fell in like sand
as they worked upon it, and they were obliged to make a very broad
cutting.

At last there was a cheer, as they struck the ground.

"Now, working up hill we must be at the hut in a few feet."

Twenty willing hands laboured away incessantly, but to their surprise no
hut was met with; they worked and worked, throwing the snow behind them,
until Mr Jackson struck his shovel upon something hard.

"Here is a wall or something," he said.

Another minute uncovered a low wall of two feet in height, and directly
afterwards a leg was popped up through the snow. A loud cheer broke
from the men.

But again the snow-drift fell in from the sides, and it was another
quarter of an hour before the lads were lifted from the narrow shelter
where they had for five days lain.

The Jacksons were too weak to stand, but Dick was just able to keep on
his feet. A cup of milk mixed with some brandy was given to each. Then
Dick in a few words told the story, and the surprise of all, as they
examined the little hut and heard the details of the almost miraculous
preservation of the boys, was almost unbounded.

They were now wrapped in blankets and laid on mattresses placed on the
hurdles; the contents of the baskets--for others besides Mr Humphreys
had brought a stock of provisions, not knowing how long the search-party
might be engaged--were distributed among the workers, and then four men
lifted each hurdle and the party started for home, a messenger having
been sent back at full speed directly the boys were got out, to bear the
glad news to Castleton.

It was just midnight when the main body returned. A second cup of
brandy and milk had done much to revive the two elder boys, and Dick had
been able to eat a piece of bread. James, however, had fallen asleep
directly he was wrapped in the blankets, and did not awake until he was
set down at his father's door.

At both houses doctors were in waiting for their arrival. Dick was at
once pronounced to be none the worse for his adventure, except that his
feet were frost-bitten from long contact with the snow; indeed had it
not been from this cause he could, on the following day, have been up
and about. As it was, in a fortnight, he was perfectly himself again.

Tom Jackson was confined to the house for many weeks; he lost several of
his toes, but eventually became strong and hearty again. James,
however, never recovered--the shock to his system had been too great;