CHAPTER XVI.
SETTLING DOWN IN CAMP.
It certainly was a dismal outlook, lost on the lake in a howling snowstorm, and night coming on. Small wonder that all of the members of the Zero Club were filled with fear as to the outcome of the unexpected situation.
The wind blew sharper than ever, cutting like a knife, and causing their teeth to chatter in spite of themselves. The snowflakes settled on their faces and had to be brushed off their eyebrows that they might see.
“Here’s a state of things, and no error,” remarked Boxy, as he joined Harry and Jack in front of the big snowdrift. “Have we got to go through this?”
“We’ve got to do something,” returned Jack, with a certain sort of desperateness in his voice. “If we stay out here much longer we’ll be frozen to death and buried in the snow!”
“We must push on ahead—it’s our only salvation,” added Harry. “If we keep on in a straight line we are bound to fetch up somewhere sooner or later.”
“We may walk clean up to the upper end of the lake,” said Andy, in a low voice. He was too exhausted to speak louder.
“Well, that would be better than remaining here,” replied his big brother. “Come, fellows, brace up and put your best leg forward,” he went on, in an effort to cheer up their lagging spirits.
Pulling and pushing the sled as best they could, they attacked the huge drift before them. In a couple of minutes they were on the other side. All had had tumbles, but to these they paid no attention.
“By golly! but I would give all I kin rake an’ scrape togedder to be in a warm kitchen jess about now!” puffed Pickles. “My two feet dun got froze as stiff as two chunks ob ice!”