It was finally agreed that they should make the effort, and they started about ten o'clock. The sun was shining with dazzling brilliancy on the snow, and with no wind blowing it was considerably warmer than it had been on the journey to Lamont. All of the young folks were in good humor, Dave for the time being dismissing from his mind the trouble occasioned by the loss of his cap and overcoat. As they drove away from the town they could see the effects of the great wind. In some spots the road was almost bare of snow, while in others there were drifts ten and twelve feet in height. To drive through such drifts was, of course, impossible; so they had to make long detours through the surrounding fields. At such places the horses, of course, had to be driven with extra care, for no one wanted the sleigh to land in some hole or be overturned. Occasionally, when the turnout was on a dangerous slant, the girls would shriek and the boys would hold their breath; but each time Washington Bones was equal to the occasion and brought them through safely. By noon they had covered five miles, and then they stopped to rest at a village where all procured a good hot dinner. Then they went forward once again, this time through a long patch of timber. "If we gits through dat, we'll be all right," declared the colored driver. The snow lay deep in the woods, but the horses proved equal to the occasion, and at last the timber was left behind and they came out on a ridge road where the snow was only a few inches in depth. Here they were able to make fairly good time, so that three o'clock found them almost within sight of the outskirts of Crumville. "We're going to make it easily," declared Ben. But he proved to be mistaken, for a little distance farther on they ran again into the deep snow and had to pass around one drift after another, finally going clear across several fields to another highway. As a result it was well after dark before they gained the road leading past the Wadsworth jewelry works. "Well, this looks like home, anyway," declared Dave to Jessie, as he nodded in the direction of her father's establishment. "Yes, and I'm glad of it," returned the girl. "Gracious! it seems to me that we have been on the road for a week!" "We can be thankful that we got through so easily, Jessie. Wash is certainly some driver." On account of another big drift they had to pass to still another road, and this brought them finally to the street leading past the Basswood home. "If it's all the same to you folks, I'll get off at my place," announced Ben. "I suppose my father and mother are worrying about me." "Go ahead, Ben," returned Dave. And then he added quickly: "I trust you find your father is better." With a flourish Washington Bones drew up the panting horses in front of the Basswood place. Just as Ben leaped from the sleigh the front door of the house opened and Mrs. Basswood appeared. "Ben! Ben! is that you?" cried the youth's parent, quickly.