Nature, with all her seeming carelessness and _abandon_, works on strict
mathematical principles."
"Well," said Alf, "I'm going to see if you are right tomorrow. I don't
half believe you are." And on the following day he tried his best to
prove Webb wrong, but failed.
Before the week was over there was a decided return of winter. The sky
lost its spring-like blue. Cold, ragged clouds were driven wildly by a
northeast gale, which, penetrating the heaviest wraps, caused a shivering
sense of discomfort. Only by the most vigorous exercise could one cope
with the raw, icy wind, and yet the effort to do so brought a rich return
in warm, purified blood. All outdoor labor, except such as required
strong, rapid action, came to an end, for it was the very season and
opportunity for pneumonia to seize upon its chilled victim. To a family
constituted like the Cliffords such weather brought no _ennui_. They
had time for more music and reading aloud than usual. The pets in the
flower-room needed extra care and watching, for the bitter wind searched
out every crevice and cranny. Entering the dining-room on one occasion,
Amy found the brothers poring over a map spread out on the table.
"What! studying geography?" she said. "It certainly is a severe stress of
weather that has brought you all to that. What countries are you
exploring?"
"These are our Western Territories," Burt promptly responded. "This
prominent point here is Fort Totem, and these indications of adjacent
buildings are for the storage of furs, bear-meat, and the accommodation
of Indian hunters.
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