d forward once more, not knowing
whether he might be retracing his steps, or proceeding in the proper
direction.

Every inch of advance was made against the fierce wind and drifting
sand which nearly overthrew him.

Every breath he drew was choked with dust.

How long he thus literally fought against the elements it was
impossible for him so much as to conjecture.

He knew his strength was spending rapidly; and when it seemed as if he
could not take another step, he stumbled, and fell against a mound of
sand.

It had been built by the "dancing giants" when some obstruction had
been found in the path of the storm; and as Dick fell prostrate at the
foot of this slight elevation, there instantly came a sense of deepest
relief.

The sand was no longer thrown against him by the blast; the wind had
ceased to buffet him; he was in comparative quiet, and for an instant
he failed to understand the reason.

Then he realized that this mound, which had thrown him from his feet,
was affording a shelter against the tempest, which was now coming from
one direction instead of in a circle as heretofore; and a fervent
prayer of thanksgiving went up from his heart, for he believed his
life had been saved that he might aid his father.

After recovering in a measure from the exhaustion consequent upon his
battle with the elements, he proceeded with infinite care to brush the
particles of sand from his face; and this done, his relief was yet
greater.

Overhead the air was full of darkness; the wind still screamed as it
whirled aloft the spiral columns of dust; the wave-like drift of the
sand surged on either side; but for the moment he was safe.

He had been told that such tempests were of but short duration, and
yet it seemed to him as if already half a day had been spent in this
fight for life.

Then he said to himself that he could remain where he was in safety
until the wind had subsided; but even as the words were formed in his
mind he was conscious of a weight upon his limbs as if something was
bearing him down, and for the first time he realized that he was being
rapidly buried alive.

To remain where he was ten minutes longer must be fatal; and perhaps
even that length of time would not be allowed him, for if the wind so
shifted as to cut off the top of the mound, then he would be
overwhelmed as if in a landslide.

There was nothing for it but to go into the conflict once more; and in
this second effort the odds wo