They made a long circuit of the deadly breathing-hole, and then ran
for the nearest shore on the farthest side. The deepening layer of
soft snow on the surface of the ice impeded the smooth action of the
runners considerably, and made travelling laborious.

Under the lee of a promontory covered with pines they drew up to rest
for a few minutes, and shake away loose snow.

'You know everything, Holt, so you can tell me why those treacherous
breaks in the ice are called breathing-holes.'

'I believe there's no reason to be given beyond a popular Canadian
superstition that a lake needs air as well as a human being, and must
have it by bursting these openings through its prison of ice. The
freezing is generally uniform all over the surface at first, and after a
month or so it cracks in certain spots, perhaps where there exists some
eddy or cross current in the water. But evidently the hole we saw a
while ago was never frozen at all. Uncle Zack would tell you it is over
some dismal cavern whence issue whirlwinds and foul air.'

'I think we should get on almost better without skates,' said Arthur,
when they had struggled a furlong farther.

'We are in a drift just now,' answered Mr. Holt; 'the wind has heaped
the snow up along here. Certainly the skates would be of more use to us
farther out on the pond; but I think we had better be cautious, and
continue to coast;' and so they did, having the fear of other possible
breathing-holes before their eyes.

How grandly roared the wind through the forest of pines with a steady
persistent swelling sound, as of breakers upon an iron shore, sweeping
off masses of snow wherewith to drown all landmarks in undistinguishable
drifts of whiteness, and driving aslant the descending millions of flakes,
till the outlines of the lake landscape were confused to the eyes which
tried to trace familiar copse or headland.

Sam Holt was secretly somewhat disquieted, and watched narrowly for
the cedars which denoted the Wynns' land. He would have abandoned the
ice-boat but for unwillingness to risk the fruit of their day's journey.
They must be near the swamp and the creek now; it was scarcely possible
they could have passed without recognising the cove whence they had
issued in the morning; and yet there was a chance. For the weather was
extremely thick, and daylight was fading quickly: the disguise of drifts
is bewildering, even to the most practised eye.

'Ha! there are our cedars at last!