Two days later, when they were finishing up the survey in the mountain gap, there came another flurry of snow. With the white flakes flying all around them, they worked from daylight to dusk with only a few minutes’ rest for lunch.
“By to-morrow it may be too late to do anything,” said Washington.
They were encamped at the side of a cliff. Here they had found a fallen hemlock and over this spread their canvas and some cedar boughs. There were rocks on two sides of the shelter, keeping out a good share of the wind and making it quite comfortable. Late as it was that night, they piled extra cedar boughs on a third side, leaving only a narrow opening for an entrance, and brought all their provisions inside.
“Now, if we are storm-bound we will not be so very badly off,” said the surveyor.
“But I trust we are not storm-bound,” answered Dave. “We might be laid up for several weeks.”
“Hardly, at this time of year. Were it later in the season I should get out of the mountains with all speed.”
Being utterly worn out with the long day’s work, it did not take Dave long to fall asleep and Washington soon followed. In the meantime the wind fell and the snow continued to come down, more heavily than before. This continued until shortly after midnight, when the storm cleared away, and by three o’clock the stars were shining.
“David!” It was Washington calling, at the first light of day, and the boy at once sprang up.
“Yes, sir.”
“Have you been at our traps?”