ll,
muffled sound, and a moment later a mass of snow dropped upon his face.
He threw out his hands and caught hold of a human arm.

"Brick! Jerry!" he shouted, with delight.

"We're here, old boy," replied Jerry's familiar voice. "Are you hurt?"

"Not a bit. I'm pinned fast, though."

"Well, we'll soon have you out. Brick and I thought you were a goner for
sure when that tree fell. The crash sounded just where your voice was."

"It was a close call," replied Hamp. "But how did you get here so
soon."

"Why, by your tunnel," said Jerry. "It was open a foot beyond that
stone. We dug mighty carefully the rest of the way. That's what kept us
so long."

"And now how are we going to get you free?" added Brick.

"I'll tell you," replied Hamp. "In the first place, make the passage
wide enough for both of you to kneel side by side."

"It's wide enough now," declared Jerry. "We came through in double
file."

"Then take hold of my hands and pull."

The boys followed instructions, and by a long, steady haul they drew
Hamp from under the trunk of the tree.

"There, that will do," he cried, as he sat up. "Thank goodness, I can
kick as spry as ever. My trousers are torn, but I don't believe I have a
scratch. I wouldn't go through this over again for a fortune."

He briefly told the boys his thrilling story, and it made them feel
rather shivery.

"We had better go back while the way is open," said Brick. "It will be
good-by if we are caught by a cave-in."

"I hate to give up," muttered Hamp, doggedly. "I Started for the
storehouse, and I want to reach it."

"But that tree is right in the road now," declared Jerry. "The
storehouse is on the other side of it. We can't get through, and it will
be a risky thing to try to tunnel around it."

Hamp was not satisfied until he had crawled forward several feet. Then a
perfect network of interlacing branches drove him reluctantly back.

"I thought so," said Jerry. "There is only one thing to do, fellows. We
must return to the cabin and wait until morning. By then the storm may
be over. At any rate, the snow will be more solid and compact, and won't
cave in so easily. We will be able to make a tunnel clear around the
tree, and get at the storehouse from the lower side."

This was sound logic, and as no one could suggest a better plan, the
boys started despondently back through the tunnel, crawling in single
file.

They reached the end without mishap, and were heartily glad