However, Miss Walters decided that they would try it, at least, and Mrs. Haddon was eagerly anxious to be off. “We’ll try anything once,” whispered Laura to Billie, as they went out into the already ankle-deep snow, the wind lashing bitingly against their faces. “Thank goodness, we can die but once!” “Die but once is right,” said Billie grumpily. She was worried for fear she would not be able to find the path leading to the cave. It would have been hard enough if the ground had been clear, but with the snow rapidly obliterating every landmark, it was well-nigh impossible. “I wish Teddy were here,” she said, half to herself, and her voice was very wistful. “Don’t you though!” echoed Laura, heartily. “It seems an age since we’ve seen any of the boys.” “Say, Billie,” broke in Vi, who was shivering in the bitter cold despite her warm furs, “are you sure you are going right? It wouldn’t be any fun to be lost in these lonely woods with maybe a blizzard coming on.” At this observation Billie stopped and turned to Miss Walters and Polly Haddon, who were following close behind. “I’m sorry,” she said, looking up at Miss Walters appealingly. “If it weren’t snowing I might be able to find the way, but as it is I’m afraid I would only get you all lost. I’m lost myself now.” “All right, honey. Don’t look so distressed about it,” said Miss Walters, patting her kindly on the shoulder. “You would have to know the way pretty well to be able to find it in this storm. We shall have to give it up to-day, and try again as soon as we can.” “Yes, that will be best,” said Polly Haddon, through chattering teeth. Her thin shawl formed scarcely any protection against the freezing weather. “Thank you all so much for bothering with my affairs. Now I must get back to the children. Good-bye.” Before they had fairly realized she was going, she was gone, and the girls and Miss Walters turned back to the Hall. “Bother the old snow,” said Laura crossly. “I always liked it before, but now I hate it.” They were all glad when the warmth of Three Towers Hall closed in about them again. Miss Walters said a few words to them about saying nothing of this affair to any one. Then she dismissed them to the dormitory while she herself hurried off to do a little work that she had neglected all day. For around examination time, Miss Walters was not always free, even on Sunday. Some of the girls had seen Billie and Laura and Vi come in with Miss Walters, and they demanded to know what “all the excitement was about.” And the fact that the girls would not talk made their classmates all the more curious. Connie was the only one to whom they would tell the story, for they knew that they could trust her as they trusted themselves. “And it’s still snowing,” mourned Billie, as she cleared a space on the misted window and looked out at the snow-covered world. “It looks as if we shouldn’t get out of here for weeks!”