-THE GUIDE'S STORY.

It was bright day when our travellers awoke, but only a dim light
penetrated into their dungeon-like dormitory, for, besides being very
small, the three windows, or loop-holes, had been so filled up with snow
as to shut out much of the light that would naturally have entered.

That the gale still raged outside was evident enough to the sense of
hearing, and sometimes the gusts were so sudden and strong that the
little building trembled, stout though it was. Indeed, Lawrence at
first thought they must be experiencing the shocks of an earthquake, a
mistake not unnatural in one who, besides having had but little
experience in regard to such catastrophes, knew well that he was at the
time almost in the centre of a region celebrated for earthquakes.

It was with mingled feelings of interest, anxiety, and solemnity that he
surveyed the scene outside through a hole in the door. It seemed as if
an Arctic winter had suddenly descended on them. Snow completely
covered hill and gorge as far as the vision could range but they could
not see far, for at every fresh burst of the furious wind the restless
wreaths were gathered up and whirled madly to the sky, or swept wildly
down the valleys, or dashed with fury against black precipices and
beetling cliffs, to which they would sometimes cling for a few seconds,
then, falling away, would be caught up again by the tormenting gale, and
driven along in some new direction with intensified violence.

"No prospect of quitting the hut to-day," observed Lawrence, turning
away from the bewildering scene.

"None," said Pedro, stretching himself, and rising sleepily on one
elbow, as men are wont to do when unwilling to get up.

"Nebber mind, massa; lots o' grub!" cried Quashy, awaking at that
moment, leaping up like an acrobat, and instantly setting about the
kindling of the fire.

Having, as Quashy truly said, lots of grub, possessing a superabundance
of animal vigour, and being gifted with untried as well as unknown
depths of intellectual power, also with inexhaustible stores of youthful
hope, our travellers had no difficulty in passing that day in
considerable enjoyment, despite adverse circumstances; but when they
awoke on the second morning and found the gale still howling, and the
snow still madly whirling, all except Pedro began to express in word and
countenance feelings of despondency. Manuela did not speak much, it is
true, but she naturally looked somewha