave joined his friends in the restaurant. A special table had been placed in a cozy corner, and that was decorated with a large bouquet of hothouse flowers, with a smaller bouquet at each plate. "Oh, how lovely!" burst out Jessie, when she saw the flowers. "You folks in the East certainly know how to spread yourselves," was Cora Dartmore's comment. "Just look at those beautiful flowers and then at the fierce snowstorm outside." "Oh, let us forget the storm!" cried Laura. "It will be time enough to think about that when we have to start for home." "That's the truth!" answered her brother, gaily. "Everybody fall to and do as much damage to the bill-of-fare as possible;" and this remark caused a general smile. Then the first course was served and soon all of the party were eating and chatting with the greatest of satisfaction. In the meanwhile, the blizzard--for such it really was--continued to increase in violence. The wind tore along through the woods and down the streets of the town, bringing with it first the heavy chunks of snow and then some hard particles not unlike salt in appearance. The fine snow seemed to creep in everywhere, and, driven by the wind, formed drifts which kept increasing in size steadily. After the first course of raw oysters, came some cream of celery soup with relishes, and then some roast turkey with cranberry sauce and vegetables. After that the young folks had various kinds of dessert with hot chocolate, and then nuts with raisins. "What a grand dinner!" remarked Belle, when they were finishing. "Dave, you certainly know how to order the good things." "Oh, I had Roger and Phil to help me on that," returned our hero. "Trust them to order up the good things to eat."