lo! Frank, Frank!" he cried, entering the hall, while he hastily
threw on his garments; "turn out, man; there's something wrong here.
'Tis past noon, and dark as midnight. Bring your watch; perhaps I'm
wrong."

Frank yawned vociferously, and sprang from his bed. In two seconds more
he made his appearance in his trousers and shirt.

"Past twelve, no doubt of--yea-o-ow! That accounts for my waking three
times and going off again; but--"

"Hey! what have we here?" cried Stanley, as he opened the front door,
and disclosed to view a solid wall of snow.

"Snowed up; dear me! eh! that's odd," said Frank, beginning to
comprehend the state of matters.

Snowed up they were, undoubtedly; so thoroughly snowed up that there was
not a ray of daylight within their dwelling. Had Frank been above the
snow, instead of below it, he would have seen that the whole fort was so
completely buried that nothing was visible above the surface except the
chimneys and the flagstaff. After the first few moments of surprise had
passed, it occurred to Stanley that they might ascend to the regions
above by the chimney, which was wide enough, he thought, to admit a man;
but on looking up, he found that it also was full of drifted snow.
This, however, could have been easily removed; but there was a bar of
iron stretching across, and built into the clay walls, which rendered
escape by that passage impossible.

"There's nothing for it, Frank, but to dig ourselves out, so the sooner
we begin the better."

By this time they were joined by Edith and her mother, who, although
much surprised, were not at all alarmed; for rough travelling in a wild
land had taught them to regard nothing as being dangerous until it was
proved to be so. Besides, Stanley had assured them that they had
nothing to fear, as the only evil he anticipated would be the trouble
they were sure to have in getting rid of the superabundant snow. While
they were talking, the back door was opened violently, and La Roche, in
a state of dishabille, burst into the room.

"O messieurs, c'est fini! Oui, le world him shut up tout togedder. Oh,
misere! Fat shall ye to do?"

"Hold your tongue, La Roche," said Frank, "and bring the kitchen
shovel."

The cook instantly turned to obey, and as he rushed towards the kitchen
his voice was heard exclaiming in the passage--

"Ah, c'est terrible! Mais I ver' moshe fear de shovel be out in de
neige. Ah, non; here it is. C'est bien."