The entire front of the shelter was blocked with snow and loose stones, which lay over it to the depth of eight or ten feet.
“Now the question is, how are we to get out?” said Jack, in dismay. “We are caught like rats in a trap.”
“We must dig our way out, and that quickly,” responded Harry. “We must have fresh air to breathe.”
“Set to work with anything you can find!” cried Andy. “A bit of board, or a tin plate, or anything!”
All hands went at the wall of snow and loose stones with a will. The stuff was thrown to one side of the cave, and while Harry and Jack threw it back the others packed it away.
At the end of half an hour a passageway all of eight feet had been made, when suddenly Jack gave a shout:
“Hurrah! I have struck an open place at last!”
“Good!” returned Harry. “Now let us all get out and see how much damage has really been done.”
The small opening Jack had found was enlarged with all possible haste, and then one after another the boys crawled out into the open air.
It was found that the entire top portion of the cliff, loaded down with ice and snow, had given way, and was lying all along the bottom, a distance of fully fifty feet.