th the tips of our fingers. It's all right, I tell you; rats
and mice and rabbits don't make a fuss about being in burrows."

"They're used to it, Dal; we're not."

"Then let's get used to it, lad. I say, suppose we were getting gold
here, instead of a biscuit-tin; we shouldn't make a fuss about being
buried. Why, it's just what we should like."

"I suppose so," replied Abel.

"It's what we shall have to do, perhaps, by-and-by. This is a sort of
lesson, and it will make the rest easy."

"If we get out."

"Get out? Pish! We shall get out soon. The sun and the rain will thaw
us out if we don't dig a way. Hullo! The lid's off the tin, and the
biscuits are half of them in the snow. Never mind. Set to work and
eat, while I pick up all I can find. I'm hungry. Peck away, lad, and
think you're a squirrel eating your winter store. I say, who would
think one could be so warm and snug surrounded by snow?"

Abel made no reply, but tried to eat, as he heard the cracking and
crunching going on at his side. It was hard work, though, and he went
on slowly, for the effort to swallow was accompanied by a good deal of
pain, and he ceased long before Dallas gave up.

"How are you getting on?" the latter said in an encouraging tone.

"Badly."

"Yes, they are dry; but wait till we get our gold. We'll have a banquet
to make up for this. By Jove!"

"What is it?"

"I forgot about your throat. It hurts?"

"Horribly. But I can manage."

Dallas said no more, but thought a great deal; and after placing the tin
aside he turned to the sledge to try whether he could not get at the
shovel bound to it somewhere, for the package was pressed all on one
side by the snow.

After a long search he found one corner of the blade, and drawing his
big sharp knife, he set to work chipping and digging with the point,
with the result that in about an hour he dragged out the tool.

"Now," he said, "we can get to work turn and turn. The thing is, where
to begin, for I have not seen the slightest glimmer of light."

"No; we must be buried very deep."

"Say pretty deep. Which way shall we try?"

"Up by the rock, and slope upward where the air seems to come."

"That's right. Just what I thought. And, look here, Bel, there's room
for a couple of cartloads of snow or more about us here, and my plan is
this: one will dig upward, and of course the snow will fall down of its
own weight. As it comes down the other must keep fill