e back for the sleigh. It took a full hour
to get down to the spot where they had turned off the Bojowak highway
the day previous. Even then they broke one of the traces and had to
stand around while the leather was mended. The falling snow was so thick
they could not see any distance ahead. It clung to their fur caps and
overcoats until each looked "like a regular Santa Claus," as Dave
declared.

Beyond the forest the road ran along a ridge, and here they found
traveling much easier, so that all entered the sleigh once more and
rode. But at the end of the ridge they found a hollow covered even with
snow.

"What's the trouble now?" questioned the Englishman, as Hendrik pulled
in his four horses.

"I must see how deep it is first," was the reply, and the Norwegian
jumped out and walked ahead with a long and slender pole he had brought
along. Of a sudden he sank up to his waist. Then he stuck his pole down
ahead of him. The snow was all of seven feet deep. He shook his head
vigorously.

"We can't drive through there," said Dave. "Now what's to be done?"

Roger and Granbury Lapham stared around helplessly. The driver came back
and began an inspection of the ground to the left. Here was another
ridge. He said they might try skirting that, since there seemed nothing
else to do.

"All right, anything so long as we get to Bojowak!" cried Dave.

The sleigh was turned partly around and the horses tugged and labored
bravely to get through the snow on the new route. They went up a small
rise of ground and then along a ridge that did not appear to be more
than two yards wide. At one point there was a sharp decline on the left.

"We'll have to be careful here!" cried the Englishman to the driver.
"Otherwise we may all take a tumble."

He had hardly spoken when a sleigh ran up on a rock on one side and
plunged into a hollow on the other. In a twinkling the turnout was
upset. Dave felt himself pitched out and rolled over and over before he
could stop himself. Then he went down and down, he knew not whither. His
hand touched that of Roger, and instinctively the two chums clung to
each other. The snow filled their eyes, ears, and noses, and almost
smothered them. They saw a little light, and then suddenly all became
pitch-dark around them.

For several seconds after they fell neither spoke, for each was busy
collecting his scattered senses. They were side by side on their backs
and the snow was still all around them. Dave p