174 THE LAND OF PLUCK

The children are awake now. What sobs, what laughter,
what broken words of gratitude and joy, fall upon the mid-
night air! Little Nat utters only a faint “ Hello, Papa!
hello, Mama!” as he slides from Trapper Joe’s strong hold
into his mother’s outstretched arms.

Mother, Father, Trapper Joe, and the neighbor seem all
to be talking at once — and Winnie, wondering and thrilled
with strange happiness, is saying to herself: “I knew God
would show us the way home!”