he shouted. "The wind's shifted. It's blowing right across the
top of this cut now. We'll be protected down here!"

This was indeed true. At the beginning of the squall, which was working
up to a blizzard, the wind had swept up the canyon-like defile between
the hills of earth and snow. But now the direction of the gale had
shifted and was sweeping across the top of the depression. Thus those at
the bottom were, in a measure, protected from the blast.

"By hickory!" exclaimed Mr. Macksey, "that's right. The wind has
changed. Folks, you'll be all right for a while down here, until I can
get help."

"Must you go?" asked Ruth, for now they could talk with more ease.
Indeed, so fiercely was the snow sweeping across the top of the gulch
that little of it fell into the depression.

"Oh, sure, I've got to get help," the hunter said. "You folks can't stay
here all night, even if the wind continues to blow across the top, which
makes it much better."

"Indeed and I will not stay here all night!" protested Mr. Bunn. "I most
strenuously object to it."

"And so do I!" growled Mr. Sneed. "There is no need of it. I might have
known something unpleasant would happen. I had a feeling in my bones
that it would."

"Well, you'll have a freezing feeling in your bones if I don't get
help," observed Mr. Macksey, grimly.

"And I am hungry, too," went on Mr. Sneed. "Why was not food brought
with us in anticipation of this emergency?"

"Haf a pretzel!" offered Mr. Switzer, holding one out.

"Away with the vile thing!" snapped Mr. Sneed.

Mr. Macksey was about to leap on the back of the horse and start off,
when the same driver who had noticed the change in the wind called out:

"I say, Mr. Macksey, I have a plan."

"What is it?"

"Maybe you won't have to go for help, after all. Why can't we take the
forward bob from under the rear sled and put it in place of the broken
one on the first sled? We can easily pass the bob by the second sled
even if the place is narrow."

"By hickory! Why didn't you think of that before?" demanded the hunter.
"Of course we can do it! Lively now, and we'll make the change. Got to
be quick, or it'll be pitch dark."

It would have been very dark long ago had it not been for the snow,
which gave a sort of reflected light.

"Come on!" cried Mr. Macksey. "We'll make the change. I guess I'll have
to ask you folks to get out again," he said to the players in the first
sled. "But it won't be for long. W