.

"We have only just reached the top," Dick said; "the snow must be near
fifteen feet deep."

Small though the aperture was, it effected a sensible relief. The
feeling of oppression ceased; half an hour later the hole was closed up,
and they knew that the snow was still falling.

Another length of stick was added, and the daylight again appeared.

The boys slept a good deal; they had no sensation of cold whatever, the
heat of their bodies keeping the air at a comfortable temperature. They
did not feel so hungry as they expected, but they were very thirsty.

"I shall eat some snow," Tom said.

"I have heard that that makes you more thirsty," Dick remarked; "hold
some in your hands till it melts, and then sip the water."

Four days passed; then they found that the snow no longer continued to
cover up the hole, and knew that the snow-storm had ceased. The number
of sticks required to reach the top was six, and as each of these was
about four feet long they knew that, making allowance for the joints,
the snow was over twenty feet deep.

Very often the boys talked of home, and wondered what their friends were
doing. The first night, when they did not return, it would be hoped
that they had stayed at the farm; but somebody would be sure to go over
in the morning to see, and when the news arrived that they were missing,
there would be a general turn out to find them.

"They must have given up all hope by this time," Dick said, on the fifth
morning, "and must be pretty sure that we are buried in the drift
somewhere; but, as all the bottoms will be like this, they will have
given up all hopes of finding our bodies till the thaw comes."

"That may be weeks," Tom said; "we might as well have died at once."

"We can live a long time here," Dick replied confidently. "I remember
reading once of a woman who had been buried in the snow being got out
alive a tremendous time afterwards. I think it was five weeks, but it
might have been more. Hurrah! I have got an idea, Tom."

"What is that?" Tom asked.

"Look here; we will tie three more sticks--"

"We can't spare any more sticks," Tom said; "the snow is up to our knees
already."

"Ah! but thin sticks will do for this," Dick said; "we can get some thin
sticks out here. We will tie them over the others, and on the top of
all we will fasten my red pocket-handkerchief, like a flag; if any one
comes down into this bottom they are sure to see it."

CHAPTER TW