Two minutes after that he was back, pounding for admittance.
"Br-r-r-r!" Dave greeted his comrades, as he stepped inside.

"Say, I don't want any more of being out to-night.

I'll bet it's away down below zero.

And how the wind howls and cuts!" It took Hen Dutcher, after he got started, considerable time to eat his fill.

In the meantime the others, restrained by a sense of what was due from hosts, held back their curiosity.
"There, I don't believe I could eat another mouthful," declared Dutcher, at last, pushing back from the table.
"Now, Hen," invited Dick, "come over to the fire and tell us how you came to be here." "Why, I just naturally was hereabouts," declared Hen evasively.
"That won't quite do," replied Dick, shaking his head.