thing they did was to eat a hearty meal, and no banquet could
have tasted better than the dry, uncooked food.

"What time is it?" asked Jerry.

"Just four o'clock," replied Brick, looking-at his watch.

"Then I'll tell you what we had better do," resumed Jerry. "If a thaw
and rain should come--and it feels pretty close now--the cabin would
almost certainly be flooded. Suppose we go back to the storehouse and
dig another tunnel clear out to the lake. I'll bet anything the wind
blew the ice clear of snow. Then, if we reach the open air, we can start
away from here to-morrow morning and hunt another camp. First, we'll
look up those prospectors."

This proposition suited Hamp and Brick. They were just as eager for a
change as Jerry.

Without delay, the boys started back to the storehouse. They took with
them a lighted lantern, and each was provided with a snowshoe for
digging purposes.

The task proved a long and weary one, but they pluckily persevered. They
chiseled a passage straight down the trough of the ravine, guided along
the way by well-remembered landmarks.

Shortly after seven o'clock in the evening Jerry's snowshoe broke
through the thin wall of snow, and the delighted boys tumbled out into
the dusky night air. They found themselves several yards beyond the
mouth of the ravine.

Far in front stretched the lake, its icy surface almost free of snow.
Behind was the great drift, mounting higher and higher as it
receded, until it rose many feet above the banks of the ravine. The tree
that had fallen across the storehouse was utterly invisible, while of
the upper tree only a few protruding limbs could be seen.

Having accomplished their purpose, and thus opened a way of retreat from
the buried cabin, the boys entered the tunnel once more and crawled
back. They were hungry after their toil, and immediately sat down to
another hearty meal. The lamp shed a cheerful glow throughout the snug
little inclosure, and the contented faces of the lads reflected its
beams.

"This is what I call comfort," declared Jerry, as he put away the
provisions.

"It's not bad," assented Brick. "I only wish---- Hullo! what's that?
I heard a cry from, outside, fellows."

"So did I," exclaimed Hamp. "Listen!"

All were silent, and now the faint, far-away sound came again to their
ears.

It seemed to be the voice of some one in distress.

Again it rang faintly on the night air.

"Those men!" exclaimed Jerry.

"I'll bet any