Alfred fixed the fish Betty caught the next morning and they each ate one. He melted some snow and they all had a drink including Scout. They spent the morning talking about things past, present and future. Lloyd told about how he had tried to see his mother and sisters but was turned away by none other than Mr. Greyman, the banker that had wanted to foreclose on the Brink's homestead. They had a good laugh over that and made a game of pick-up sticks with small sticks that the kids collected around the old building.

The sun came out finally about 11:00a.m. and it shone so brightly on the unbroken snowy expanse that it hurt their eyes. It was still bitter cold but the wind had died. They had weathered a blizzard and on the South Dakota prairie, that was a miracle.

"Papa, do you think we can go home now?"

"I don't know Betty, we need to see how deep the snow is."

And with that Alfred stood up and headed to the wooden door. Upon opening the door he was greeted by a solid wall of snow clear up to the roof. Alfred thought for a minute and decided the only way out was to dig out so he started looking for something to use as a shovel.

He came across an iron bar that he thought might work and Lloyd had a pen knife that he started chopping with. Betty found an old iron lid off of something and they all three started digging a path through the snow piled up against the old pumphouse. After several hours and little gained, the three stopped to assess their situation again.

Each had taken turns to make certain the fire did not go out and had taken a break now and then. Lloyd always checked on Scout who stood quietly, that once proud horse, now older, wiser and more subdued.

It was hard work since the snow had been packed by 50 mile per hour winds. Scout was becoming restless. After all he had been in this building for almost 24 hours and he was getting anxious. Lloyd went to check on him again and that's when he saw it. The building in the corner had caught on fire and it was beginning to crackle with the sound of wet timber trying to burn!

"FIRE!" Lloyd yelled.

Alfred and Betty turned to see a finger of flames starting up the back wall. Grabbing snow they had dug out in their hands they ran back and forth throwing it on the flames. Lloyd started lobbing snowballs but it did little good since the wood was old and dry, the fire was only slowed by the dampness of the snow outside. They were trapped and even though the wood was damp from the snow, the fire was beginning to get out of hand. Scout had sounded the warning and now he was beginning to stomp and whinny knowing all too well there was danger close by.

The three frantically worked at putting the fire out, running back and forth with handfuls of snow. Alfred grabbed the old blanket and beat the flames with it to no avail. Scout started kicking and panic was on everyone's face. They were trapped!

Just as the back wall exploded in flame Scout kicked the wall he was close to with his hind legs and put a hole right through it and there was daylight. There was little time to lose, the fire was spreading. The three ran to the spot and began tearing at the wood. The snow had not accumulated on the back side of the shed and they could see the unbroken white expanse of the prairie.

Frantic now they pulled the rotten old wood away and when there was a hole big enough for all including Scout, they made their escape. And just in time, the building burst in to flames and it seemed a matter of a few minutes and it was on the ground.

Now there was no choice but to head for home. The snow was deep but not unmanageable. Alfred put Betty on Scout and he and Lloyd trekked ahead to clear a path. Sometimes the snow was up to their waist, sometimes almost bare ground where the wind had blown it away. It was cold!

Alfred knew they had to get home in a hurry or the would-be rescuers would find them in a few days frozen stiff. He knew nothing of his two older children but in the back of his mind he was worried. He had a concern for his family back at the farm too. He knew Etta was capable but he wasn't sure how much wood they had, how much food was available and he was anxious to get home.

It seemed forever out in the middle of nowhere, nothing for miles except white, glistening snow but the sun was out so Alfred could calculate the direction they needed to go while behind them was a plume of smoke still rising against a clear, blue sky. There were large humps covered by snow and they all knew what they were, cattle. Cattle had been out in this stuff and had not survived.

They headed West towards home not thinking about those poor old cows or that it might have been them. They were all very cold but when they came up over the ridge they saw the house and there was smoke coming from the kitchen chimney!!! A more beautiful sight there never was. It renewed their energy as they saw salvation close at hand. Warmth! Food! Family! They dragged, pulled and pushed Scout down the slight incline and what seemed like an eternity soon became reality. Lloyd ran Scout in to the barn and removed the wet, snowy blanket. Scout was cold too so Lloyd brushed him down and found another warm blanket to cover him. After all, he had saved the day. He found some hay and promised his friend he'd be back soon. Scout was content.

Betty and Alfred stepped inside to a warm, inviting kitchen, one they had been in a thousand times before but today seemed especially beautiful. And as they started peeling off cold, frozen clothes, Etta came in. She was SO happy to see them, she cried. Running to meet them she hugged both and couldn't believe her eyes. They were home, they were safe. At that moment Lloyd popped in the door, cold, shivering.

Then Etta looked at Alfred and apprehension slowly began to etch her face.

"Have you seen Christian and Willow?"

"They're not here?"

Her voice was almost a whisper, "no."

Betty and Lloyd stopped what they were doing and all were silent for a minute.

"They probably spent the night in town." Alfred was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

"Does the phone work mama?" Betty asked. The phone was on a party line with three other customers and when you rang up an operator answered and more likely than not all of the neighbors were listening to your conversation.

"I don't know Betty, we need to try it." And with that Etta went to the wall phone and cranked it up. No answer. The lines must all be down and there was no telling how long they would be inoperable. Sometimes it was weeks.

Etta made some coffee and the four of them sat around the old clawfoot table in the parlor near the pot belly stove. They were all exhausted from the ordeal but there was a sense of urgency in their voices.

Finally Betty said what was on all their minds, "What if Christian and Willow aren't in town? What if they're out there somewhere? What if they're in the truck somewhere between here and town waiting to be rescued? What if---?"

"Betty, honey, we'll go find the kids as soon as we can. Don't you worry. Christian has a good head on his shoulders. They are probably staying somewhere in town until it's safe to come home. I'm sure they're just fine."

Etta's voice cracked a little as she spoke which gave her true feelings away. To be out in a true blizzard such as this was not only dangerous but lethal.

The late afternoon and evening was spent trying to dig out. Just shoveling a path from the house to the barn took hours. The snow had piled up on the back side of the house clear to the roof and was waist deep almost everywhere else. The old cow and her daughter were in the barn with Scout so they were OK, the chickens on the other hand might be jeopardy.

The three younger children had busied themselves with games during the storm and tried the radio to no avail. Gretta was working on her sewing project and the two boys were playing cards with an old deck that was missing a Jack.

That night the whole family spent fitfully, up and down, checking the stove, looking out the window towards town hoping to see lights, listening in the dark for the door to open, for Willow and Christian to come walking in. Nothing.

Early in the morning as they sat waiting, the phone rang! Everyone jumped a mile and Etta, Alfred, Betty and Lloyd all ran to it. Alfred picked it up.
It was Johnny from the Locker Plant in Town.

"Mr. Pearson, this is Johnny, is Willow home?"

"No, Johnny, do you know where they stayed last night?"

"Mr. Pearson, I saw them leave town just as it was beginning to snow yesterday. They were headed home. They aren't home?"

"No, Johnny, they're not. Can you get the firetruck out of the barn? Is there anyone in town to help look for my kids?"

"I'll find men Mr. Pearson and we'll be coming your way. Can you get out?"
Just then Phyllis Brinks broke in. She had been listening on the party line.

"Alfred, this is Phyllis, I heard it and James is getting his stuff on to go out looking. He'll meet you on the road to town. We'll find 'em."

"Thanks Phyllis. I'm gonna crank up the Farmall and try to get out. How about James, can he get out yet?"

"He's got his old John Deere. He says he can push a house with that old thing. He'll meet ya'"

Johnny broke in. "I'm on my way now too. Gonna get the men to pull the firetruck out. We're on our way. Don't worry."

But they all were.