time in
rolling over and getting out of harm's way. "Gracious, but that was a
crack in the stomach, all right!" he groaned.

"He's what you can call a battering-ram," observed Dave.

"Yes, and a ram-bunctious one at that."

"Don't ram-ble in your talk, Roger."

"If he goes on another ram-page I won't ram-ble, I'll run."

"Say, this joke has too many ram-ifications for me, let us drop it,"
said Dave, and with a merry laugh both lads changed the subject.

The hours dragged by slowly. At noon they took their time eating a meal
that all hands prepared. Fortunately they had with them a few canned
goods, which gave them something of a change in their diet.

When night came again the wind arose once more. But now the house was so
completely buried in the snow that it was scarcely touched. Dave was
worn out and slept soundly, and the others did not awaken him until
nearly nine o'clock.

"Any news?" was his first question on arising.

"Nothing," answered Granbury Lapham. "Porter, I am growing worried," he
added, seriously.

"I think we have good cause to worry, Mr. Lapham. It is no joke to be
out on a mountain top in such weather as this."

"The man here tells me there are several shelters up there, one built
between the rocks where the wind cannot touch it. But for all that I am
worried."

"Do you suppose they have enough food with them?"

"They should know enough to go well supplied."

All of that day and the next went by, and still nobody appeared at the
sheep-station. Another snowstorm was brewing, and when it came the air
was so filled with it that nobody could venture outside. The young
Americans and the Englishman paced the floor of the shelter impatiently,
but could do nothing. Their food was limited, and the tobacco for
Granbury Lapham's pipe ran low, which caused the man additional trouble.

"I can get along with a poor meal, but I must have my smoke," he said.

A day later they were seated around the fire discussing the situation
when Roger gave a cry.

"Well, I never!"

"What's up now?" asked Dave.

"Why, we've gotten into a new year and nobody ever noticed it!"

"By Jove, that's so!" answered Granbury Lapham. "Well, here's a Happy
New Year to all of you."

"A poor beginning makes a good ending, they say," said Dave. "Let us
hope that proves true in this instance." He was sorry he had not been in
a position to send New Year greetings to those at home, and especially
to Jessie.

Sunday pa