eant. Possibly they
believed, at first, that suffering had turned his brain.

Jerry pointed out the path and the crevice above it. Then they
understood.

"It is where the bear entered," exclaimed Sparwick. "Look, here's proof
enough."

He gathered from one of the crevices several stiff, black hairs.

Jerry had already commenced the ascent. He held the candle tightly in
one hand as he scaled the rugged face of the rock. Hope mastered
weakness. He did not slip or fall.

His companions were close behind him when he gained the top. Here was a
tortuous passage, three or four feet broad, leading off at right angles
from the main cavern. The little party followed it eagerly.

For half-a-dozen yards it remained level. Then it dropped at a steep
angle for almost an equal distance, meanwhile growing more and more
narrow. Ah! here was the termination at last--not a hopeless wall of
rock, but a mass of soft, powdery snow. This was a sure promise of
deliverance. What could snow mean but that the outer world was close at
hand?

"We are saved!" cried Jerry, as he placed the candle firmly on the floor
of the passage.

"Yes, saved!" echoed Hamp, in a broken, husky voice.

"Derned if we ain't," declared Sparwick. "Dig, youngsters; dig."

He dropped on his hands and knees, and started in.

The boys helped him from each side. They tore furiously at the soft
snow, crushing it down as they advanced.

The tunnel grew deeper and deeper.

Suddenly, the light crust overhead broke of its own weight. All sprang
erect, threshing out with their arms. They found themselves in the open
air, and facing a level stretch of pine forest.

Behind them was the rugged hillside, under which lay the cavern. They
were simply speechless with the joy of that first moment of freedom.
They inhaled long, deep breaths of the frosty air. Twilight was just
falling. It was not yet so dark but that a glimpse could be had through
the trees of the misty, distant surface of Chesumcook Lake.

But hunger and cold were quick to assert their sway.

"We must get the sleds!" exclaimed Hamp. "That's the first thing."

"An' we'll have ter spend another night in the cavern," added Sparwick.
"We sart'nly ain't fit to travel, even if we wanted to push on through
the darkness."

This was too self-evident for denial. The boys regretted the fact, since
every hour of delay seemed to lessen the chances of saving Brick from
the unknown fate that threatened him.