ty, and
turned to look for his companion; but Glen was not to be seen.

Blinded by that furious blast, the boy had missed his footing. The next
instant he was sliding, helplessly, and with frightful velocity, down
that smooth slope of unyielding snow, towards the blue lake hidden in
the storm-cloud far beneath him.

Chapter XXIX.

PLUNGING INTO A LAKE OF ICE-WATER.

As "Billy" Brackett turned and missed the companion whom he supposed was
close behind him, his heart sank like lead. In vain did he shout. Not
even an echo answered him. His loudest tones were snatched from his lips
by the wind, torn into fragments, and indistinguishably mingled with its
mocking laughter. It was barely possible that Glen might have turned
back; and, with the slender hope thus offered, the engineer retraced his
perilous way across the snow-field to the place where they last stood
together. It was empty and awful in its storm-swept loneliness. A great
terror seized hold upon the man's stout heart; and, as he again crossed
the treacherous snow, he trembled so that his reaching the rocky shelf
beyond was little short of a miracle.

Then he hastened to the place where Binney Gibbs anxiously awaited the
return of his friends. He had kept up a roaring fire, knowing that it
would be a welcome sight to them, especially since the setting-in of the
storm. Its coming had filled him with anxiety and uneasy forebodings, so
that he hailed "Billy" Brackett's appearance with a glad shout of
welcome. It died on his lips as he noted the expression on the engineer's
face; and, with a tremble of fear in his voice, he asked, "Where is
Glen?"

"I don't know," was the answer.

"Do you mean that he is lost on the mountain in this storm?" cried
Binney, aghast at the terrible possibilities thus suggested.

"Not only that, but I have not the faintest hope that he will ever be
found again," replied the other; and then he told all he knew of what
had happened.

Although, for their own safety, they should already be hurrying towards
camp, Binney insisted on going to the place where his friend had last
been seen. The snow-squall had passed when they reached it, but the
clouds still hung thick about them; and Binney shuddered as he saw the
smooth white slide that vanished in the impenetrable mist but a few rods
below them. In vain they shouted. In vain they fired every shot
contained in the only pistol they had brought with them. There was no
answer. And