traight up and down. It was in the middle
of this snow wall that the tunnel hole was to be started.

"Well, here we go!" cried Uncle Frank, as he waved his shovel at the
watching children in the window.

He made a jab into the snow wall, and cut out a big square chunk of
whiteness. This he tossed back of him out of the way. For a time this
could be done, and there was no need to use the baskets. But as the
tunnel was dug farther in, the pile of white flakes would have to be
carried out. As the tunnel was only going to be big enough for one
person to walk in at a time, and not wide enough for two to go side by
side, the two men were to take turns digging, one using the shovel and
the other bringing out the clothes basket filled with snow which would
be emptied outside.

"Oh, I can't see Uncle Frank any more!" cried Ted, who was eagerly
watching with his sister and Trouble.

"Where's he gone?" asked Janet.

"He's dug a hole for himself inside the snow bank--in the tunnel--and I
can't see him now. He's away inside! Oh, what fun! I wish we could be in
there," he added.

"So do I," echoed Janet. "Maybe we can when it gets warmer and the snow
stops coming down."

"We'll ask mother," decided Teddy.

"I see my papa!" suddenly called Trouble. "He's bringin' out de
clothes!"

"No, that's a basket of snow he has," said Janet with a laugh, for her
father had just then come out of the tunnel with the first load of snow
that had been dug loose by Uncle Frank.

From then on, for some time, the children had a sight of their father or
their Uncle Frank only once in a while, as either one or the other came
to the mouth of the tunnel to empty the basket filled with snow.
Sometimes it would be Daddy Martin and again Uncle Frank, as they were
taking turns.

"I guess the tunnel must be most finished," said Janet, when they had
been watching for some time.

"Anyhow here they come in," added Teddy, as he heard a noise at the back
of the house.

"Did you tunnel your way to the barn?" asked Mrs. Martin, as her husband
and Uncle Frank came into the kitchen.

"Not yet. It's farther than we thought, and hard work," answered Mr.
Martin. "We came in to get some dinner and then we're going at it
again."

"And will you see if Nicknack is all right when you get out to the
barn?" asked Teddy.

"I surely will," promised his father. "I thought I heard him bleating
when I first went out, so I guess he's all right."

"Couldn't you br