he snow.

Now it may seem to many people a very disagreeable idea, that of
sleeping out in snow, but one who has tried it can assure them that it
is not so bad as it seems. No doubt, when Jasper halted in the cold
dark woods, and said, "I think this will be a pretty good place to
sleep," any one unacquainted with the customs of that country would have
thought the man was jesting or mad; for, besides being very dismal, in
consequence of its being pitch dark, it was excessively cold, and snow
was falling steadily and softly on the ground. But Jasper knew what he
was about, and so did the others. Without saying a word, the three men
flung down their bundles of provisions, and each set to work to make the
encampment. Of course they had to work in darkness so thick that even
the white snow could scarcely be seen.

First of all they selected a tree, the branches of which were so thick
and spreading as to form a good shelter from the falling snow. Here
Jasper and Laroche used their snow-shoes as shovels, while Arrowhead
plied his axe and soon cut enough of firewood for the night. He also
cut a large bundle of small branches for bedding. A space of about
twelve feet long, by six broad, was cleared at the foot of the tree in
half an hour. But the snow was so deep that they had to dig down four
feet before they reached the turf. As the snow taken out of the hole
was thrown up all round it, the walls rose to nearly seven feet.

Arrowhead next lighted a roaring fire at one end of this cleared space,
the others strewed the branches over the space in front of it, and
spread their blankets on the top, after which the kettle was put on to
boil, buffalo steaks were stuck up before the fire to roast, and the men
then lay down to rest and smoke, while supper was preparing. The
intense cold prevented the fire from melting the snowy walls of this
encampment, which shone and sparkled in the red blaze like pink marble
studded all over with diamonds, while the spreading branches formed a
ruddy-looking ceiling. When they had finished supper, the heat of the
fire and the heat of their food made the travellers feel quite warm and
comfortable, in spite of John Frost; and when they at last wrapped their
blankets round them and laid their heads together on the branches, they
fell into a sleep more sound and refreshing than they would have enjoyed
had they gone to rest in a warm house upon the best bed in England.

But when the fire wen