About noon
The children , who had never seen such thick snow before , were delighted ; but Foster-father looked fearfully at the passes before them , while the Captain of the Escort fumed and fretted at the non-arrival of his men . Unless they came soon , he said , if more snow fell , the pass immediately in front of them might be closed for days . Not that there seemed much likelihood of further storm , for the sky was blue as blue , the air , though keen , pleasant . About noon , there being still no sign of the missing men with provisions , the captain became impatient , and told Foster-father curtly that he and his three troopers would ride back some fifteen miles to a village , where perchance the others were waiting , and that meanwhile the rest of them could wait till he returned ; there were provisions enough for a day or two . Foster-father protested against being left alone in the snow with but a boy , two helpless women and two young children ; but the Captain only laughed and rode off , taking with him Horse-chestnut , as a precaution , doubtless , against any attempt to escape with the Heir-to-Empire . There was nothing to be done , Foster-father felt , save to wait with what patience he could ; but his heart sank as , while Head-nurse and Foster-mother slept , outwearied by the past two days ' fatigue , and the children under Roy 's care played snowballs , he sat and watched the sky . At first there was only a cloud or two in the west ; then a sudden wind sprang up and drove the fine , powdery snow in drifts .